
Ask HN: Recommended Networking primer books? - hackernewb
So I followed CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) at my university a few years ago, but having spend the first few years after graduating purely on programming, I can not help but notice that some knowledge has become a bit rusty. I am having a hard time finding a good primer book to refresh my Networking knowledge, and do not particularly look forward to read the CCNA literature again. Are there any books you guys can recommend from word-of-mouth or your own experience? Thanks heaps in advance!
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jonny_storm
I've yet to see what I would consider a satisfactory introduction to
networking. Perhaps others will be able to make recommendations for sources
they found useful. Nevertheless, I can make recommendations on where to focus
in case your request is not otherwise fruitful.

* Get a concrete picture in your head of devices and protocols associated with layers 2-4 of the OSI model, and ignore the rest.

* Care about Ethernet: ARP and DIX (not IEEE 802.3).

* Care about IP and TCP/UDP ports--in short, sockets.

* Care about TCP, specifically, only if you must.

* Fill in the gaps from there, most relevant, first.

Networking today is a miserable, architecturally broken mess, and I could bend
an ear about the state of the art, but such things are not practical or of
wide use, and all I can do here is wish you luck.

I sincerely hope you find a good refresher. Good luck to you!

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djvdorp
Books that might be interesting:

* Head First Networking (O'Reilly, 2009): [http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596521561.do](http://shop.oreilly.com/product/9780596521561.do)

* Hands-On Networking Fundamentals, 2nd Edition (Cengage Learning, 2013): [https://shar.es/1EUsPD](https://shar.es/1EUsPD)

* Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (7th Edition) (Pearson, 2016): [https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Networking-Top-Down-Approach...](https://www.amazon.com/Computer-Networking-Top-Down-Approach-7th/dp/0133594149)

