For SW/HW Engineers NOT Systems Engineers
Davies et al wrote a very good book that is aimed at those that want to design and build products that work in a network. It's detailed and has great insight on how a network actually works (or should work). If you are looking for a book on how to implement a network, go buy a Cisco press book. However if you are looking for a book on how to build products to work in a network, this one fits just nicely.
Excellent background on TCP/IP
This was a required textbook for one of my courses, so I started out by borrowing a copy from the library, but I liked the book so much, that I ended up buying it.
This book gives an excellent insight into the design decisions that went into original TCP/IP design, the subsequent problems and the changes that were made to counter those. The problem set after each chapter is interesting and rigorous.
One downside, though, is that it does not focus so much on the application layer of TCP/IP model.
Great book
Highly recommended for any foundation level Computer Networks course.
Excellent cover & page quality.
Great textbook
I've read all of the standard CS networks textbooks for both undergrad and grad classes. This one is my favorite as both an introduction to networking and as a reference for graduate coursework. The new 4th edition updates and expands coverage in the 4 years since the 3rd edition was covered. Highly recommended.
