Description

A computer network is a collection of interconnected devices that communicate and exchange data. The Internet is the world’s largest computer network—a “network of networks” connecting computers, phones, servers, routers, and other devices.

The book uses a top-down approach: it starts with the applications that users interact with, such as the Web and email, and then moves downward through the networking layers to explain how data is actually transmitted.

The first chapter introduces:

1. What is the Internet?
   • Network devices and end systems
   • Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
   • Communication links and packet switches
   • Internet protocols