IP Routing Primer

With his clear thinking and straightforward prose, author Robert Wright capably and skillfully leads you through the complex world of Internet Protocol (IP) routing in the IP Routing Primer. Though Wright never once downplays the complexity of the subject at hand, he makes it amazingly approachable by giving equal time to routing fundamentals and practical application.

Part of the new Cisco Press Fundamentals series, IP Routing Primer begins with a chapter devoted to topology and router configuration. In this crucial text, Wright discusses basic terms and concepts, such as how a router forwards packets. In addition, the topology and router-configuration stage is set for the remainder of the practical discourse.

Though the book covers a range of topics, from subnets to default routing, of particular note are the pages devoted to IP troubleshooting and bridging between dissimilar media. The troubleshooting chapter attacks such thorny issues as how to develop an effective and efficient troubleshooting routine, as well as how to determine where problems may lie by performing trace routes and using extended pings. As for the bridging bit, this section addresses what Wright considers the all-too-common problem of attempting to route IP between LANs using different technologies, such as Token Ring and Ethernet, when the equipment is incapable of handling the job. --Sarah L. Roberts-Witt