Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow, Comprehensive (Sam 2010 Compatible Products) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've read only the first couple chapters of this book so far. I needed it for my Computers class. I like it very much as of now. It's very up to date. It has boxes where they interview different types of people regarding different issues with computers and technology. I think overall it's a great introductory book.

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Understanding Computers: Today and Tomorrow gives your students a classic introduction to computer concepts with a modern twist! Known for its emphasis on industry insight, this text makes concepts relevant to today's career-focused students.

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Jeff Duntemann's Drive-By Wi-Fi Guide Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Words cannot express how happy I am to be able to write a review for Jeff Duntemann's new book. I have "known" Jeff since around the early 1980's. Unfortunately, Jeff and I are both old enough to remember when correspondence outside of your office took place via snail mail and the most popular Internet tools of the time were Archie, Veronica and Gopher.
The things that I like the most about Jeff's books (and I have several of them) are twofold. First, when he writes on a topic he covers the given topic in-depth. With him, no stone is left unturned. Second, his writing style is such that he makes you feel as though you are sitting across the coffee table from him having a discussion while enjoying a cup of java or a glass of good (single barrel) Tennessee sour mash whiskey. His latest project does not disappoint!
If you are thinking of getting WLAN access for your home or small office, this book is for you. If you already have WLAN access at your home or small office and are interested in tweaking; tuning or expanding it, this book is for you. If you are mechanically inclined and want some WLAN projects to work on, this book is for you. If you are interested in wardriving, warchalking, setting up a hotspot or creating a captive portal, this book is for you. And (if you are like me) if you work with this technology for a living and want to pick up some pieces of technology that you were not aware of, this book is for you.
It is all there in the book and, once again, Jeff has done a great job of explaining it and making it all crystal clear. As I look around my office I have more than 30 books on wireless/WLAN technology. This book has now moved to the top of my list. Thanks Jeff and keep them coming!

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Provides everything Wi-Fi users need to know to design, build, protect, and extend a Wi-Fi wireless network! In this book, legendary tech teacher, wireless expert, and best-selling author Jeff Duntemann explains how to make Wi-Fi really work. Easy and economical hands-on projects allow readers to boost power with a variety of common household items, which make this book a true standout.

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RTLS For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)As an Electronic Engineer moving into the RTLS market, RTLS for Dummies gave me an excellent overview and multiple case studies for RTLS deployments that I will be working on. Now I know the important pros and cons in each RTLS technology in choosing and deploying future RTLS system. Now I am comfortable moving forward with deploying such systems.

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Select, invest in, and deploy a Real Time Location System

Is your business ready for an RTLS? This friendly, hands-on guide shows you how to understand and implement this cutting-edge technology, explaining RTLS methodologies in plain English. From the initial deployment to monitoring to determining Return on Investment, you'll see how to successfully meet your needs, ensure data accuracy, and sustain your system.

Get your bearings - understand what RTLS does and its various methodologies, determine your needs, and select the right system

Prepare for installation - outline your goals, plan your applications, assess your site, select the right tag technology, and conduct a pilot test

Implement RTLS in your world - know how to train your staff, set expectations, set up monitoring, and assess whether the RTLS is working as desired

Deal with design issues - learn the most common pitfalls of RTLS implementation and how to handle them

Take the technology tour - use RTLS to locate at choke points, room level, presence, by association, and precisely

Monitor and secure your RTLS - verify and fine-tune your system, establish performance metrics, and manage security issues and vulnerabilities such as network attacks

Open the book and find:

An overview of RTLS and its uses

Explanations of underlying technologies

How to integrate RTLS into your other business applications

Comparative detail on technologies that enable different types of locating

Tips for evaluating RTLS vendors

Essential RTLS resources and references

Tips for getting the most out of the batteries used in tags

Privacy issues related to RTLS

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Wi-Fi (802.11) Network Handbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Covers several areas which are not found in a lot of other books. However, at many places, it assumes that the reader has some basic knowledge. Completely lacks illustrations, examples, figures. The writing style is very boring - paragraph after paragraph without any structure to these. The information presented is definitely good and useful - but you gotta keep yourself awake !
All in all, I would NOT receommend this to anybody as a first book. I began with Jim Geir's book, and found that very good begin with. Actually a lot of the examples, figures in that book helped me understand many of the concepts mentioned in this book (sometimes in even greater detail). If the authors could improve upon the boring writing style and add some pictures to explain the concepts better - this book would be much better.

