Hunt provides a useful overview of the many facets of creating and maintaining a TCP/IP network. Networks are complex systems, and the book provides well-balanced coverage, from an introduction to network topologies, protocols, and topologies, to setting up and configuring servers and services on the network.

This edition is an update of the 1992 edition [1]; it has been freshened to include newer versions of several programs, notably sendmail version 8, DHCP, and BIND-4. The book upholds the O’Reilly tradition of practical value: it is a book you will want as an introduction, at your side while configuring a system, and as a quick reference. Of course, networks are complex enough that a separate book for each component system is warranted, and is available from O’Reilly, but this book is an excellent place to start and a good utility reference for general issues.

The coverage and layout are the same as in the first edition, starting with the basics of networking systems and protocols, and then explaining how to configure a network host or client system. Interestingly, only Unix systems are covered, a surprise in the current environment, where NT and Windows are a dominant factor in networking. Nonetheless, since Unix is the godfather of current networking, most commands and utilities described carry over directly to their Windows counterparts. Since the topic of the book is TCP/IP, this is a reasonable choice, but it will leave many Windows users in need of further help. Network configuration, however, while command-driven on Unix, is point-and-click on Windows, so while the concepts are the same, the procedures will differ.

Routing and DNS are the next fundamentals to set up, and the basic procedures are covered well. Further chapters explain how to set up services on a network, including BOOTP, DHCP, and sendmail. No one book can cover everything, but this one covers an excellent selection of topics, and provides a clear, useful guide through them. If you want one book from which to learn about networking, or a first book on setting up a network, this is an excellent choice.