Ask HN: Best books or online courses to learn networking?

[clbrook]

Any tips on the best beginner books for learning computer networking? I'd really like books/courses that explain 'why' something is done along with (or more than) the 'how' something is done.

Similar request for network security...if anyone has good tips to share. Thanks!

[otras]

Stanford has a free online class Introduction to Computer Networking through their Lagunita site that you can take for free. I've worked through part of it and very much enjoyed it.

https://lagunita.stanford.edu/courses/Engineering/Networking...

[gerdesj → otras]

Would you mind expanding a bit. It mentions 5-10 hrs per week but how many weeks - is 52ish (with time off for hols) too obvious? "self paced" doesn't really help 8)

Note to OP - there are two basic texts for this course: Peterson and Davie or Kurose and Ross. The first link is broken but you should be able to find them with your search engine of choice.

[otras → gerdesj]

Sure! Here's the summary from the syllabus:

  This course is self-paced. You may complete the material at any speed or order that you choose. 
  Course material is broken up into 8 units, each covering a distinct topic.
  
  Week 1: The Internet and IP
  Week 2: Transport
  Week 3: Packet Switching
  Week 4: Congestion Control
  Week 5: Applications and NATs
  Week 6: Routing
  Week 7: Lower Layers
  Week 8: Security

[collinf]

Here is a free one I really enjoyed! Goes through the history of networks and a lot of the performance tradeoffs that we must make as engineers.

https://hpbn.co/

[gerdesj → collinf]

Good stuff in there (browsing ToC). It does have a focus though (hint: there is more to the internet than www). For example, I can't find any obvious discussion about MTU.

I suggest saving this one for a little later in your journey towards networking enlightenment.

[kspy → collinf]

Great info in here, pushed me to buy the book after I got through this version, definitely keep it on my desk!

[xenihn]

Beej's Guide to Network Programming

https://beej.us/guide/bgnet/

[hackandtrip → xenihn]

I skimmed through it and I like the approach. I had, as an undergrad, a course on the theory of networking, summing up the OSI Layer, but practical experimentations could really help understanding more.

[Wheaties466]

I was considering making a course or youtube video series on this. Are you looking to learn Networking as in Route/Switch/Firewall? Or more of a Network Programming? Or more of a Network Security(by that I mean pwn and pivot style, SOCKS)?

[clbrook → Wheaties466]

Definitely interested in security and also the why behind when/where networks are setup. How is good too, but the why is bypassed in a lot of materials I've read of late.

[Wheaties466 → clbrook]

Good information, thanks for the insight as someone looking to learn.

[yagibear]

Radia Perlman's books ("Interconnections" about switches/routers and "Network Security") are great at explaining why with a sense of humour.

[estevaovix]

TCP/IP Illustrated: https://www.amazon.com/TCP-Illustrated-Protocols-Addison-Wes...

[skovorodkin]

Not a book, but an overview of networking by Gary Bernhardt:

https://www.destroyallsoftware.com/compendium/network-protoc...

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14468471

[vram22 → skovorodkin]

Regarding this comment from that HN thread:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14476906

>This is great. Along similar lines, "Foundations of Network Programming" by Brandon Rhodes (and originally John Goerzen) is fantastic

Anyone have an idea which of the two editions is better?

[vram22 → skovorodkin]

I just read some that article by him. Seems well written. Thanks.

[itamarst]

The book "Silence on the Wire" is worth reading.

[ConSeannery]

The CCNA & CCNP curriculum will give you a solid base in networking as it relates to actual network engineering. Skip over the cisco specific stuff if you feel it's not relevant.

[gerdesj]

I know you've asked for books and courses but if you are serious then get practical and self-medicate! You should be able to cobble together some reasonably priced gear. It does not need to be expensive and the more the better. Here are a few ideas:

Look out for old Cisco, HPE, Dell or Juniper switches - 10/100Mb ones work fine for learning with. Ideally managed ones with a command line but webby interface ("smart switches") will get you started. If buying new then a Netgear GS108T is a good low price smart switch. There is a lot of documentation for all of these available on the web.

Raspberry Pis are pretty cheap and are full Linux boxes with the full firewall/router etc available. The current models have both wifi and wired connections, so you can play with routing. They are powerful enough to run a GUI and a browser which is pretty nifty for £30. If you are not familiar with Linux then these are a good place to start - loads of resources available. Old laptops tend to have both wifi and wired as well and come with a UPS and screen built in, not to mention gobs of RAM and a hard disc! A lightweight Linux distro can make a decent router or a test server or whatever.

Consider virtualisation. A decently powerful PC can run a whole lot of mini virtual routers, switches, servers and clients. However, you will need to get to grips with quite a few concepts here as well as networking. Perhaps save it for phase 2.

On the internet routers front, investigate the likes of pfSense and open router firmware like Tomato, DD-WRT etc (for my money, pfSense is the man every time).

Get yourself signed up for several sub reddits eg r/networking r/sysadmin r/HomeNetworking r/pfsense. Read them and lurk. The Gentoo and Arch Linux forums are worth watching as are the pfsense ones.

On the security front, why not grab a copy of Kali Linux - I use it in the day job quite a lot. It can look a bit bewildering at first but there is a lot in there all in one place, already installed. Don't be put off by the silly names for some of the software. For a quick dive in and instant results, on an OS you may be more familiar with, get hold of nmap/zenmap and Wireshark and learn how to use them. Lots of docs for them on the web. Make sure that you search for them carefully and only download from the correct site. As you can imagine there are quite a few ahem unauthorised versions around. Both nmap and wireshark have .org domains and are open source and hence free.

Hopefully someone will get you on track with a good book or two and hopefully you'll do the decent thing and fill your home with networking hardware.

One last note: networking doesn't happen alone or in isolation - a fact sometimes lost in many orgs with teams for separate functions - "nets", "servers", "apps" and all that stuff. You can't know everything but don't stop at artificial boundaries.