Good reference/textbook on the subject - very thorough | Network+ Guide to Networks, Fourth Edition...

Great Book for learning networking, not for passing Network+ | Network+ Guide to Networks, Fourth Edition (Networking) | Tamara Dean

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	• Network+ Guide to Networks, Fourth Edition (Networking) Tamara Dean Course Technology, 2005 - 984 pages average customer review:based on 20 reviews view larger image
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Grueling Course

This book is officially approved courseware for the CompTIA Network+ exam. It has been approved also by the CSSIA (Center for Systems Security and Information Assurance). The book is very comprehensive. But as all textbooks go it has both strengths and weaknesses. In this review I will try to highlight some of both.

Like most computer industry books, this one comes with a supplemental CD. That CD includes the Certblaster and MeasureUP self-test software and other files the student will find useful.

Each chapter begins with a highlight box that will outline what will be covered in the chapters. Then it includes a letter or story from someone working in the industry. At first these seemed a little cheesy, but as I moved further and further into the book I realized that they were a great source for a feel for the material in the real world, and not just in the classroom or self-study. On the side of the pages are some green bars; these bars highlight specific information you are required to know for the CompTIA exam, and which exam objective they are part of.

One of the greatest strengths is that each chapter ends with a mini glossary of key terms or new terms from that chapter. There is also a complete glossary of all of these terms at the back of the book. Then at each chapter's end there is a series of review questions - multiple choice questions much like those found in self-test software and on the actual exam. Finally, each chapter has a series of hands-on projects. Each project gets progressively more difficult.

The greatest strength of this book is that it has all-encompassing hardware, software, different OS's. The weakness is that it is a lot of material packed very densely into nearly a thousand pages. When I did the school program, we did this book in 3 weeks. For most it was a little overwhelming.

If you want to write the CompTIA Network+ exam, this is a great book to help get you there. Pay special attention to the Novell Netware sections. There were a lot of questions on the exam about those. And Good Luck!

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Good reference/textbook on the subject - very thorough

Does what it says on the box - it's a good reference, with much detail and useful practical advice for the upcoming network technician or IT support professional. I think its usefulness is fairly limited outside of those fields but as an introduction to computer networking, it will give you plenty of information. Unfortunately the general tone of the book is reflective of its introductory purpose and more experienced readers might find it slightly annoying. If you are a software professional who is more interested in the programming aspects of networking, consider W. Richard Stevens's "TCP/IP Illustrated" series.

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Great Book for learning networking, not for passing Network+

This is a great book for beginners to learn about networking. This was my first networking book for my first networking class, and I will always remember it. I'm reading a lot of bad reviews for this book and I just have to say; this book is not for idiots. If you just "want to pass the Network+" but have no experience, self-study, or interest in networking, then this is not the book for you. If you are interested in networking, and want to learn a lot more, this book does a great job of delivering important information to your brain in an easy to read and enjoyable way. It is a very large book, and contains a LOT of information (yes, some of it is outdated by now, but it's all good to know...if not just for being able to impress your older colleagues/bosses with your knowledge of vampire taps, Banyan Vines, and Thick/Thinnet, then just for a greater understanding of the history behind networking, which will lead you to a broader knowledge of the concepts and enable you to learn new information more easily).

Once again, let me say that this book, despite its title, is NOT good for studying for the Network+. This is a great book to learn the basics of networking from, but when studying for the test you really need to use an Exam Cram 2 and some computer-based practice tests. These practice tests are ESSENTIAL for passing the test. I used TestOut and whatever random ones I could find on the net, but I'm sure they're all pretty equal. If you want to pass the test, get the Exam Cram 2 Network+ book, and install practice test software on your PC.

When you have finished the Exam Cram and can answer every test on the practice test correctly, you will be over-studied for the test, which is the best way to approach any test (especially ones that cost $250). If you're not interested in this stuff enough to spend so much time studying for it, please choose a different career. Leave IT to the people who love it :D

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Network+ Guide to Networks, Fourth Edition is designed to prepare users for CompTIA's newly-revised 2005 Network+ certification exam and will also offer mapping features to the exam objectives.

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