Syllabus

Course objectives:

To introduce the student to basic data communications and computer network terminology. The course will be based extensively on definitions of concepts, standards and equipment and their interrelation. The successful student will be able to evaluate the best networking techniques/tools/equipment when deciding a network for a specific corporate need.

Attendance:

Attendance is very important to this course because there is NO single text book that we shall use throughout the course. Students should not rely on making use of other students' notes taken during classes; this method has proven wrong in previous semesters.

Homeworks/Lab Works:

There is NO lab work in this class but there will be homework assignments and these will be a very important part of the course. Homeworks will guide the students on searching information on the Internet.

Text Books:

We shall use two online textbooks available through Safari Books Online. Please note that this online book service is available only on computers that belong to Bilkent University Network. You will have to click the link to use the Academic License link at the right of the page.

Grading:

  • Homeworks - 20 %
  • Midterm 1 - 25%
  • Midterm 2 - 25%
  • Final - 30%

Topics to be covered:

  • Electronic communications - Basic Concepts (Electromagnetic waves, signal encoding, Radio, TV, telephony)
  • Analog & Digital signals; Frequency, amplitude
  • Transmission media : Unguided and Guided media (space, copper wires, optical cables, microwave)
  • Modulation : AM, FM,
  • Transmission Losses : attenuation, delay, crosstalk
  • Data Communications
  • Data Comms Basics
  • Parallel Xmission
  • Serial Xmission
  • Full & Half duplex Xmission
  • encoding, decoding (ASCII, EBCDIC)
  • xmission rate (bit rate, baud)
  • xmission quality (error detection, correction- parity, CRC and other detection/correction tech.)
  • flow control (handshaking, sync/async xmission)
  • baseband/broadband xmission
  • encryption
  • Repeaters, bridges, routers, hubs, switches
  • LANs (Local Area Networks)
  • Why Networking? (benefits, drawbacks) (Client Server Programming)
  • Central Computing Facilities (mainframes) vs Networked Computing
  • LAN Topologies ( Bus, Star, Ring)
  • LAN Protocols (Ethernet, TokenRing)
  • NOSs (Network Operating Systems (MS Network, TCP/IP, Netware)
  • WANs (Wide Area Networks - Interconnecting LANs)
  • WAN Xmission Media (Leasedlines, Switching networks, ATM, ISDN, FrameRelay, Satellite comms)
  • The OSI Layers
  • Internetworking (TCP/IP)
  • Data packets, The Ethernet Technology (MACs (Media Access Control), Physical Layeri, Collision detection & resolution
  • TCP/IP addressing (IP numbers, netmasks, datagrams)
  • ARP (Address Resolution Protocol), RARP (Reverse Address Resolution Protocol)
  • TCP/IP Ports, Sockets
  • TCP/IP Performance - Window Sliding
  • TCP/IP services (telnet, ftp, remote services, NFS, smtp, DNS)
  • Routing, RIP, BGP