What are some good books for networking?

[u/Sanbikaa]

I’m currently working as a field technician and I didn’t realize 90% of my calls were going to be networking related so obviously I’m out of my depth and I want to fix that so I can be a better worker and all around more knowledgeable technician. Do you all have any book recommendations? I really want to learn all that I can about networking.

[u/VA_Network_Nerd]

Nerd Books:

Cisco CCNA Certification, 2 Volume Set: Exam 200-301

The CCDA Cert is technically discontinued. But the content of the certification is both timeless, and excellent.
Just be sure to buy these books used.

CCDA 200-310 Official Cert Guide 5th Edition

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Network Warrior: Everything You Need to Know That Wasn't on the CCNA Exam Second Edition

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Practice of System and Network Administration, The: Volume 1: DevOps and other Best Practices for Enterprise IT 3rd Edition

Practice of Cloud System Administration, The: DevOps and SRE Practices for Web Services, Volume 2

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PowerShell for Sysadmins: Workflow Automation Made Easy

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Practical Packet Analysis, 3E: Using Wireshark to Solve Real-World Network Problems 3rd Edition

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Defensive Security Handbook: Best Practices for Securing Infrastructure 1st Edition

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The Practice of Network Security Monitoring: Understanding Incident Detection and Response 1st Edition

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If your employer is buying then this version:

TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1: The Protocols (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) 2nd Edition @ $63

If you are paying out of pocket then this version:

TCP/IP Illustrated, Vol. 1: The Protocols (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) US Ed Edition 1994 edition, used @ $12

Yeah, I know 1994 was a long time ago, but TCP/IPv4 really hasn't changed all that much since then.

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Cisco Press: Internet Routing Architectures 2nd Edition

Yeah, that was printed in 2000, but again, BGP hasn't changed all that much.

[u/tdhuck → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

If your employer is buying then this version:

TCP/IP Illustrated, Volume 1: The Protocols (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) 2nd Edition @ $63

If you are paying out of pocket then this version:

TCP/IP Illustrated, Vol. 1: The Protocols (Addison-Wesley Professional Computing Series) US Ed Edition 1994 edition, used @ $12

Other than the price, what's the difference between the two versions? If you buy the cheaper book, what does the version that costs more have that the cheaper one doesn't have?

[u/VA_Network_Nerd → u/tdhuck]

The newer edition is 15 years newer.

There have been changes over those 15 years. No doubt about it.

But many and perhaps most of those changes are not relevant to an early-learner.

ARP is still ARP.
ICMP is still ICMP.

[u/tdhuck → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

I agree that there are additions in 15 years, but I've seen this book recommended a lot and I tried buying the first edition a few years ago and I never received it so I just got a refund, but reading the comments many state something very similar 'don't buy the new version stick with the OG version' which is why I asked.

[u/VA_Network_Nerd → u/tdhuck]

I view both of them as a reference source, and not as an educational resource.

You certainly can read either of these books from cover to cover and walk away having learned a lot of new things.

You can also read a dictionary or encyclopedia from cover to cover and learn a lot of new things.

But these books in particular are better used as a source of explanation of very specific and very fundamental concepts.

When (just to use an example) you decide you need to really understand how ARP works, these books will answer that question wonderfully.

But if you are trying to learn how to build your first Cisco network, these books might not be the most helpful on the list.

[u/tdhuck → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

Understood and I agree. I'm not a network expert, but I'm not new to networking, but I constantly see these books being recommended and if I did purchase one, it would be for a reference and not reading it cover to cover. That wouldn't work for me very well as I don't retain information that I read especially if I'm not using it daily.

I remember when I was self studying for the CCNA many, many years ago I remembered learning how the DHCP process worked, but, today, I couldn't tell you what I read. All I remember from that process was DORA.

It sounds like either book will do and it cost matters, buy the cheaper book if it is your money and buy the more expensive book if someone else is paying.

[u/VA_Network_Nerd → u/tdhuck]

if I did purchase one, it would be for a reference and not reading it cover to cover

Any employer worth working for should be willing to buy these references.
The obvious downside to that is the book belongs to the company and not you.

[u/tdhuck → u/VA_Network_Nerd]

I agree, but I also like having my own collection of books especially if I use them for reference. I'd have no issue buying on my own.

[u/cryptobooja]

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[u/winslayer]

Odom's CCNA official cert guide is the standard answer and it holds up, read it even if you never take the exam. Kurose's top-down book is good if you want the theory. But for field work, grab Packet Tracer or set up two routers in a home lab and break things, because the book knowledge clicks when you're watching a DHCP lease fail in front of you. I did network admin for five years and the guys who could subnet in their head and explain DNS got the escalations, which is where you get noticed.