Computer Networks, 5/e is appropriate for Computer Networking or Introduction to Networking courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, CIS, MIS, and Business Departments.
Tanenbaum takes a structured approach to explaining how networks work from the inside out. He starts with an explanation of the physical layer of networking, computer hardware and transmission systems; then works his way up to network applications. Tanenbaum’s in-depth application coverage includes email; the domain name system; the World Wide Web (both client- and server-side); and multimedia (including voice over IP, Internet radio video on demand, video conferencing, and streaming media.
Each chapter follows a consistent approach: Tanenbaum presents key principles, then illustrates them utilizing real-world example networks that run through the entire book—the Internet, and wireless networks, including Wireless LANs, broadband wireless and Bluetooth. The Fifth Edition includes a chapter devoted exclusively to network security.
The textbook is supplemented by a Solutions Manual, as well as a Website containing PowerPoint slides, art in various forms, and other tools for instruction, including a protocol simulator whereby students can develop and test their own network protocols.
Book Review by a Computer Science Graduate Student
Fantastic for those with pre-existing interest
Plenty of the reviews already point out specific features of the book. I wanted to illuminate the mentality necessary to appreciate this book. In my opinion, this book is not meant to *establish interest* in networks for the average student. It is meant to present a fantastic swathe of knowledge to those *already interested*. This is why there are reviews that say its boring and dry and then reviews that say its one of the best books they had at engineering school. The appreciative reviewer likely already had interest in networking, or similar subjects, whereas the unappreciative reviewer probably wasn’t too enthused by the subject matter!
This is not a knock on the reviewers who rated it poorly, but rather an attempt to ward off those who don’t have preliminary interest from buying this book. If you already have the interest, this a fantastic reference source. For those looking for a first course in networking, I would tend to recommend Kurose and Ross over this book for its more accessible wording and topic coverage. This is still a nice one to have in the collection though.
Editorial Reviews
From the Inside Flap
A contemporary, yet classic, introduction to today’s key networking technologies
Computer Networks, Fifth Edition, is the ideal introduction to the networking field. This bestseller reflects the latest networking technologies with a special emphasis on wireless networking, including 802.11, 802.16, Bluetooth™, and 3G cellular, paired with fixed-network coverage of ADSL, Internet over cable, gigabit Ethernet, MLPS, and peer-to-peer networks. Notably, this latest edition incorporates new coverage on 3G mobile phone networks, Fiber to the Home, RIFD, delay-tolerant networks, and 802.11 security, in addition to expanded material on Internet routing, multicasting, congestion control, quality of service, real-time transport, and content distribution.
Authors Andrew Tanenbaum and Davis Wetherall describe the inner facets of the network, exploring its functionality from underlying hardware to applications, including:
- Physical layer (e.g., copper, fiber, wireless, satellites, and Internet over cable)
- Data link layer (e.g., protocol principles, protocol verification, HDLC, and PPP)
- MAC Sublayer (e.g., gigabit Ethernet, 802.11, broadband wireless, and switching)
- Network layer (e.g., routing algorithms, congestion control, QoS, IPv4, and IPv6)
- Transport layer (e.g., socket programming, UDP, TCP, RTP, and network performance)
- Application layer (e.g., e-mail, the Web, PHP, wireless Web, MP3, and streaming audio)
- Network security (e.g., AES, RSA, quantum cryptography, IPsec, and Web security)
The book dissects and depicts the principles associated with each layer and then translates them through examples from the Internet and wireless networks.
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About the Authors
Andrew S. Tanenbaum is a Professor of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a fellow of IEEE and ACM and a member of the Netherlands Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences. He recently won a prestigious European Research Council Advanced Grant of 2.5 million to do research on highly reliable computer systems. Tanenbaum has also authored or coauthored the following titles: Structured Computer Organization, Fifth Edition; Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, Third Edition; and Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms, Second Edition, all published by Prentice Hall.
David J. Wetherall is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. He hails from Australia and has worked in the area of networking for the past two decades. His research is focused on Internet protocols, wireless networks, and security. Wetherall’s work has been recognized with a Sloan Fellowship, the IEEE Bennett Prize, and the ACM SIGCOMM Test-of-Time Award.