This new networking text follows a top-down approach. The presentation begins with an explanation of the application layer, which makes it easier for students to understand how network devices work, and then, with the students fully engaged, the authors move on to discuss the other layers, ending with the physical layer. With this top-down approach, its thorough treatment of the topic, and a host of pedagogical features, this new networking book offers the market something it hasn't had for many years- a well-crafted, modern text that places the student at the center of the learning experience. Forouzan's Computer Networks presents a complex topic in an accessible, student-friendly way that makes learning the material not only manageable but fun as well. The appealing visual layout combines with numerous figures and examples to provide multiple routes to understanding. Students are presented with the most up-to-date material currently available and are encouraged to view what they are learning in a real-world context. This approach is both motivating and practical in that students begin to see themselves as the professionals they will soon become.