Free Computer Networking Books

Numerous published books are available for free download on the Internet. However, relatively few quality free books exist that cover general computer networking topics. Follow the links below to browse the best free computer networking books online.

1. TCP/IP Tutorial and Technical Overview (2004)

At over 900 pages, this book is truly a comprehensive reference to the TCP/IP network protocol. It covers in detail the basics of IP addressing and subnets, ARP, DCHP and routing protocols. IBM has also refreshed this book in 2006 to keep current on the more recent developments in TCP/IP technology including IPv6, QoS and mobile IP. IBM provides this book for free in both HTML and PDF formats.

2. Introduction to Data Communications (1999-2000)

Author Eugene Blanchard completed this book based on his experience with the Linux operating system. The topics covered in this book are generally applicable across environments: OSI model, area networks, modems, and wired and wireless connections. This 500 page book (PDF, HTML) should satisfy the basic needs of anyone looking to get familiar with a wide range of network technologies.

3. Internetworking Technologies - An Engineering Perspective (2002)

This 165-page PDF book written by Dr. Rahul Banerjee is available online as a read-only (non-printable) document. It is designed for networking students, covering video, data compression, TCP/IP, routing, network management and security, and some Internet network programming topics.

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Introduction to Peer to Peer Networks

Peer to peer is an approach to computer networking where all computers share equivalent responsibility for processing data. Peer-to-peer networking (also known simply as peer networking) differs from client-server networking, where certain devices have responsibility for providing or "serving" data and other devices consume or otherwise act as "clients" of those servers.

Characteristics of a Peer Network

Peer to peer networking is common on small local area networks (LANs), particularly home networks. Both wired and wireless home networks can be configured as peer to peer environments.

Computers in a peer to peer network run the same networking protocols and software. Peer networks are also often situated physically near to each other, typically in homes, small businesses or schools. Some peer networks, however, utilize the Internet and are geographically dispersed worldwide.

Home networks that utilize broadband routers are hybrid peer to peer and client-server environments. The router provides centralized Internet connection sharing, but file, printer and other resource sharing is managed directly between the local computers involved.

Peer to Peer and P2P Networks

Internet-based peer to peer networks emerged in the 1990s due to the development of P2P file sharing networks like Napster. Technically, many P2P networks (including the original Napster) are not pure peer networks but rather hybrid designs as they utilize central servers for some functions such as search.

Peer to Peer and Ad Hoc Wi-Fi Networks

Wi-Fi wireless networks support so-called ad hoc connections between devices. Ad hoc Wi-Fi networks are pure peer to peer compared to those utilizing wireless routers as an intermediate device.

Benefits of a Peer to Peer Network

You can configure computers in peer to peer workgroups to allow sharing of files, printers and other resources across all of the devices. Peer networks allow data to be shared easily in both directions, whether for downloads to your computer or uploads from your computer.

On the Internet, peer to peer networks handle a very high volume of file sharing traffic by distributing the load across many computers. Because they do not rely exclusively on central servers, P2P networks both scale better and are more resilient than client-server networks in case of failures or traffic bottlenecks.

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WWW - World Wide Web

Definition: The term WWW refers to the World Wide Web or simply the Web. The World Wide Web consists of all the public Web sites connected to the Internet worldwide, including the client devices (such as computers and cell phones) that access Web content. The WWW is just one of many applications of the Internet and computer networks.

The World Web is based on these technologies:

* HTML - Hypertext Markup Language
* HTTP - Hypertext Transfer Protocol
* Web servers and Web browsers

Researcher Tim Berners-Lee led the development of the original World Wide Web in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He helped build prototypes of the above Web technologies and coined the term WWW. Web sites and Web browsing exploded in popularity during the mid-1990s.
Also Known As: World Wide Web, The Web

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Fundamental Computer Networks Concepts

In the world of computers, networking is the practice of linking two or more computing devices together for the purpose of sharing data. Networks are built with a combination of computer hardware and computer software. Some explanations of networking found in books and tutorials are highly technical, designed for students and professionals, while others are geared more to home and business uses of computer networks.

* What Is Computer Networking?
* What Is Wireless Networking?
* World Wide Web (WWW)

* Client-Server Networks
* Peer-to-Peer Networks
* Free Computer Networking Books for Students

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