Search icon CANCEL
Subscription
0
Cart icon
Your Cart (0 item)
Close icon
You have no products in your basket yet
Arrow left icon
Explore Products
Best Sellers
New Releases
Books
Videos
Audiobooks
Learning Hub
Conferences
Free Learning
Arrow right icon
Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming
Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming

Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming: Learn effective C++ network programming with Boost.Asio and become a proficient C++ network programmer

eBook
AU$14.99 AU$36.99
Paperback
AU$45.99
Subscription
Free Trial
Renews at AU$24.99p/m

What do you get with a Packt Subscription?

Free for first 7 days. $24.99 p/m after that. Cancel any time!
Product feature icon Unlimited ad-free access to the largest independent learning library in tech. Access this title and thousands more!
Product feature icon 50+ new titles added per month, including many first-to-market concepts and exclusive early access to books as they are being written.
Product feature icon Innovative learning tools, including AI book assistants, code context explainers, and text-to-speech.
Product feature icon Thousands of reference materials covering every tech concept you need to stay up to date.
Subscribe now
View plans & pricing
Table of content icon View table of contents Preview book icon Preview Book

Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming

Chapter 2. Understanding the Networking Concepts

Before we start coding a network application, it is better for us to understand how a network works. In this chapter, we will dig up network concepts with their contents. The topics that we'll cover in this chapter are as follows:

  • Distinguishing between the OSI model and the TCP/IP model
  • Exploring IP addresses in both IPv4 and IPv6
  • Troubleshooting TCP/IP problems using various tools

An introduction to networking systems

Network architecture is structured with layers and protocols. Each layer in the architecture has its own role, while its main purpose is to offer a certain service to the higher layer and communicate with the adjoining layers. However, a protocol is a collection of rules and conventions that are used by all the communicating parties to standardize the communication process. For instance, when the layer n in a device communicates with another layer n in another device, for the communication to take place, they have to use the same protocol.

There are two popular network architectures that are used nowadays: the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) and TCP/IP reference models. We will dig deeper to understand each reference model with its advantages and disadvantages so that we can decide which model should be used in our network application.

The OSI reference model

The OSI model is used to connect to the open systems—these are the systems that are...

Understanding TCP and UDP

As we discussed earlier in this chapter in the Transport layer section, TCP and UDP are the main protocols that are used to transfer data across a network. The delivery mechanisms that they have are different from each other. TCP has acknowledgments, sequence numbers, and flow control in transferring data process to provide a guaranteed delivery, whereas UDP does not provide a guaranteed delivery but provides a delivery with best efforts.

Transmission Control Protocol

TCP performs a three-way handshaking process before the protocol establishes the session. This is done in order to provide a guaranteed delivery. Refer to the following figure to understand the three-way handshaking process:

Transmission Control Protocol

From the preceding image, imagine that Carol's device wants to transfer data to Bryan's device and that they need to perform a three-way handshaking process. First, Carol's device sends a packet to Bryan's device with the synchronize (SYN) flag enabled. Once Bryan...

Exploring the Internet Protocol

IP is a primary communication protocol that is used to deliver a datagram across networks. The datagram itself is a transfer unit associated with a packet-switched network. The role of IP is to deliver packets from the host to the host based on the IP address, which is stated in the packet's header. There are two versions of IP that are commonly used nowadays, which are IPv4 and IPv6.

Internet Protocol Version 4 – IPv4

IPv4 has become the standard IP address since 1980s and is used to obtain TCP/IP traffic from a computer to another over the network. An IP address is unique for every device connected over the Internet, and all devices can communicate with each other over the Internet as long as they have a valid IP address.

A valid IP address is constructed by four decimal numbers that are separated by three dots. The address only contains a decimal number from 0 to 255. We can say that 10.161.4.25 is a valid IP address since it contains four decimal...

Using TCP/IP tools for troubleshooting

Some of the following commands can be used to track any TCP/IP errors. The commands can be used to examine whether or not any router is down or any connection is established. It will then help us a lot to decide on the proper solution.

The ipconfig command

We used the ipconfig command earlier to identify the MAC address and the IP address. In addition to this, we can use this command to check the TCP/IP configuration. We can also use this command as explained in the upcoming sections.

Displaying the full configuration information

To display the configuration information completely, we can call the following command on the console:

ipconfig /all

All the configuration information about the network adapter will be displayed for us, such as the network interface card, wireless card, and Ethernet adapter, like we have already tried in The Data Link layer section in this chapter when we looked for MAC Address.

Displaying DNS

The following command will display...

Summary

In this chapter, we came to know the main role of each layer in both the OSI and TCP/IP models when we talked about network architecture. We explored the Internet Protocol and were able to distinguish the difference between IPv4 and IPv6. We were also able to determine the subnet mask and classify the IP address. Moreover, we were able to detect whether an error occurs using various TCP/IP tools.

