Sams Teach Yourself Network Troubleshooting in 24 Hours (2nd Edition)

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book
Review: Although not specific to any OS, architecture, or network design, this is an excellent text for anyone beginning a computer networking career. Some may claim that the first few chapters cover common sense, but these chapters superbly augment troubleshooting techniques used in repairing anything technical. The 2nd half explores the most common operating platforms, whetting the reader's appetite for further study in a myriad of networking concepts. This book alone won't make you an expert in any one area, and it doesn't claim (thank God) to be the definitive text for passing some certification exam, but it does offer essential general information any Sysdamin needs to hear again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Two thumbs up! A must-read book for Software Consultants!
Review: As an applications software consultant, I am constantly caught between the finger pointing of a shade-tree PC specialist and a Fortune 500 help desk trainee when my customers call and say "somethings's wrong with my system". The customer does NOT want to hear "talk to the PC guru who upgraded you PC from Win/3.1 to Win/98 and attached 4 more PC's and 5 printers to your network last night" or "you don't really believe it's a coincidence that the problem started this morning after the phone company technicians left, do you?". They want to hear a professional recommendation that helps to solve their immediate "crisis". This book gives practical advice (that I can understand) about network troubleshooting techniques (that I can use). Now I know what questions to ask, and what suggestions to make in order to help my customers get the critical-care they need to get back up and running quickly!

Rating:
Summary: A book anyone working on a network should have
Review: As the person in charge of the network for my department, I constantly browse new books to learn more on the subject. "Teach Yourself Network Troubleshooting" manages to do what most Teach Yourself or Dummies Guide books fail at -- combining enough substance to make the book useful at a level that won't bore the experts but won't confuse the novices. Anyone who works with or works on a network should have this book -- when something goes wrong, this book will clearly explain how to fix it.

Rating:
Summary: Ditto everything said below
Review: I agree with everything below -- the book is like having an easy-to-use user's manual for our network -- and has enabled us to fix problems that in the past we have had to pay a real computer guru to fix. I strongly recommend it.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for learning how to troubleshoot networks
Review: I read the Descriptions and Reviews of 4 or 5 other books, before I made the purchase. I'm glad I bought this book! Jonathan Feldman is someone who has "been there and done that". In this book, he shares a *lot* of knowledge he's gained, over the years, working with Networks. I have recommended this book to friends and colleagues. One year ago, I purchased my first book about networks, "Networking Home PCs for Dummies". That book is now much too basic for me. I bought this book because I wanted to learn more about networks and how to fix problems in our home LAN. This book is oriented to people working with *much* larger networks than we have in our house and it will serve them well. It will also help people with small networks in their homes. I'm going to read it again, slowly, and this time do the exercises, to learn more.

Rating:
Summary: Five stars superb!
Review: I took Feldman's book to my first systems job as a newly-minted MCSE with no on the job experience. Feldman was my good companion during those first terrifying weeks when I was on my own and didn't know a data packet from a date. Unlike MCSE exam tomes and Microsoft guides, Feldman explains *networking* concepts w/o the Windoze myopia and offers concrete troubleshooting and discovery tools available freely to anyone. As the fog clears the stuff seems almost fun! Indispensable...I sometimes go back to it just to refresh my knowledge and rediscover certain basic concepts that one tends to forget. If you've been voted the "IT guy" at your small company, this is a friendly and useful guide. Thanks Jonathan!

Rating:
Summary: Five stars superb!
Review: I took Feldman's book to my first systems job as a newly-minted MCSE with no on the job experience. Feldman was my good companion during those first terrifying weeks when I was on my own and didn't know a data packet from a date. Unlike MCSE exam tomes and Microsoft guides, Feldman explains *networking* concepts w/o the Windoze myopia and offers concrete troubleshooting and discovery tools available freely to anyone. As the fog clears the stuff seems almost fun! Indispensable...I sometimes go back to it just to refresh my knowledge and rediscover certain basic concepts that one tends to forget. If you've been voted the "IT guy" at your small company, this is a friendly and useful guide. Thanks Jonathan!

Rating:
Summary: A Must for Networking Pros and Amateurs Alike
Review: The first edition was very good (see all the other reviews below). This edition, with the exception of some "troubleshooting technique" chapters, appears to be almost an entirely new book (I am glad I got both -- a LOT has changed since 1998, and Feldman has kept up with the times.) There are many more concrete examples that will be useful both for networking pros and the casual office network guy. Good windows coverage...good wireless...with easy-to-read, intelligent and funny writing.

Rating:
Summary: Finally -- I understand our network
Review: The network in our medical office is, all too often, more trouble than anything else. I've spent hours and hours fixing random problems that just should have been easier to tackle. On a friend's recommendation, I got this book and actually now understand how to figure out exactly what the problem is and how to fix it. Surprisingly funny and easy to read for a computer book. Bravo!

Rating:
Summary: An essential resource
Review: This volume in the SAMS series has really been a tremendous help to me in my day-to-day duties as a network administrator. Mastering the basic troubleshooting techniques Feldman describes gives you the tools to deal with pretty much any type of computer trouble that might rear its ugly head. I recommend this book to the beginner and the seasoned professional alike.