CSCI 280
Computer Networks

Welcome to CSCI 280; For this course, we will centralize the distribution of information on this course web page. This page can be found on the Clark web server at http://babbage.clarku.edu/~jbreecher/networks/

Basic Information

Course Description

Textbook

Lectures

Your Evaluation

Weekly Events

The Projects

Basic Information

Course Description

CSCI 280: Computer Networks/ Lecture, Laboratory

This course provides an introduction to the theory and practice of the design of computer and communications networks. The TCP/IP Model will be used as the framework with the course progressing through the physical, data link, network and transport layers.

Analysis of network topologies and protocols, including performance analysis, is treated. Current network types including local area and wide area networks are introduced, as are evolving network technologies. Laboratory exercises include the design and implementation of projects such as simulation of the network/transport layer functions, routing, congestion control, an Ethernet controller, applications using TCP/IP or remote procedure calls. There may be extensive network programming assignments.

Textbook

Required:

"Computer Networking, 4th Edition", 2008 Jim Kurose & Keith Ross. Addison Wesley, ISBN  0-321-49770-8
"Computer Networking, 3rd Edition", 2005 Jim Kurose & Keith Ross. Addison Wesley, ISBN 0-321-22735-2.
Either edition will be fine.  I'm lecturing from the 4tth edition, but the 3rd contains much the same information and is
easy to buy used.

Recommended - Programming and Implementation:

"UNIX Network Programming, Volume 1, 2nd Edition", W. Richard Stevens. 1998. Prentice Hall, ISBN 013-490012-X

"Internetworking with TCP/IP - Volume 1, 4th Edition", Douglas Comer. 2000. Prentice Hall, ISBN 013-018380-6

"Internetworking with TCP/IP - Volume 2, 3rd Edition", Douglas Comer & David Stevens. 1999. Prentice Hall, ISBN 013-973843-6

Recommended - Theory and How It Works:

"Data and Computer Communications, 6th Edition", William Stallings. 2000. Prentice Hall, ISBN 013-084370-6

"Computer Networks, 2nd Edition", Larry Peterson & Bruce Davie. 2000. Morgan Kaufmann, ISBN 1-55860-514-2

"Data Communications and Networking, 2nd Edition", Behrouz Forouzan. 2001. McGraw-Hill, ISBN 007-232204-7

Lectures

In the Table below are pointers to the Lecture Notes and Projects for the course. The format available can be read by Microsoft Powerpoint (.ppt).  Lectures generally will be from these notes. Feel free to print them out and use them during class to avoid extensive notetaking. You can simply annotate these notes rather than writing everything. But warning, don't be lulled into a false sense of security. What's talked about in the class will be in MUCH MORE DETAIL than is present on these slides.

An added advantage of written out notes is that you know what to read in the text. In general, I follow the book fairly closely so you should have no trouble figuring out where to find material to amplify these course notes.

WEEKLY LAB TIMES: You are expected to be in lab each week. Small demonstrations will happen every week for your amusement and edification.

The Projects

You will be expected to write a number of programs that give you the opportunity to try some network programming. You'll learn how to get programs to talk with each other using TCP/IP. In addition, you'll have the opportunity to dig into the behavior of networks and how they perform. Your programs will be written in C; you don't need a lot of C experience coming into this course, but you certainly WILL have lots of practice by the time you finish.

PROJECTS: These are programming assignments that you are expected to turn in. We will have "Show and Tell" as a mechanism of showing that you know what you are doing. Note that the Labs/Projects count for HALF of the course.

Your Evaluation

Your evaluation in this course is determined by:

Weekly Events

Here's how the material and deliverables break down for the semester.