Cisco Routers for the Desperate: Router and Switch Management, the Easy Way

As a CCNA I found this book really interesting (and well written). Even though I know the technical side of routers and routing, the author throws in some really interesting real world issues - like how to provision a circuit, as one example. It is worth the money.I've read a lot of networking books, primarily Cisco related, and the author throws in some interesting insights that you may not find anywhere else. However, if you have no idea what a subnet is, this book won't help you much, and understanding subnetting is foundational to hooking up your router/switch to anything. The appendix on subnetting will only further flumux the uninitiated. I have seen half of a Cisco networking class disappear after the first mid-term, due to subnetting questions, and that was after weeks of preparing to answer them.His target audience is for someone who is desparate, and needs some answers now, not after they read five books and/or get their CCNA or Network+ certificate, and he sticks to his mission.

I'm a CCNA/NP candidate, and having been out of the I.T. for a few years, and then not only finding employment, but a job in a WAN environment, I found myself in over my head.Things had changed, and I needed to forget about things like Frame Relay, and accept BGP as the lord of corporate circuits to branch offices, and needed to get up to speed rather quickly.Probably an easier read if you're someone who understands technology, and definitely wouldn't recommend it if you're not familiar with tech speak, but certainly more conversational than the typical tech books.Well worth my time to read too in pursuit of my Cisco certifications, but it won't allow me to pass the test as my lone source of knowledge. Not that I expected it to.

This book saved me time and potential headaches this past weekend. I need(ed) a succinct "instruction manual" for logging in to my Cisco Catalyst 3750 switches, verifying a few configuration settings, modifying jumbo MTU size, and saving the changes.I had plenty of official online documentation for the MTU changes, but I really wasn't comfortable with the very basics of Cisco IOS's command line interface. I bought this book to help ensure I wouldn't shoot myself in the foot. Authenticating, navigating unprivileged vs. privileged EXEC, and making config changes are all covered in Cisco Routers for the Desperate. (And then some.) That's what I needed.Served its purpose for a Linux sysadmin who inherited a couple switches.

I bought a Cisco Router on the advice of my ISP (former). He set it up long distance (used technology to use my computer remotely). My ISP (internet service provider) stopped serving my area, so I had to change to another provider. I am not a techie, though I use computers constantly for teaching and advertising. To make a long story short -- I bought this book hoping for a clear step by step method for getting my close to $500 router to work without having to become a certified technician. I guess I can't set this thing up without reading an 800 page book. Mr. Lucas certainly has laid out much that I did not know, but this book is designed for someone who already has more than just a beginning knowledge of routers.I am a fairly stubborn person, so I have been using ethernet cables from my modem and my printers while I figured out how to get my router to communicate.This book hasn't done it for me. I gave this book a 3 star rating, because, while it did not work for me, I am sure it would be very helpful for someone who is more knowledgeable than I.

This is among my favorite "getting started" books for Cisco networking. I took a CCNA course years ago but never certified and didn't have access to Cisco equipment. Then a few years ago I took a job where we had Cisco switches and routers. This book was one of two I used. Absolutely love this one. Great explanations and examples.

Used for leisure reading and for work

I was intimidated at first as I am just starting out with my Cisco router. But this book is great and very easy to read and understand. I would definitely read more from this author.

This eBook I put on the main IT department workstation. It is a emergency-mode-only guide to trying to get a Cisco router back up after a catastrophic event. If you can't get a restart after following this guide, you won't get one - it will become Cisco's problem at that point. Well worth the cost and written to be used swiftly.

Excellent book.