ECE 495R - Introduction to Computer Communication Networks

Course Details

Lecture Hours: 3 Credits: 3

This is an experiential learning course.

Counts as:

Experimental Course Offered:

Fall 2001, Fall 2002, Fall 2003, Fall 2004

Catalog Description:

An introduction to the design and implementation of computer communication networks. The focus is on the concepts and the fundamental design principles that have contributed to the global Internet's success. Topics include: digital transmission, switching and multiplexing, protocols, LAN, congestion/flow/error control, routing, addressing, performance evaluation, internetworking (Internet) including TCP/IP, HTTP, etc. This course will include one project.

Required Text(s):

  1. Communication Networks: A First Course , 2nd Edition , Jean Walrand , McGraw-Hill , 1998 , ISBN No. 0-256-17404-0
  2. Course notes.

Recommended Text(s):

  1. Computer Networking: A Top Down Approach Featuring the Internet , J. Kurose and Keith Ross , Addison-Wesley , ISBN No. 0-201-47711-4
  2. Computer Networks and Internets , 2nd Edition , Douglas E. Comer , Prentice Hall , ISBN No. 0-13-239070-1

Learning Outcomes:

A student who successfully fulfills the course requirements will have demonstrated:
  1. an understanding of what is circuit and packet switching. [a,k]
  2. an understanding what are the performance criteria of interest in different networks. [a,k]
  3. an understand of what is a protocol. [a,c,k]
  4. an ability to describe different access technologies. [a,b,k]
  5. an ability to describe different Local Area Networks technologies and the fundamentals of the underlying protocols. [a,e,k]
  6. a working knowledge of retransmission protocols and TCP. [a,e,k]
  7. an understanding of the basic concepts of routing. [a,b,e,k]

Lecture Outline:

Lectures Topic
4 Introduction: history, evolution of networks, standardization
3 Digital transmission principles and technologies
3 Switching and multiplexing technologies
3 Design of network: the layered approach, its advantages and shortcomings, protocols
3 Performance evaluation and Quality of Service
4 Data link layer: retransmission protocols (go-back n, selective repeat) and their performances, TEST
5 LAN: Ethernet, FDDI, wireless...
6 Internetworking: introduction, naming, addressing
5 Routing: fundamentals, Intra-domain routing (RIP, OSPF), Inter-domain routing (BGP)
3 IP: fragmentation, error handling
3 TCP/IP and UDP
3 The World Wide Web: HTTP

Assessment Method:

none