Product Description

Internet programming demystified! This is a hands-on guide to TCP/IP networking that includes platform-independent source code to a simple TCP/IP stack - a lean version that is easier to present and efficient enough to use in embedded applications. Create

Implement an embedded TCP/IP stack that supports a Web server capable of providing dynamic graphics. In this new edition, the Web server is ported to the PIC16F877 and updated to work over an ethernet connection. Complete source code is provided and a fully described demonstration port is presented.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1112876 in Books
• Published on: 2002-02-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 559 pages

About the Author
Jeremy Bentham is co-founder of an industrial networking company (Io Ltd.) and its software consulting offshoot Iosoft Ltd., in Cambridge, England. An engineer by training, he has developed many computer systems in railway control and other industrial applications and a wide range of software tools for embedded systems. Networking projects included Bitup, a Bitbus emulation for the 80188 processor; data transfer protocols using Arcnet and Ethernet; and a full 801888-based remote-boot communications system using the simpler TCP/IP protocols (UDP and TFTP). Recent work has been in implementing embedded TCP/IP systems in aerospace, air quality, and video surveillance applications. In his spare time, Jeremy enjoys playing racquet sports, and is an accomplished amateur actor.

Customer Reviews

TCP/IP for Embedded Systems with Invaluable Sample Code
This is an invaluable text for anyone wishing to implement TCP/IP in an embedded system and would also be ideal as an undergraduate text for the practical aspects of Computer Networks & Communications. The first chapter gives a brief overview of networking hardware and software, SLIP over RS232 and Ethernet protocols, device drivers and timing as well as state machines and buffering considerations. The second chapter discusses the OSI model & demonstrates the fundamentals of a networking protocol with sample program fragments written in the `C' programming language. Chapters 3 through 7 give detailed coverage of the core networking protocols including ARP, IP and ICMP, UDP, TCP, Telnet and finally HTTP. These protocols are exercised, tested and explained with `C' sample code and explanations of test results. The sample code effectively forms a library of low level networking source code written in `C'. Chapters 8 through 11 demonstrate various working applications based on a PIC microcontroller - a real embedded system. The really nice thing about this book is the source code and utilities provided on the CD for virtually all `C' compilers including Microsoft VisualC++ 6.0, Borland and the FREE GNU C (+IDE). I have given this text a five star rating and would recommend it to embedded systems programmers needing to implement TCP/IP as well as undergraduate students studying networking.

Not as great as anticipated
I bought this book based on the reviews here, and the fact that the author popped up in several Usenet groups and seemed to know what he was talking about. The title and subtitle would indicate that this was exactly the book I was looking for, and the fact that it included source was a bonus.

Unfortunately, after having the book for two weeks now, I can tell you that I've gotten far more value out of Stevens' "TCP/IP Illustrated" series.

The source code included on the CD-ROM is licensed for personal use only, and it appears that probably %90 of the code is included in hardcopy format inside the book.

Finally, the network traces are practically unreadable: it would have been easier to read if the author had used tcpdump, instead of his own style of printf's.

What I wanted was a concise guide to how to strip down TCP/IP to get it running on small systems: what I could delete, what I had to keep, and the tradeoffs of doing so. When I finish filtering through all the source code and simply focus on the text, that may be what I end up with.

But since I don't have much time, the book will probably sit on the floor, and I'll keep Stevens on the desk.

Disjointed documentation of the Author's Software
The second edition of the book is an expanded version of the first edition with the same, lazy, writing style. The author seems to have a problem collecting his thoughts and tends to jump around topics. The writing style is that of a technician with limited technical writing skills. CMP Books could use a good copy reviewer/editor team.

If you are attempting to learn networking protocols in general, there are higher quality books available. If your goal is to learn a network stack on an embedded processor (In particular the PIC), this is not a bad book as source code is included. To be successful and focused on the software, you'll need to invest another [$] for the PCW version of CCS's compiler, and another [$] for the Microchip PIC.net demo board (Unless you have very good prototyping skills). Note that the first edition of this book comes with the Microchip PIC.net demo board which is sufficent.