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Break free with the wireless networking capabilities of 802.11. This comprehensive and well-written guide provides hardware advice, radio frequency fundamentals, performance tips, architecture requirements, and more. Provides clarity on connectivity issues for laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and peripherals.

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Network Know-How: An Essential Guide for the Accidental Admin Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If I hired a new employee for my computer consulting business, I'd give them this to read. I'd HOPE that there was nothing in here they didn't already know, but I've seen supposedly knowledgeable people with tremendous knowledge gaps, so this would cover my bases.
Really it's more for the small business or home user. I can't tell you how many times I've had calls from very small businesses or home users who couldn't afford to pay me to help them with exactly the kinds of things this book covers. That's great, because too often I've felt sorry for them and helped for free: from now on I'll just tell them to get this book.
I was happy to see that the author did not ignore Linux and Mac OS X. I don't think he ignored much of anything: it's all here, from basic wiring to VPN's. No, it's not deep techy details, but it's more than enough to get you started and might just be all that you need. Best of all, it's completely non-threatening. You'd need to be very tech-phobic to feel frightened by this: the author explains things very gently, yet very completely.
I lead a little computer club here in our retirement community; I'm going to be waving this around at the next meeting and telling the people they want to get this. Very, very good.


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Wi-Fi Home Networking Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)If you are setting up, administering, or just want to learn about WiFi networks this is the perfect book. The book covers everything from terminology through security and down to products needed. I was amazed to find also find product descriptions and best buys included which saved me a bundle. I found this book extremely informative. The text supplied the knowledge to secure my current network from intrusion and gave details of why, when and how. If you have been searching for a book for beginners and advanced users this is the book. I was impressed that the authors delivered so much information in an easily understood format while maintaining the interest of IT professionals like me who have been in the field for years. Overall just a great book. Thanks for demonstrating that IT can be accessible for everyone!

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·Describes the costs, benefits and necessity of networking·Reviews software networking tools that save money forsmall-time operators·Summarizes business expenses and savings to help a prospective user choose their office setup·Offers criteria for deciding on distribution media·Compares wireless versus wired connections·Includes important, practical information about security, viruses, and backing up (20030608)

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Linksys® Networks: The Official Guide, 3rd Ed. (One-Off) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is very much a how-to book. There is little on network principles. The other side of that is it misses little in how to install, bring to life, and manage a home network. If you have Linksys hardware, you'll find the content directly addresses your needs; yet, despite its name, the book is not that Linksys specific.
Glenn covers four topics especially well: network security, resource sharing, tips and troubleshooting, and advanced network tools. The latter, in an appendix, presents Windows graphical and command-line network tools. It makes Windows XP network diagnostic tools available to just about anyone, even those with no technical exposure to networking.
If you just want the practical details on how to set up a wired or wireless network, you would probably give Linksys Networks five stars. I wanted more on principles.


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Real 802.11 Security: Wi-Fi Protected Access and 802.11i Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This is the fourth book on 802.11 I have read in 8 weeks and for an important reason. The company I work for is moving more and more to wireless to provide connectivity to our customers.
In terms of understanding architecture, and the cryptography behind the security protocols this was my favorite book. My favorite chapter was the how WEP works and why it doesn't. The writing was clear and the explanations were accurate. I also loved chapter 15, that equipped me to explain why wireless networks are dangerous beasts with detail.
It is a tougher read than some of the other books on the subject, the good news is that you understand the cryptography, the bad news is you have to work through the pages with the crytography.
This is a good book and it is well worth the price. Why did I give it 4 stars instead of 5? It could improve in a couple areas. I think it would have been a stronger, more focused work without chapters 2, 3, and 4. Any reader that is willing to wade through the inner workings of TLS, TKIP or WPA doesn't need a security overview. Also, I really wish more effort had been put into chapter 14, Public Wireless Hotspots. It is good, it covers the fundamentals, but I finished the chapter without increasing my understanding of a question every reader of the book will have. Do I dare check my (encrypted) email at a Starbucks or airport hot spot? That said, I think with second edition the authors will have every chance to take the lead in the crowded field of 802.11 books.

