This book talks about networks in everyday-and often irreverent-terms. The language is friendly; you don’t need a graduate education to get through it. And the occasional potshot helps unseat the hallowed and sacred traditions of networkdom, bringing just a bit of fun to an otherwise dry subject. The goal is to bring the lofty precepts of networking down to earth, where you can touch them and squeeze them and say, “What’s the big deal? I can do this!”
This isn’t the kind of book you pick up and read from start to finish, as if it were a cheap novel. If I ever see you reading it at the beach, I’ll kick sand in your face. This book is more like a reference, the kind of book you can pick up, turn to just about any page, and start reading. It has 29 chapters, each one covering a specific aspect of networking-such as printing on the network, hooking up network cables, or setting up security so that bad guys can’t break in. Just turn to the chapter you’re interested in and start reading.
This book works like a reference. Start with the topic you want to find out about. Look for it in the table of contents or in the index to get going. The table of contents is detailed enough that you should be able to find most of the topics you’re looking for. If not, turn to the index, where you can find even more detail. After you find your topic in the table of contents or the index, turn to the area of interest and read as much as you need or want. Then close the book and get on with it. Of course, this book is loaded with information, so if you want to take a brief excursion into your topic, you’re more than welcome. If you want to know the big security picture, read the whole chapter on security. If you just want to know how to create a decent password, read just the section on passwords. You get the idea.
Is this book useful for Macintosh users? Absolutely. Although the bulk of this book is devoted to showing you how to link Windows-based computers to form a network, you can find information about how to network Macintosh computers as well. Windows Vista? Gotcha covered. You’ll find plenty of information about how to network with the latest and greatest Microsoft operating system.
TABLE OF CONTENT:
Chapter 01 - Networks Will Not Take Over the World, and Other Network Basics
Chapter 02 - Life on the Network
Chapter 03 - More Ways to Use Your Network
Chapter 04 - Planning Your Network
Chapter 05 - Oh, What a Tangled Web We Weave-Cables, Adapters, and Other Stuff
Chapter 06 - Dealing with TCP/IP
Chapter 07 - Setting Up a Server
Chapter 08 - Configuring Windows XP and Vista Clients
Chapter 09 - Wireless Networking
Chapter 10 - Connecting Your Network to the Internet
Chapter 11 - Running a Mail Server
Chapter 12 - Creating an Intranet
Chapter 13 - Is It a Phone or a Computer? (Or, Understanding VoIP and Convergence)
Chapter 14 - Connecting from Home
Chapter 15 - Welcome to Network Management
Chapter 16 - Managing User Accounts with Active Directory
Chapter 17 - Managing Network Storage
Chapter 18 - Network Performance Anxiety
Chapter 19 - Solving Network Problems
Chapter 20 - How to Stay on Top of Your Network and Keep Its Users Off Your Back
Chapter 21 - Backing Up Your Data
Chapter 22 - Securing Your Network
Chapter 23 - Hardening Your Network
Chapter 24 - Networking with Linux
Chapter 25 - Macintosh Networking
Chapter 26 - More Than Ten Big Network Mistakes
Chapter 27 - Ten Networking Commandments
Chapter 28 - Ten Things You Should Keep in Your Closet
Chapter 29 - Layers of the OSI Model
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