Computer Networks, 5/e is appropriate for Computer Networking or Introduction to Networking courses at both the undergraduate and graduate level in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, CIS, MIS, and Business Departments.

Tanenbaum takes a structured approach to explaining how networks work from the inside out. He starts with an explanation of the physical layer of networking, computer hardware and transmission systems; then works his way up to network applications. Tanenbaum's in-depth application coverage includes email; the domain name system; the World Wide Web (both client- and server-side); and multimedia (including voice over IP, Internet radio video on demand, video conferencing, and streaming media. Each chapter follows a consistent approach: Tanenbaum presents key principles, then illustrates them utilizing real-world example networks that run through the entire book-the Internet, and wireless networks, including Wireless LANs, broadband wireless and Bluetooth. The Fifth Edition includes a chapter devoted exclusively to network security. The textbook is supplemented by a Solutions Manual, as well as a Website containing PowerPoint slides, art in various forms, and other tools for instruction, including a protocol simulator whereby students can develop and test their own network protocols.

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, Fifth Edition; Operating Systems: Design and Implementation, Third Edition; and Distributed Systems: Principles and Paradigms, Second Edition, all published by Prentice Hall.

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 two 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.