If I hired a new employee for my computer consulting business, I'd give them this to read. I'd HOPE that there was nothing in here they didn't already know, but I've seen supposedly knowledgeable people with tremendous knowledge gaps, so this would cover my bases.
Really it's more for the small business or home user. I can't tell you how many times I've had calls from very small businesses or home users who couldn't afford to pay me to help them with exactly the kinds of things this book covers. That's great, because too often I've felt sorry for them and helped for free: from now on I'll just tell them to get this book.
I was happy to see that the author did not ignore Linux and Mac OS X. I don't think he ignored much of anything: it's all here, from basic wiring to VPN's. No, it's not deep techy details, but it's more than enough to get you started and might just be all that you need. Best of all, it's completely non-threatening. You'd need to be very tech-phobic to feel frightened by this: the author explains things very gently, yet very completely.
I lead a little computer club here in our retirement community; I'm going to be waving this around at the next meeting and telling the people they want to get this. Very, very good.
Author(s): John Ross Dr
Edition: 1
Publisher: No Starch Press
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 292
Acknowledgments......Page 15
Introduction......Page 17
1: How a Network Will Improve Your Life
......Page 21
What’s a Network?......Page 22
Sneakernet......Page 23
Data Networks and What You Can Do with Them......Page 24
File Sharing......Page 25
Sharing an Internet Connection......Page 26
Home Entertainment......Page 27
Home Automation......Page 28
2: Types of Network Connections
......Page 29
Packets and Headers......Page 31
Handshaking and Overhead......Page 33
Ethernet......Page 34
Powerline Networks......Page 36
Other Alternative Wiring Methods......Page 37
DTE and DCE Equipment......Page 38
Point-to-Point Networks......Page 39
Infrared......Page 40
Connections Through a Telephone Line......Page 41
Clients and Servers......Page 43
3: Hubs, Switches, and Routers
......Page 47
Hubs and Switches......Page 48
Hubs......Page 49
Switches......Page 50
LANs and WANs......Page 51
Bridges and Routers......Page 52
Combination Boxes......Page 53
4: How Computer Networks Are Organized
......Page 55
Names and Addresses......Page 56
IPConfig......Page 61
ping......Page 63
TraceRoute......Page 64
5: Designing Your Network
......Page 67
Identifying Current and Future Nodes......Page 68
The Control Center......Page 70
Home Run Wiring......Page 71
Trunks and Branches: Using Secondary Switches......Page 73
What About Wi-Fi?......Page 74
Connectors, Wall Plates, and Surface Boxes......Page 75
Ethernet Cable......Page 76
Pushing Cable Through Walls......Page 77
The Control Center......Page 78
AC Power......Page 81
Modems, Routers, and Switches......Page 82
Adding a DSL or Cable Connection......Page 84
Terminating the Network Cables......Page 86
Tabletop Control Centers for Small Networks......Page 87
7: Ethernet Network Interfaces
......Page 89
Built into the Motherboard......Page 90
Setting the BIOS Utility......Page 91
Internal Expansion Cards......Page 92
Network Adapters for Laptops......Page 93
Finding the Driver Software for Your Adapter......Page 94
Status Lights on Network Adapters......Page 95
8: Wi-Fi Networks
......Page 97
Types of Wi-Fi Networks......Page 98
Operating Channels......Page 99
Access Points......Page 100
Adapters Built into Laptops......Page 101
PC Cards......Page 102
USB Adapters......Page 103
Antennas......Page 104
Access Point Configuration Programs......Page 105
Wireless Connection Programs......Page 107
Wi-Fi Security......Page 109
9: File Servers
......Page 113
Windows, Mac, Linux, or . . . ?......Page 114
Using a Server for File Storage......Page 116
Using Network-Attached Storage......Page 117
Apple’s AirPort Extreme......Page 119
Backing Up Files to a Server......Page 120
The Windows Backup Program......Page 121
Macintosh Backup Programs......Page 123
Linux and Unix Backups......Page 124
Using a Server at Home......Page 125
10: Connecting Your Network to the Internet
......Page 127
The Modem......Page 128
The Gateway Router......Page 129
Individual Computers......Page 130
Summary......Page 135
11: Connecting Your Computer to a Network
......Page 137
Creating a New Network Profile......Page 138
Changing Your Computer’s Network Settings......Page 142
Connecting Your Macintosh Computer to a Network......Page 144
Connecting Your Linux or Unix Computer to a Network......Page 147
Summary......Page 149
12: Sharing Files Through Your Network
......Page 151
File Sharing in Windows XP......Page 152
Level 1......Page 153
Level 2......Page 154
Level 4......Page 155
File Sharing in Windows Vista......Page 156
File Sharing......Page 157
Connecting a Mac to a Windows (SMB) Network......Page 163
Sharing from Linux or Unix Computers......Page 167
Creating Shares on Linux and Unix Computers......Page 169
Using Shares......Page 170
13: Network Security
......Page 171
Passwords......Page 172
Firewalls......Page 174
Virtual Private Networks......Page 179
VPN Methods......Page 181
VPN Servers......Page 182
VPN Client Software......Page 185
VPN Clients for Linux/Unix......Page 192
Using a VPN Through a Public Network......Page 193
Wireless Security......Page 194
Protecting Your Network and Your Data......Page 196
Network Name......Page 197
WEP Encryption......Page 199
WPA Encryption......Page 202
Physical Security......Page 204
Windows Update and Patches......Page 205
Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer......Page 208
Conclusion......Page 209
14: Printers and Other Devices on Your Network
......Page 211
External Printer Servers......Page 212
Automatic Printer Switches......Page 214
Using a Computer as a Printer Server......Page 215
All-in-One Devices......Page 219
15: Other Things You Can Connect to Your Network - Audio, Video, Home Entertainment, and Beyond......Page 223
Internal and External Controllers......Page 224
Networked Cameras and Microphones......Page 225
Music Through a Home Network......Page 226
Audio Servers......Page 227
Audio Clients......Page 231
Video Servers......Page 235
TiVo and Other Digital Video Recorders......Page 236
Connecting a TV to Your Network......Page 238
Connecting a PlayStation......Page 240
Connecting a Wii......Page 241
Connecting Home Appliances to Your Network......Page 242
Remote Sensors and Controls......Page 243
If You Can Convert It to Digits, You Can Put It on the Network......Page 244
16: Other Network Applications
......Page 245
Windows Remote Desktop......Page 246
MaxiVista: Adding a Screen......Page 249
Multiple Monitors......Page 250
Synchronizing Files......Page 252
Instant Messaging and Live Communication......Page 253
Internet-Based IM Services......Page 254
Messaging Through a LAN......Page 255
Messaging Through a Virtual Private Network......Page 256
Audio and Video Messaging......Page 257
17: Troubleshooting
......Page 259
Define the Problem......Page 260
Look for Simple Solutions First......Page 261
Retrace Your Steps......Page 263
Keep Notes......Page 264
Other Common Problems......Page 265
Failed Connection to a Specific Site......Page 266
The Collective Wisdom of the Internet......Page 267
Protocol Analyzers......Page 268
Don’t Panic......Page 271
Index
......Page 273
Updates
......Page 290
