TABLE OF CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- CHAPTER 1 An Introduction to Networking -- Why Use Networks? -- Types of Networks -- Peer-to-Peer Networks -- Client/Server Networks -- LANs, MANs, and WANs -- Elements Common to Client/Server Networks -- How Networks Are Used -- File and Print Services -- Access Services -- Communications Services -- Internet Services -- Management Services -- Becoming a Networking Professional -- Mastering the Technical Challenges -- Developing Your "Soft Skills" -- Pursuing Certification -- Finding a Job in Networking -- Joining Professional Associations -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 2 Networking Standards and the OSI Model -- Networking Standards Organizations -- ANSI -- EIA and TIA -- IEEE -- ISO -- ITU -- ISOC -- IANA and ICANN -- The OSI Model -- Application Layer -- Presentation Layer -- Session Layer -- Transport Layer -- Network Layer -- Data Link Layer -- Physical Layer -- Applying the OSI Model -- Communication between Two Systems -- Frame Specifications -- IEEE Networking Specifications -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 3 Transmission Basics and Networking Media -- Transmission Basics -- Analog and Digital Signaling -- Data Modulation -- Simplex, Half-Duplex, and Duplex -- Multiplexing -- Throughput and Bandwidth -- Relationships between Nodes -- Baseband and Broadband -- Transmission Flaws -- Common Media Characteristics -- Throughput -- Cost -- Noise Immunity -- Size and Scalability -- Connectors and Media Converters -- Coaxial Cable -- Twisted Pair Cable -- STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) -- UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) -- Comparing STP and UTP -- Terminating Twisted Pair Cable -- Fiber-Optic Cable -- SMF (Single-Mode Fiber) -- MMF (Multimode Fiber) -- DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) and DCE (Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment) Connector Cables.

Structured Cabling -- Best Practices for Cable Installation and Management -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 4 Introduction to TCP/IP Protocols -- Characteristics of TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) -- The TCP/IP Core Protocols -- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) -- UDP (User Datagram Protocol) -- IP (Internet Protocol) -- ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) -- IGMP (Internet Group Management Protocol) -- ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) -- RARP (Reverse Address Resolution Protocol) -- IPv4 Addressing -- Binary and Dotted Decimal Notation -- Subnet Mask -- Assigning IP Addresses -- BOOTP (Bootstrap Protocol) -- DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) -- APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) -- IPv6 Addressing -- Sockets and Ports -- Host Names and DNS (Domain Name System) -- Domain Names -- Host Files -- DNS (Domain Name System) -- Configuring DNS -- DDNS (Dynamic DNS) -- Zeroconf (Zero Configuration) -- Application Layer Protocols -- Telnet -- FTP (File Transfer Protocol) -- TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol) -- NTP (Network Time Protocol) -- NNTP (Network News Transfer Protocol) -- PING (Packet Internet Groper) -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 5 Topologies and Ethernet Standards -- Simple Physical Topologies -- Bus -- Ring -- Star -- Logical Topologies -- Hybrid Physical Topologies -- Star-Wired Ring -- Star-Wired Bus -- Backbone Networks -- Serial Backbone -- Distributed Backbone -- Collapsed Backbone -- Parallel Backbone -- Switching -- Circuit Switching -- Message Switching -- Packet Switching -- MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) -- Ethernet -- CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection) -- Ethernet Standards for Copper Cable -- Ethernet Standards for Fiber-Optic Cable -- 10-Gigabit Fiber-Optic Standards.

