* "Networking Simplified: An illustrated home networking handbook"
A new book dropped through my mail slot the other day, one that – at first glance – seems more appropriate for the SOHO newsletter, or perhaps the Small Business Tech one. But it’s from the usually highly technical Cisco Press folks, so I gave it a look.
It’s called “Home Networking Simplified: An illustrated home networking handbook for the everyday user” by Jim Doherty and Neil Anderson.
It is copiously illustrated, and it is written in a simplified style that non-IT people can understand. But it never stoops to the (often strained) forced “humor” of some guides prepared – by their own admission – for “idiots” and “dummies.”
In fact, many parts of this book could be a useful primer for many of your users – or even for members of your IT team. As an example, in chapter 14, “Protecting your network from intruders,” there’s a two page spread defining the various types and purveyors of malware that every user on a network should be familiar with: viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, denial-of-service, crackers, script kiddies, spoofing, and more. How many people on your team could define a denial-of-service attack, or a Trojan horse? You can read this chapter online (https://www.ciscopress.com/articles/article.asp?p=397914) as it’s the sample chapter at the Cisco Press Web site.
There’s also good, useful information on phishing, urban legends, spam and other e-mail susceptibilities that your users could certainly use to become better informed. That would benefit your network’s health and wellbeing.
Of course, there’s information that would only be useful to a home network (connecting to broadband or dial-up Internet services, for example). But even these chapters could save you time – how often do your users bring their home PC problems to your door looking for the magic answer?
You can view the expanded Table of Contents online (https://www.ciscopress.com/bookstore/product.asp?isbn=1587201364&rl=1#), but here’s the chapter titles:
* Part I Networking Basics
* Chapter 1 What’s a Network?
* Chapter 2 Networking Fundamentals
* Chapter 3 Connecting to the Internet
* Chapter 4 From the Geek Squad Files
* Part II Simple Home Networks
* Chapter 5 Creating a Basic Home Network
* Chapter 6 Sharing Network Resources
* Chapter 7 High-Speed Internet Access
* Chapter 8 From the Geek Squad Files
* Part III Look Ma, No Wires
* Chapter 9 ABGs of Wireless
* Chapter 10 Going Wireless at Home
* Chapter 11 Securing Your Wireless Network
* Chapter 12 Wireless Away from Home
* Chapter 13 From the Geek Squad Files
* Part IV Security of Home Networks
* Chapter 14 Protecting Your Network from Intruders
* Chapter 15 Viruses and Other Malicious Software
* Chapter 16 Other Vulnerabilities (Spam, Cookies, Pop-Ups, Spyware, and Scams)
* Chapter 17 Keeping Your Family Safe on the Internet
* Chapter 18 From the Geek Squad Files
* Part V Advanced Home Networks
* Chapter 19 Wireless Print Servers: The Cure for Joy
* Chapter 20 Video Surveillance
* Chapter 21 Internet Phone Service
* Chapter 22 Networked Entertainment Systems
* Chapter 23 Online Gaming
* Chapter 24 From the Geek Squad Files
You might want to excise the “Internet Gaming” chapter from any copy you let your users see.
The “From the Geek Squad Files” chapters that end every section are notes from the folks at http://www.geeksquad.com, who offer 24/7 computer support to mostly home users (you may have seen their TV ads, or their cute little squadron of black and white VW bugs). The Geek Squad files highlight the most frequent problems they see in the area related to each specific part of the book.
You might even learn some things, especially of newer technologies like wireless networking or VoIP – things you’ve been meaning to read up on, but just haven’t had the time.
Get a copy of this book. Even if you find it’s not useful to your enterprise network (and I would find that hard to believe) it’ll make a great gift for that friend, neighbor or family member who is always cornering you to help them fix a PC problem.
