How to Use This Book and CD

This book includes several features that will make studying for the Network+ exam easier. At the beginning of the book (right after this introduction, in fact) is an assessment test that you can use to check your readiness for the actual exam. Take this exam before you start reading the book. It will help you to determine the areas you may need to brush up on. You can then focus on these areas while reading the book. The answers to this test appear on a separate page after the last question. Each answer also includes an explanation and a note telling you in which chapter this material appears.

In addition, there are review questions at the end of each chapter. As you finish each chapter, answer the questions and then check your answers, which appear on the page after the last question. You can go back and reread the section in the chapter that deals with each question you got wrong to ensure that you know your stuff.

On the CD-ROM that is included with this book, there are several extras you can use to bolster your exam readiness:

Electronic Flashcards  You can use these 150 flashcard-style questions to review your knowledge of Network+ concepts not only on your PC, but also on your handheld devices. You can download the questions right into your Palm device for quick and convenient reviewing anytime, anywhere, without your PC!

Test Engine  This portion of the CD-ROM includes all of the questions that appear in this book: the assessment questions at the end of this introduction, all of the chapter review questions, and four bonus exams.

Full Text of the Book in PDF  If you are going to travel but still need to study for the Network+ exam—and you have a laptop with a CD-ROM drive—you can take this entire book with you on the CD-ROM. This book is in PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format so it can be easily read on any computer.

Network+ Virtual Lab  The CD-ROM bound in the front of this book is the most powerful practical tool in the market today. It will allow you to create a virtual network and work with simulated devices such as routers, switches, and server and client hardware. Also included are hands-on labs with dozens of review questions. Complete instructions are included on a PDF version of the Network+ Virtual Lab manual and readme file found on the CD-ROM.

Note 

System Requirements for the Virtual Lab Include: Internet Explorer 4.0 or later, Pentium 133 (Pentium II 266 or higher recommended), 32 MB of RAM (64 MB recommended), Windows 95, 98, ME, NT (SP3 or higher), 2000 or XP, 25 MB of free hard-disk space, 8x CD-ROM Drive, a Mouse or other pointing device.