Book excerpt: Cable and Wireless Networks: Theory and Practice presents a comprehensive approach to networking, cable and wireless communications, and networking security. It describes the most important state-of-the-art fundamentals and system details in the field, as well as many key aspects concerning the development and understanding of current and emergent services. In this book, the author gathers in a single volume current and emergent cable and wireless network services and technologies. Unlike other books, which cover each one of these topics independently without establishing their natural relationships, this book allows students to quickly learn and improve their mastering of the covered topics with a deeper understanding of their interconnection. It also collects in a single source the latest developments in the area, typically only within reach of an active researcher. Each chapter illustrates the theory of cable and wireless communications with relevant examples, hands-on exercises, and review questions suitable for readers with a BSc degree or an MSc degree in computer science or electrical engineering. This approach makes the book well suited for higher education students in courses such as networking, telecommunications, mobile communications, and network security. This is an excellent reference book for academic, institutional, and industrial professionals with technical responsibilities in planning, design and development of networks, telecommunications and security systems, and mobile communications, as well as for Cisco CCNA and CCNP exam preparation.