Hi
I want to learn about Networking. Until now I have been reading guides and tutorials on internet, which helped me a lot. However, there comes a lot of situations in which I feel a need to study Networking seriously. In this context, I am looking forward for your recommendations for following level books in Networking:
1. Absolute Beginners
2. Intermediate Level
3. Advance Level
4. Beyond Advance (if any)
Kindly recommend me some good books on these levels. Regards

I don't create many new threads, however I believe when you do, the site finds potentially similar threads as part of the composition page. (For future reference)

Reason being is I know I've seen a few questions of this type, over the years, and if you similarly look at this thread and go to the bottom of the page, you'll also see threads which the site thinks is similar. Not too many exact hits, but this one, definitely seems to have a good amount of suggestions, and seems to be one of the one's I recall seeing.

Recommended Unix Networking Books

I realize the thread is very old, and that it asked about Unix books, however I can tell you that I've used network protocols since the 80's and things like the Stevens reference are great. The basics of IP haven't changed in years, once you learn the fundamentals, then if you are looking to decipher or learn more current protocols which definitely didn't exist back when those books were first written (but they may also have been updated) you'll be able to do that pretty well.

Another one of those finds at the bottom also is about networking even if the title doesn't say exactly that: Recommended books

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Thanks for sharing the link. I asked for your recommendations because previously I bought "Wiley Networking Bible" by Barrie Sosinsky. The title and side notes of the book says:

• Everything you need to know about setting up networks

• Learn basics building blocks and standards

• The book you need to succeed

• bla bla bla...

And experience told me that a "Bible" kind of book is good as it is a comprehensive type of book. But, to my frustration, the author started complicated concepts even in first chapter without explaining them in detail. Maybe I am too noob in Networking... What a waste of my money :-(
So, I thought to take another route... asking for your recommendations :-)

Well the Stevens book is one of the original and formerly best. There also used to be a site, but the name escapes me. Wait, dredged it up, https://jirapro.bose.com/browse/RIO-13886 Beej's guides, there are several.

Either situation, the books as shown on Amazon they show the table of contents so that you can sort of understand how detailed the book gets. The Wiley is representative of many of them unfortunately.

One can learn what protocols and applications do and do pretty well. One does not need to decipher the protocols 100% or be a programmer, but it helps a lot.

Most references do start at Ethernet and the structure of packets and how things get sent over what is known as the MAC layer. Then they get into IP and the transports which carry it. For instance one of them is TCP, so when you see the term, TCP/IP it really is about networking using IP packets and conveying them using the TCP transport layer. There's an open systems interconnect model which starts at physical and goes upwards in protocol layers to give more services.

Problem is, one has to soak a lot of this stuff in. Best I can say is with the Stevens guide or Beej, really do "get" the first few chapters clearly enough for your own self and then try to learn the next layer stuff from there. Or, take the applications route and do not care about the network protocols except their names and learn what certain services do for things, such as authentication, security, private networking, and etc.

Good luck. I'm guessing you'll have to figure out how much of the subject is interesting for you and helpful for your learning.

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I can recommend this website: http://www.ralphb.net/IPSubnet/index.html

It is one of the best and clearest explanations of networking and subnetting that I've seen.

Do not be put off by the HTML v. 3 look. When I first discovered it, it was at a dot-edu address. I'm guessing the author left his professorship (retired maybe?) and took the site with him unchanged.

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Spam. Reported.

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I think I will go for Networking: A Beginners Guide by Bruce A. Hallberg. Its TOC looks promising. Please see attachments.

Attached Thumbnails

   

I read now *"Linux Firewalls" Fourth Edition by Steve Suehring. Million thanks to Agillator. More info here

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Data Communication and Networking by Behrouz A. Forouzan, is also good. It starts from very basics about data and transmission.

Most books I can suggest are kinda outdated, I read them many years ago, so you may need to update your knowledge by reading RFCc about modern protocols after them.

>1. Absolute Beginners
https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Network-A.../dp/0596002971
https://tldp.org/LDP/nag2/nag2.pdf

>3. Advance Level
(I read cisco books. Although they are cisco-oriented, they still cover concepts very well!)
Channel layer (ethernet, spanning tree, VLANs): https://www.amazon.com/Cisco-Switchi.../dp/1578700949
Network layer and interior routing protocols: https://www.amazon.com/Routing-TCP-I...815161-3722920
Network layer and exterior (BGP) protocol: https://www.amazon.com/Routing-TCP-C.../dp/1578700892
TCP/IP in depth: https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Illustrat...dp/0321336313/


Wireless networks (802.11): https://www.amazon.com/CWNA-Certifie.../dp/111812779X

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