This book attempts to provide a unified overview of the broad field of data and computer communications. The organization of the book reflects an attempt to break this massive subject into comprehensible parts and to build, piece by piece, a survey of the state of the art.The book emphasizes basic principles and topics of fundamental importance concerning the technology and architecture of this field and provides a detailed discussion of leading-edge topics.

The following basic themes serve to unify the discussion:

• Principles: Although the scope of this book is broad, there are a number of basic principles that appear repeatedly as themes and that unify this field. Examples are multiplexing, flow control, and error control.The book highlights these principles and contrasts their application in specific areas of technology. • Design approaches: The book examines alternative approaches to meeting specific communication requirements. • Standards: Standards have come to assume an increasingly important, indeed dominant, role in this field. An understanding of the current status and future direction of technology requires a comprehensive discussion of the related standards.

This timely revision of an all-time best-seller in the field features the clarity and scope of a Stallings classic. This comprehensive volume provides the most up-to-date coverage of the essential topics in data communications, networking, Internet technology and protocols, and standards – all in a convenient modular format. Features updated coverage of multimedia, Gigabit and 10 Gbps Ethernet, WiFi/IEEE 802.11 wireless LANs, security, and much more. Ideal for professional reference or self-study. For Product Development personnel, Programmers, Systems Engineers, Network Designers and others involved in the design of data communications and networking products.