Networking

How This Book Is Organized

Inside this book, you find chapters arranged in six parts. Each chapter breaks down into sections that cover various aspects of the chapter’s main subject. The chapters are in a logical sequence, so reading them in order (if you want to read the whole thing) makes sense. But the book is modular enough that you can pick it up and start reading at any point. Here’s the lowdown on what’s in each of the six parts.

Part I: Getting Started with Networking

The chapters in this part present a layperson’s introduction to what network­ing is all about. This is a good place to start if you’re clueless about what a network is and why you’re suddenly expected to use one. It’s also a great place to start if you’re a hapless network user who doesn’t give a whit about “optimizing network performance,” but you want to know what the network is and how to get the most out of it.

The best thing about this part is that it focuses on how to use a network with­out getting into the technical details of setting up a network or maintaining a network server. In other words, this part is aimed at ordinary network users who have to learn how to get along with a network.

Part II: Building Your Own Network

Uh-oh. The boss just gave you an ultimatum: Get a network up and running by Friday or pack your things. The chapters in this section cover everything you need to know to build a network, from picking the network operating system to installing the cable.

Part III: Network Management For Dummies

I hope that the job of managing the network doesn’t fall on your shoulders, but in case it does, the chapters in this part can help you out. You find out all about backup, security, performance, dusting, mopping, changing the oil, and all the other stuff network managers have to do.

Part IV: Network Operating Systems

This part has some specific information about the most common network operating systems — Windows Server 2003, NetWare 6, and Linux — to help you get started managing your network’s servers. Note that much of the information in the Windows Server 2003 chapter applies to Windows 2000 as well, since the two are similar. Though the specific details may vary, the con­cepts are the same.

This part also has a chapter on Macintosh networking, explaining the subtle nuances of incorporating Macintosh computers into your network.

Part V: TCP/IP and the Internet

TCP/IP is the most common protocol used for networking today, so the chap­ters in this part show you how to use it. First, you’ll learn how to safely con­nect your network to the Internet. Then you’ll learn the ugly details of how IP addresses work so you’ll be able to understand what an IP address such as 192.168.168.30 means and how a subnet mask such as 255.255.255.0 works. Finally, you’ll learn how to set up one of the most important TCP/IP services: DHCP, which automatically assigns IP addresses to the computers on your network.

Part VI: The Part of Tens

This wouldn’t be a For Dummies book without a collection of lists of interest­ing snippets: ten network commandments, ten network gizmos only big net­works need, ten big network mistakes, and more!
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