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Real 802.11 Security describes an entirely new approach to wireless LAN security based on the latest developments in Wi-Fi technology. The author team addresses the theory, implementations, and reality of Wi-Fi security. It provides an overview of security issues, explains how security works in Wi-Fi networks, and explores various security and authentication protocols. The book concludes with an in-depth discussion of real-world security issues and attack tools.

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Take Control of Your AirPort Network (Vol 1) Review

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(More customer reviews)I've read a number of books on wireless security. None have made it as plain and simple as this one. Even though the title says AirPort the text covers any wireless router. The illustrations and screenshots are focused on the Mac AirPort and AirPort Express hardware, but the basics remain the same. A must buy for anyone looking for easy and practical walkthrough of basic wireless network security.

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Fighting The Good Fight For Municipal Wireless Review

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(More customer reviews)I found the book very useful, easy to ready and informative. The book details the Philadelphia saga in such way that it provides cities with an outline of the tasks that need to be completed, the teams that need to be assembled, and the implication of the various decisions that need to be made. The content related to developing a business case was invaluable.

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Linksys WRT54G Ultimate Hacking Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)"For those who want to make the most out of their WRT54G you can learn how to port code and develop your own software for the OpenWRT operating system."
"Full coverage on embedded device development using the WRT54G and OpenWRT"
Unfortunately due to publication deadlines, much of the technical content of the book was dropped; it nolonger contains the chapters referenced in the above Amazon description, instead it focuses on giving brief reviews of the various firmwares available, along with hardware and software hacks. While it offers a good overview, the book falls short in technical depth and accuracy.
There are several places in the book where the information is either outdated or innacurate. Some examples -
OpenWrt should not be upgraded through the use of the "ipkg upgrade"; OpenWrt uses a filesystem overlay where the filesystem (squashfs) is readonly but appears writable by redirecting write access to another filesystem (jffs2). Attempting to upgrade will result in filesystem duplication; there are several warnings on the OpenWrt site regarding this.
The failsafe feaure is not new to OpenWrt's RC5 release; there has always been a failsafe proceeedure, but the instructions prior to the RC5 release were slightly different; failsafe was redesigned in RC5 to make it easier to access.
The example of blackholing advertisers through the use of dns using dnsmasq suggests rewriting the dnsmasq.conf; while the example does work, it creates a mess out of the configuration and involves many unnecessary steps. The same task could be acomplished much more easily by simply adding the hostnames to the /etc/hosts file.
The nvram-clean script does not actually reset the nvram configuration to defaults as described. The nvram-clean script only has a handful of known superfluous variables to remove; these are variables created by other firmwares that are nolonger required. It will not set any variables to their defaults; the defaults are device specific and setting them incorrectly would result in an unbootable device.

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This book will teach the reader how to make the most of their WRT54G series hardware. These handy little inexpensive devices can be configured for a near endless amount of networking tasks.The reader will learn about the WRT54G's hardware components, the different third-party firmware available and the differences between them, choosing the firmware that is right for you, and how to install different third-party firmware distributions.Never before has this hardware been documented in this amount of detail, which includes a wide-array of photographs and complete listing of all WRT54G models currently available, including the WRTSL54GS.Once this foundation is laid, the reader will learn how to implement functionality on the WRT54G for fun projects, penetration testing, various network tasks, wireless spectrum analysis, and more!This title features never before seen hacks using the WRT54G.For those who want to make the most out of their WRT54G you can learn how to port code and develop your own software for the OpenWRT operating system.*Never before seen and documented hacks, including wireless spectrum analysis*Most comprehensive source for documentation on how to take advantage of advanced features on the inexpensive wrt54g platform*Full coverage on embedded device development using the WRT54G and OpenWRT

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Wi-Foo: The Secrets of Wireless Hacking Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)'Wi-Foo' is the wireless book the security community needs. The book mixes theory, tools, and techniques in a manner helpful to those on the offensive or defensive side of the wireless equation. After reading 'Wi-Foo,' I'm glad I didn't try to cover similar topics in my 'Tao of Network Security Monitoring' -- these authors have written the definitive wireless 'hacking' text.

