I'm a student
I'm an educator
Request full copy

Computer Networks, 6th edition

Published by Pearson (April 24, 2020) © 2021

  • Andrew S. Tanenbaum rije University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  • Nick Feamster University of Chicago
  • David J. Wetherall University of Washington

eTextbook

per month

  • Anytime, anywhere learning with the Pearson+ app
  • Easy-to-use search, navigation and notebook
  • Simpler studying with flashcards
$79.99

  • Hardcover, paperback or looseleaf edition
  • Affordable rental option for select titles
  • Free shipping on looseleafs and traditional textbooks

For courses in business data communication and networking.

An introduction to computer networking grounded in real-world examples

Computer Networks explains how networks work from the inside out. Starting with the physical layer of networking, computer hardware, and transmission systems, the authors work their way up to network applications. Following a consistent approach, each chapter presents key principles, then illustrates them utilizing real-world examples: the Internet and wireless networks, including LANs, broadband wireless and Bluetooth.

The 6th Edition has been updated to reflect the most current technologies, as well as modern network security principles and actions.

Hallmark features of this title

  • The text's unique structure and organization helps students learn computer networks from the inside out. This approach enables students to understand all aspects of networking and how the different layers affect one another.
    • The authors begin at the base, physical layer of networks, including cable networks and satellites.
    • The text proceeds to cover the data-link layer, the network-and-transportation layer and the application layer.
  • The author-maintained companion website features additional resources for students and instructors. Go to the authors' website.

New and updated features of this title

Keep current with the most up-to-date technologies

  • NEW: Coverage of modern cellular architectures includes 4G and 5G networks to reflect the most current technology.
  • NEW: The text offers additional coverage of ethernet and wireless networks material, specifically 40- and 100-gigabit Ethernet, 802.11.ac, 802.11ad, and 802.11ax.
  • NEW: Discussions of emerging technology cover topics such as virtualization and SDN.

Present current issues in the computer networking world

  • UPDATED: Chapter 8, Security focuses more effectively on network security and security incidents in practice, including security principles, fundamental attack techniques, defenses and a wide range of systems-related security issues.
  • UPDATED: The subject of policy is now covered in several chapters.
  • UPDATED: The 6th Edition offers a fresh discussion of DOCSIS, a widely used access network (Internet over cable).
  1. Introduction
    • Uses of Computer Networks
    • Types of Computer Networks
    • Network Technology, from Local to Global
    • Examples of Networks
    • Network Protocols
    • Reference Models
    • Standardization
    • Policy, Legal, and Social Issues
    • Metric Units
    • Outline of the Rest of the Book
    • Summary
  1. The Physical Layer
    • Guided Transmission Media
    • Wireless Transmission
    • Using the Spectrum for Transmission
    • From Waveforms to Bits
    • The Public Switched Telephone Network
    • Cellular Networks
    • Cable Networks
    • Communication Satellites
    • Comparing Different Access Networks
    • Policy at the Physical Layer
    • Summary
  1. The Data Link Layer
    • Data Link Layer Design Issues
    • Error Detection and Correction
    • Elementary Data Link Protocols
    • Improving Efficiency
    • Data Link Protocols in Practice
    • Summary
  1. The Medium Access Control Sublayer
    • The Channel Allocation Problem
    • Multiple Access Protocols
    • Ethernet
    • Wireless LANs
    • Bluetooth
    • DOCSIS
    • Data Link Layer Switching
    • Summary
  1. The Network Layer
    • Network Layer Design Issues
    • Routing Algorithms in a Single Network
    • Traffic Management at the Network Layer
    • Quality of Service and Application QoE
    • Internetworking
    • Software Defined Networking
    • The Network Layer in the Internet
    • Policy at the Network layer
    • Summary
  1. The Transport Layer
    • The Transport Service
    • Elements of Transport Protocols
    • Congestion Control
    • The Internet Transport Protocols: UDP
    • The Internet Transport Protocols: TCP, QUIC, BBR
    • Performance Monitoring
    • Delay-Tolerant Networking
    • Summary
  1. The Application Layer
    • DNS — The Domain Name System
    • Electronic Mail
    • The World Wide Web
    • HTTP/2
    • Streaming Audio and Video
    • Content Delivery Networks and Distributed Cloud Services
    • Summary
  1. Security
    • Fundamentals of Network Security
    • The Core Ingredients of an Attack
    • Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems
    • Cryptography
    • Symmetric-Key Algorithms
    • Public-Key Algorithms
    • Digital Signatures
    • Management of Public Keys
    • Authentication Protocols
    • Communication Security
    • Email Security
    • Web Security
    • Social Issues
    • Summary
  1. List and Bibliography
    • Suggestions for Further Reading
    • Alphabetical Bibliography

About our authors

Andrew S. Tanenbaum is a Professor of Computer Science at Vrije Universiteteit, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He is a fellow of IEEE and ACM and a member of the Netherlands Royal Academy of Arts and Sciences. He recently won a prestigious European Research Council Advanced Grant of 2.5 million to do research on highly reliable computer systems. Tanenbaum has also authored or coauthored the following titles: Structured Computer Organization, 5th Edition; Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, 3rd Edition; and Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms, 2nd Edition, all published by Prentice Hall.

Nick Feamster is Neubauer Professor of Computer Science and the Director of Center for Data and Computing (CDAC) at the University of Chicago. His research focuses on many aspects of computer networking and networked systems, with a focus on network operations, network security, and censorship-resistant communication systems. He received his Ph.D. in Computer Science from MIT in 2005, and his S.B. and M.Eng. degrees in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from MIT in 2000 and 2001, respectively. He was an early-stage employee at Looksmart (acquired by AltaVista), where he wrote the company's first web crawler; and at Damballa, where he helped design the company's first botnet-detection algorithm. Nick is an ACM Fellow. He received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) for his contributions to data-driven approaches to network security. His early work in Software Defined Networking won the USENIX Test of Time Award for its influence on Software Defined Networking; he created the first online course on this topic and was also one of the first instructors in Georgia Tech's online Masters in Computer Science program. Nick is an avid distance runner, having completed 20 marathons, including Boston, New York and Chicago.

David J. Wetherall is a Professor of Computer Science and Engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle. He hails from Australia and has worked in the area of networking for the past 2 decades. His research is focused on Internet protocols, wireless networks and security. Wetherall's work has been recognized with a Sloan Fellowship, the IEEE Bennett Prize and the ACM SIGCOMM Test-of-Time Award.

Need help? Get in touch

Pearson+

All in one place. Pearson+ offers instant access to eTextbooks, videos and study tools in one intuitive interface. Students choose how they learn best with enhanced search, audio and flashcards. The Pearson+ app lets them read where life takes them, no wi-fi needed. Students can access Pearson+ through a subscription or their MyLab or Mastering course.

Video
Play
Privacy and cookies
By watching, you agree Pearson can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

Video transcript (PDF | 16KB) 

Pearson eTextbook: What’s on the inside just might surprise you

They say you can’t judge a book by its cover. It’s the same with your students. Meet each one right where they are with an engaging, interactive, personalized learning experience that goes beyond the textbook to fit any schedule, any budget, and any lifestyle. 

Digital Learning NOW

Extend your professional development and meet your students where they are with free weekly Digital Learning NOW webinars. Attend live, watch on-demand, or listen at your leisure to expand your teaching strategies. Earn digital professional development badges for attending a live session.

Explore webinars