In the next chapter, we are going to talk about the Boost C++ library, which is the library that will make us more productive in the C++ programming. Now, let's prepare our programming tool and go to the next chapter.

Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

Description

Boost.Asio is a C++ library used for network programming operations. Organizations use Boost because of its productivity. Use of these high-quality libraries speed up initial development, result in fewer bugs, reduce reinvention-of-the-wheel, and cut long-term maintenance costs. Using Boost libraries gives an organization a head start in adopting new technologies. This book will teach you C++ Network programming using synchronous and asynchronous operations in Boost.Asio with minimum code, along with the fundamentals of Boost, server-client applications, debugging, and more. You will begin by preparing and setting up the required tools to simplify your network programming in C++ with Boost.Asio. Then you will learn about the basic concepts in networking such as IP addressing, TCP/IP protocols, and LAN with its topologies. This will be followed by an overview of the Boost libraries and their usage. Next you will get to know more about Boost.Asio and its concepts related to network programming. We will then go on to create a client-server application, helping you to understand the networking concepts. Moving on, you will discover how to use all the functions inside the Boost.Asio C++ libraries. Lastly, you will understand how to debug the code if there are errors found and will run the code successfully.

Who is this book for?

This book is for C++ Network programmers with basic knowledge of network programming, but no knowledge of how to use Boost.Asio for network programming.

What you will learn

  • Prepare the tools to simplify network programming in C++ using Boost.Asio
  • Explore the networking concepts of IP addressing, TCP/IP ports and protocols, and LAN topologies
  • Get acquainted with the usage of the Boost libraries
  • Get to know more about the content of Boost.Asio network programming and Asynchronous programming
  • Establish communication between client and server by creating clientserver application
  • Understand the various functions inside Boost.Asio C++ libraries to delve into network programming
  • Discover how to debug and run the code successfully

Product Details

Country selected
Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Sep 16, 2015
Length: 200 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785283079
Category :
Languages :
Tools :

What do you get with a Packt Subscription?

Free for first 7 days. $24.99 p/m after that. Cancel any time!
Product feature icon Unlimited ad-free access to the largest independent learning library in tech. Access this title and thousands more!
Product feature icon 50+ new titles added per month, including many first-to-market concepts and exclusive early access to books as they are being written.
Product feature icon Innovative learning tools, including AI book assistants, code context explainers, and text-to-speech.
Product feature icon Thousands of reference materials covering every tech concept you need to stay up to date.
Subscribe now
View plans & pricing

Product Details

Publication date : Sep 16, 2015
Length: 200 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781785283079
Category :
Languages :
Tools :

Packt Subscriptions

See our plans and pricing
Modal Close icon
AU$24.99 billed monthly
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Simple pricing, no contract
AU$249.99 billed annually
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just AU$5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts
AU$349.99 billed in 18 months
Feature tick icon Unlimited access to Packt's library of 7,000+ practical books and videos
Feature tick icon Constantly refreshed with 50+ new titles a month
Feature tick icon Exclusive Early access to books as they're written
Feature tick icon Solve problems while you work with advanced search and reference features
Feature tick icon Offline reading on the mobile app
Feature tick icon Choose a DRM-free eBook or Video every month to keep
Feature tick icon PLUS own as many other DRM-free eBooks or Videos as you like for just AU$5 each
Feature tick icon Exclusive print discounts

Frequently bought together


Stars icon
Total AU$ 197.97
Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming
AU$45.99
Learning Boost C++
AU$75.99
Boost.Asio C++ Network Programming Cookbook
AU$75.99
Total AU$ 197.97 Stars icon
Banner background image

Table of Contents

8 Chapters
1. Simplifying Your Network Programming in C++ Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Understanding the Networking Concepts Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Introducing the Boost C++ Libraries Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Getting Started with Boost.Asio Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Delving into the Boost.Asio Library Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Creating a Client-server Application Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Debugging the Code and Solving the Error Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Top Reviews
Rating distribution
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon Empty star icon 3.4
(11 Ratings)
5 star 27.3%
4 star 27.3%
3 star 18.2%
2 star 9.1%
1 star 18.2%
Filter icon Filter
Top Reviews