Several aspects of 'Wi-Foo' make the book a winner. First, with the exception of crypto topics in chapters 11 and 12, they tend to defer to previously published works rather than rehash old topics. For example, rather than exhaustively explain 802.11i, they refer readers to 'Real 802.11 Security,' an excellent defense-oriented wireless book. 'Wi-Foo' also assumes readers are familiar with TCP/IP and system administration, leaving out potentially redundant material.

Second, the authors demonstrate the degree to which they are plugged in to the wireless hacking community. They discuss developments from security conventions like Def Con, and explain tools and techniques not yet released (at time of writing) from the 'underground.' The number of tools explained by 'Wi-Foo' well exceeds that found in other wireless books, and the authors clearly explain why they prefer certain tools and discard others. This 'use what works' mentality is pervasive and effective, and I was very glad to see BSD tools featured along with the usual Linux suspects. I was particularly impressed by ch 9, where readers learn what to do next after compromising a wireless network. Other books stop at 'cracking WEP,' for example. Ch 4 and 7 also give the best advice I've seen on different aspects of wireless hardware, on a chipset-comparison level.

Finally, the authors complement their advice on wireless vulnerability assessment and penetration testing with sound defensive strategies. Ch 13 explains how to combine FreeRADIUS, open1x, and OpenLDAP to make an open source wireless authentication system. NoCat is discussed as an alternative. I was very happy to see an entire chapter on wireless IDS, especially the layer-based requirements listing. This serves as a good guide when checking the capabilities of commercial wireless IDS products.

The only drawback I see to 'Wi-Foo' is the inclusion of two chapters on crypto (ch 11 and 12). I would have preferred the authors to refer readers elsewhere, perhaps to a book like 'Cryptography Decrypted' or a heavier tome by Schneier or the like. I also noticed slightly rough English in some places, but these did not bother me like other books I've reviewed.

Overall, 'Wi-Foo' is the best book available for wireless assessment teams, explaining tools in an exceptional manner and smashing myths behind which security administrators hide. (Think your wireless network doesn't produce enough packets for WEP to be cracked? Read ch 8.) I'm adding 'Wi-Foo' to my 'Weapons and Tactics' Listmania List, and I recommend readers add this surprise hit to their bookshelves.

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Wireless# Certification Official Study Guide (Exam PW0-050) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I just passed the Wireless# test today with a really good score. Before taking the test, I read every page of this book. It also has very good questions (with answers explained) at the end of each chapter. If you have a desire to work in the wireless field, but have no real experience yet, the chapters on wireless security, installation, troubleshooting and optimization really give you a head start towards that experience!
Sure you can find a study guide that will just barely give you enough information to pass the test. If you would rather have more information behind the meat, this book is for you. Some of this material was new to me, so I wanted to really know the subjects before taking the test. Besides, this book is the official study guide for the Wireless# test by the CWNP program.
This book (and certification) really is a mile wide and a couple of inches deep. Great place to start in the wireless field. After that, you're really set to start with your CWNA study and test. Now you're getting into a subject that is only a half mile wide, and many more feet deep. CWSP is even smaller but much deeper.
Good luck and have fun!

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Get official exam preparation for the all-new Wireless# Exam PWO-050

Authorized by the exam developers at the CWNP program, this study guide thoroughly covers all the topics on the entry-level Wireless# certification exam. Work at your own pace through a system of lessons, scenarios, and review questions to learn the material quickly and easily.