Summary of Common Ethernet Standards -- Ethernet Frames -- PoE (Power over Ethernet) -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 6 Network Hardware -- NICs (Network Interface Cards) -- Types of NICs -- Installing NICs -- Choosing the Right NIC -- Repeaters and Hubs -- Bridges -- Switches -- Installing a Switch -- Switching Methods -- VLANs and Trunking -- STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) -- Content and Multilayer Switches -- Routers -- Router Characteristics and Functions -- Routing Protocols -- Gateways and Other Multifunction Devices -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 7 WANs and Remote Connectivity -- WAN Essentials -- WAN Topologies -- Bus -- Ring -- Star -- Mesh -- Tiered -- PSTN -- X.25 and Frame Relay -- ISDN -- T-Carriers -- Types of T-Carriers -- T-Carrier Connectivity -- DSL -- Types of DSL -- DSL Connectivity -- Broadband Cable -- ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) -- SONET (Synchronous Optical Network) -- WAN Technologies Compared -- Remote Connectivity -- Dial-Up Networking -- Remote Access Servers -- Remote Access Protocols -- Remote Virtual Computing -- (VPNs) Virtual Private Networks -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 8 Wireless Networking -- The Wireless Spectrum -- Characteristics of Wireless Transmission -- Antennas -- Signal Propagation -- Signal Degradation -- Frequency Ranges -- Narrowband, Broadband, and Spread Spectrum Signals -- Fixed versus Mobile -- WLAN Architecture -- 802.11 WLANs -- Access Method -- Association -- Frames -- 802.11b -- 802.11a -- 802.11g -- 802.11n -- Bluetooth Networks -- Summary of WLAN Standards -- Implementing a WLAN -- Determining the Design -- Configuring Wireless Connectivity Devices -- Configuring Wireless Clients -- Avoiding Pitfalls -- Wireless WANs and Internet Access -- 802.11 Internet Access -- 802.16 (WiMAX) Internet Access.

Satellite Internet Access -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 9 Network Operating Systems -- Characteristics of Network Operating Systems -- Network Operating Systems and Servers -- Client Support -- Identifying and Organizing Network Elements -- Sharing Applications -- Sharing Printers -- Managing System Resources -- Windows Server 2008 -- Hardware Requirements -- Memory Model -- NTFS (New Technology File System) -- Active Directory -- Server Management -- UNIX and Linux -- A Brief History of UNIX -- Varieties of UNIX -- Two Flavors of UNIX -- Hardware Requirements -- Linux Hardware Requirements -- UNIX Multiprocessing -- The UNIX Memory Model -- The UNIX Kernel -- UNIX System File and Directory Structure -- UNIX File Systems -- A UNIX and Linux Command Sampler -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 10 In-Depth TCP/IP Networking -- Designing TCP/IP-Based Networks -- Subnetting -- CIDR (Classless Interdomain Routing) -- Internet Gateways -- Address Translation -- TCP/IP Mail Services -- SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) -- MIME (Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions) -- POP (Post Office Protocol) -- IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) -- Additional TCP/IP Utilities -- Ipconfig -- Ifconfig -- Netstat -- Nbtstat -- Hostname, Host, and Nslookup -- Dig -- Whois -- Traceroute (Tracert) -- Mtr (my traceroute) -- Route -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 11 Voice and Video over IP -- Terminology -- VoIP (Voice over IP) Applications and Interfaces -- Analog Telephones -- IP Telephones -- Softphones -- Video over IP Applications and Interfaces -- Streaming Video -- IPTV (IP Television) -- Videoconferencing -- Signaling Protocols -- H.323 -- SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) -- MGCP (Media Gateway Control Protocol) and MEGACO (H.248) -- Transport Protocols.

RTP (Real-Time Transport Protocol) -- RTCP (Real-Time Transport Control Protocol) -- QoS (Quality of Service) Assurance -- RSVP (Resource Reservation Protocol) -- DiffServ (Differentiated Service) -- MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 12 Network Security -- Security Audits -- Security Risks -- Risks Associated with People -- Risks Associated with Transmission and Hardware -- Risks Associated with Protocols and Software -- Risks Associated with Internet Access -- An Effective Security Policy -- Security Policy Goals -- Security Policy Content -- Response Policy -- Physical Security -- Security in Network Design -- Router Access Lists -- Intrusion Detection and Prevention -- Firewalls -- Proxy Servers -- NOS (Network Operating System) Security -- Logon Restrictions -- Passwords -- Encryption -- Key Encryption -- PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) -- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) -- SSH (Secure Shell) -- SCP (Secure CoPy) and SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) -- IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) -- Authentication Protocols -- RADIUS and TACACS -- PAP (Password Authentication Protocol) -- CHAP and MS-CHAP -- EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) -- 802.1x (EAPoL) -- Kerberos -- Wireless Network Security -- WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) -- IEEE 802.11i and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) -- Chapter Summary -- Key Terms -- Review Questions -- CHAPTER 13 Troubleshooting Network Problems -- Troubleshooting Methodology -- Identify the Symptoms and Problems -- Identify the Affected Area -- Determine What Has Changed -- Establish the Most Probable Cause -- Determine Whether Escalation Is Necessary -- Create an Action Plan and Solution Including Potential Effects -- Implement and Test the Solution -- Identify the Results and Effects of the Solution -- Document the Solution and Process.

Help to Prevent Future Problems.