Filter reviews by




ELIAS POLITAKIS Oct 04, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
By far one of the best books I have read regarding a specific technological topic. The book is extremely well structured, starting from setting up the compiler, introducing networking principles and structures, moving to building boost libraries and then getting into ASIO with good examples of asynchronous client and server examples. It will give you everything you need to know about ASIO for getting started in less than 24 hours. Highly recommended!!
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Maxim Rozhkov Dec 17, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
The authors clearly explained some important issues, related with network programming by Boost.ASIO, in the book. Particularly, they gave a lot of information about programming tools (MinGW), the OSI model, the concept of multi-threading programming in the Boost and they described an example of a Telnet application (client and server sides). The most impressing part of the book for me is considered the model of multi-threading in the Boost libraries. I found that all insertions about C++ 11 were amazingly useful: smart-pointers, move-semantics, etc. The book will be interesting and useful for everyone who is interested in network programming and development of C++. No one minute that was spent on reading the book was not lost in vain.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
luncliff Apr 23, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Reference codes are easy
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Hossein Oct 22, 2024
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
The book seems really useful and gives reader enough information to understand how to use boost.asio library properly. The code examples are long and there are too much unnecessary and irrelevant details in them. I tried to rewrite the example codes to only contain the most simple meanings and used as few components as possible, and the boost.asio details became a lot more visible. Using other libraries like shared_ptr, random and thread while we have them in the standard library is not a wise thing to do in a simple book like this that has only one purpose, to teach boost.asio not any other libraries. Critics aside, the book is worth the time needed to read it. Recommend it.
Subscriber review Packt
Andrea Oct 27, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
Already had the 1st edition and since I had found it useful, I decided to upgrade to the 2nd edition.It was a good surprise to find the content is now more polished and a bit better structured.Overall, the book is valuable if you need to quickly start with boost asio and more generally if you need to get a first grasp at the concepts of asynchronous network programming.The foundation of the paradigms is well explained and gives you a jump start in using the library, which I found very useful as I was able to apply the concepts and the techniques in a real application in very short time.The examples are very practical and give you a good starting point upon which you can then improve and customize as you prefer.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Get free access to Packt library with over 7500+ books and video courses for 7 days!
Start Free Trial

FAQs

What is included in a Packt subscription? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

A subscription provides you with full access to view all Packt and licnesed content online, this includes exclusive access to Early Access titles. Depending on the tier chosen you can also earn credits and discounts to use for owning content

How can I cancel my subscription? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

To cancel your subscription with us simply go to the account page - found in the top right of the page or at https://subscription.packtpub.com/my-account/subscription - From here you will see the ‘cancel subscription’ button in the grey box with your subscription information in.

What are credits? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Credits can be earned from reading 40 section of any title within the payment cycle - a month starting from the day of subscription payment. You also earn a Credit every month if you subscribe to our annual or 18 month plans. Credits can be used to buy books DRM free, the same way that you would pay for a book. Your credits can be found in the subscription homepage - subscription.packtpub.com - clicking on ‘the my’ library dropdown and selecting ‘credits’.

What happens if an Early Access Course is cancelled? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Projects are rarely cancelled, but sometimes it's unavoidable. If an Early Access course is cancelled or excessively delayed, you can exchange your purchase for another course. For further details, please contact us here.

Where can I send feedback about an Early Access title? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

If you have any feedback about the product you're reading, or Early Access in general, then please fill out a contact form here and we'll make sure the feedback gets to the right team. 

Can I download the code files for Early Access titles? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

We try to ensure that all books in Early Access have code available to use, download, and fork on GitHub. This helps us be more agile in the development of the book, and helps keep the often changing code base of new versions and new technologies as up to date as possible. Unfortunately, however, there will be rare cases when it is not possible for us to have downloadable code samples available until publication.

When we publish the book, the code files will also be available to download from the Packt website.

How accurate is the publication date? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

The publication date is as accurate as we can be at any point in the project. Unfortunately, delays can happen. Often those delays are out of our control, such as changes to the technology code base or delays in the tech release. We do our best to give you an accurate estimate of the publication date at any given time, and as more chapters are delivered, the more accurate the delivery date will become.

How will I know when new chapters are ready? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

We'll let you know every time there has been an update to a course that you've bought in Early Access. You'll get an email to let you know there has been a new chapter, or a change to a previous chapter. The new chapters are automatically added to your account, so you can also check back there any time you're ready and download or read them online.

I am a Packt subscriber, do I get Early Access? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Yes, all Early Access content is fully available through your subscription. You will need to have a paid for or active trial subscription in order to access all titles.

How is Early Access delivered? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Early Access is currently only available as a PDF or through our online reader. As we make changes or add new chapters, the files in your Packt account will be updated so you can download them again or view them online immediately.

How do I buy Early Access content? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Early Access is a way of us getting our content to you quicker, but the method of buying the Early Access course is still the same. Just find the course you want to buy, go through the check-out steps, and you’ll get a confirmation email from us with information and a link to the relevant Early Access courses.

What is Early Access? Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Keeping up to date with the latest technology is difficult; new versions, new frameworks, new techniques. This feature gives you a head-start to our content, as it's being created. With Early Access you'll receive each chapter as it's written, and get regular updates throughout the product's development, as well as the final course as soon as it's ready.We created Early Access as a means of giving you the information you need, as soon as it's available. As we go through the process of developing a course, 99% of it can be ready but we can't publish until that last 1% falls in to place. Early Access helps to unlock the potential of our content early, to help you start your learning when you need it most. You not only get access to every chapter as it's delivered, edited, and updated, but you'll also get the finalized, DRM-free product to download in any format you want when it's published. As a member of Packt, you'll also be eligible for our exclusive offers, including a free course every day, and discounts on new and popular titles.