Wireless# Certification Official Study Guide will help you prepare for the exam as well as learn the basics of many wireless technologies. YouAnd#39;ll learn, step-by-step, how to implement, troubleshoot and maintain small and medium-sized wireless networks. Get the only official study guide authorized by the creators of the Wireless# exam and get started in a career in wireless IT.

Maximize your performance on the exam by learning:

Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, ZigBee, Infrared, RFID, and VoWLAN

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3G Wireless with 802.16 and 802.11: WiMAX and WiFi (McGraw-Hill Professional Engineering) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I concurr with the previous 1-star review - I was expecting serious technical insights on the important (forward-looking) issue of WiFi/WiMAX Fixed-Mobile-Convergence. Instead, even though this text is dated 2005, it portrays 802.20 in the same light as 802.16, even though 802.20 is nearly irrelevant.
I would put this book in the same league as the paperback series from "Sams" and other survey texts costing around $50..........
Fairly useful, but hardly worth $99.00, and certainly not published in a "Professional Engineering" series.
I gave it 2 stars for clear and concise presentation, if you are in technical marketing or sales, this would be an excellent book.

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The integration of 802.11 (Wi-Fi) and 802.16 (Wi-Max) into wireless networks is a major new potential revenue stream for service providers.This rigorous tutorial shows communications engineers how to re-engineer existing networks to integrate the new standards.
Contents: Introduction * Radio Engineering * Network Engineering * Digital Wireless Systems * 802.11 * 802.16 * 802.20 * Convergence Wireless Mobility (20041001)

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Security In Wireless LANS And MANS (Artech House Computer Security) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)When wireless LANS were beginning to be developed, security was a concern. But as the systems were developed and marketed security became less important than getting to market quickly and of course price. As a result, the seurity features built into the initial systems was fairly weak. While the home user typically didn't care about security, the enterprise user was very concerned. After security flaws were discovered and published the widespread use at the enterprise level was halted. The IEEE standards community completed the revision of the security related components of the 802.11 standard in 2004, and equipment meeting the new standard is just becoming available.
This book covers the security aspects of WLANS, first discussing the initial designs and then how they were corrected in the new protocols.
The last part of the book is on the 802.16 Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks which have the promise, or perhaps the hope of dramatically increasing broadband access in areas not covered by cable systems and at distances too great for DSL service.

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Guide to Wireless Network Security Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)John's book Guide to Wireless Network Security provides a step-by-step approach to everything you'll need to know about wireless network security. The book also has information about many topics relevant to wireless network planning, design, and implementation of intrusion detection systems and intrusion prevention systems. It also shows you how to conduct information warfare. The book is organized into eight parts as well as an outstanding and usable glossary of security, wireless network and Internet networking terms and acronyms.

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CWSP Certified Wireless Security Professional Official Study Guide (Exam PW0-200), Second Edition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I would rate the first edition of this book as an F. This edition is better and I would rate it a C.
The writing is unclear and as other reviewers have noted, the book seems to have errors. I would not trust this book to prepare for the Certification Exam.
Here is one of numerous examples of what I consider to be unclear writing. This one is on page 417.
"... but where older hardware can at best support TKIP, that mode can be supported"
Then in the very next sentence it says,
"Note that CCMP is the default method used in RSNAs and must be supported by all devices supporting RSNA."
To me these two sentences seem to contradict each other. Is CCMP support required or not? In any case, I'll go directly to the 802.11i spec for clarification. At least it's free.
Also the review questions seem to be very simple and do not really require any in depth understanding of the material to answer correctly. Sure these questions are easy to write but how useful are they really? Why not some meaty thought provoking questions like those in the CWNA Study Guide by Coleman with the answers explained - no that takes too much time.


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The ONLY official study guide for the industry-standard wireless security certification exam

Cowritten by the creators of the exam and leading experts in wireless security, CWSP Certified Wireless SecurityProfessional Official Study Guide, Second Edition, offers completecoverage of all the objectives for the vendor-neutral wirelessnetwork certification that focuses on the technologies behindthe brands. The fully integrated study system includes notes thatreinforce and teach practical skills, step-by-step exercises,chapter self-tests, and more than 150 practice exam questions.

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