Course Overview and Lab Activities Quiz

Course Information

• Course Title: NET 110: Computer Networks Fundamentals
• Course Description: This course introduces networking technologies, models, and concepts related to network communications. It covers networking basics, types of networks, reference models, networking concepts and terminology, physical layer, data encoding, modulation techniques, bandwidth utilization, multiplexing, network hardware components, transmission media, layers, introduction to data link layer concepts, and IEEE LAN standards.
• Instructor: Dr. Kuljeet Kaur, Associate Professor
• Institution: Canadian University Dubai

Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)

• CLO1: Identify the various services and technologies of the Internet and OSI network layering models.
• CLO2: Apply different data encoding and modulation techniques for digital and analog signals.
• CLO3: Explain bandwidth utilization using multiplexing and spreading.
• CLO4: Distinguish between the different types of transmission media and their suitability for different usages.
• CLO5: Identify the principal operations and services of the data link layer.

Course Assessment

• Quizzes: 20% (10% + 10%)
• Lab Work: 20%
• Midterm Exam: 20%
• Final Exam: 40%
• Total: 100%

Textbooks and References

• J. Kurose and K. Ross (2021). Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 8th Edition. Pearson, ISBN-13: 9780135928608
• Forouzan, B. A. (2013). Data communications and networking (5th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
• W. Stallings (2013) Data and Computer Communications, 10th Edition, Pearson. ISBN-13: 978-1292014388
• A. S. Tanenbaum and D. J. Wetherall (2010). Computer Networks, 5th Edition, Pearson, 2010, ISBN-13: 978-0132126953

Course Activity Outline

• Week 1: Course Introduction, Overview of Computer Communications, Computer Networks, Network Types, Internet History
• Week 2: Network Models, Protocol Layering, TCP/IP Protocol, OSI Model, Network Standards, Telecommunication vs. Data Communication
• Week 3: Introduction to the Physical Layer, Data Encoding, and Signals
• Week 4: Introduction to Physical Layer: Modulation Techniques: Analog signals and Digital Signals
• Week 5: Introduction to Physical Layer, Transmission impairment, data rate limits & performance
• Week 6: Digital Transmission
• Week 7: Digital Transmission
• Week 8: Analog Transmission
• Week 9: Analog Transmission
• Week 10: Bandwidth Utilization: Multiplexing and Spectrum Spreading
• Week 11: Transmission media
• Week 12: Circuit Switching, Packet Switching. Introduction to Data Link Layer
• Week 13: Introduction to Data Link Layer
• Week 14: Error detection techniques
• Week 15: Revision
• Week 16: Final Exam

Lab Activity Outline

• Week 1: Introduction to the network simulation software interfaces and operation by building a simple link between end point and server
• Week 2, 3: Demonstrate the difference between physical and logical addresses. Practice where to obtain the physical and logical addresses
• Week 4: Explore the different options on internetworking devices at the physical layer
• Week 5, 6: Study the OSI model by observing a TCP/IP packet journey and inspecting its header encapsulation. Simulate different simple network topologies and understand evaluate their performance.
• Week 7, 8, 9: Practice different data encoding and modulation techniques for digital and analog signals.
• Week 10, 11: Apply the basics of network switch configuration and to building a single LAN network. Inspect the switch MAC address table.
• Week 12: Simulate data-link traffic using Layer 2 devices (Switch, hub and bridge)
• Week 13, 14: Introduction to Wireshark, Use Wireshark to Capture and Analyze Ethernet Frames, Examine the Header Fields in an Ethernet II Frame
• Week 15: LAB Final Exam

1-1 Data Communications

• Telecommunication: Means of communicating at a distance; includes telephony, telegraphy, and television.
• Data: Information presented in agreed-upon form.
• Data Communications: Transfer of data between devices via a medium (e.g., wire).
• Topics: Components, Data Representation, Data Flow

Communication System

• Data communication systems combine hardware and software.
• Effectiveness depends on: Delivery, Accuracy, Timeliness, and Jitter.

Communication System Characteristics

• Delivery: Data sent to the correct destination.
• Accuracy: Precise data transmission.
• Timeliness: Data delivery in a timely fashion, especially for real-time applications like audio and video.
• Jitter: Variations in packet arrival time.

Communication System Components

• Message: Data to be communicated.
• Sender: Device initiating the message.
• Receiver: Device receiving the message.
• Medium: Physical path used for data transfer (e.g., wire, cable).
• Protocol: Set of rules governing data communication between devices

Data Representation

• Data representation formats: Text, Numbers, Images, Audio, Video

Data Flow

• Simplex: One-way data flow (e.g., keyboard to monitor)
• Half-duplex: Data flows in one direction at a time (e.g., walkie-talkies)
• Full-duplex: Data flows in both directions simultaneously (e.g., telephone network).

1-2 Networks

• Network: A set of interconnected devices (nodes) linked by communication links.
• Node types: Computers, printers, other communication devices.
• Topics: Network Criteria, Physical Structures, Network Models, Categories of Networks, Interconnection of Networks

Distributed Processing

• Most networks use distributed processing, tasks are divided among multiple computers

Network Criteria

• Performance: Measured using metrics like transit time, response time, throughput, and delay.
• Reliability: Measured by the accuracy of delivery, frequency of failure, time to recover from failure.
• Security: Protecting data from unauthorized access, damage, and breaches.

Types of Connection

• Point-to-point: Dedicated link between two devices (e.g., remote control to TV).
• Multipoint: More than two devices connect to a single link (shared, spatially or temporally).

Physical Topology

• Topology: Geometric representation of network connections (e.g., mesh, star, bus, ring, hybrid).

Mesh Topology

• Every device has a dedicated point-to-point connection to every other device.
• Advantages: Eliminates traffic problems, Robustness (one link failure doesn't affect entire system), Privacy.
• Disadvantages: High cabling and port costs, difficult installation and reconnection

Star Topology

• Each device connected to a central hub.
• Advantages: Less expensive than mesh, Robustness (one link failure only affects that link), Easy fault isolation
• Disadvantages: The entire system dies if the central hub fails, more cabling may be required than in mesh.

Bus Topology

• One long cable acts as a backbone connecting all devices.
• Advantages: Easy installation, less cabling than mesh or star.
• Disadvantages: Difficult reconnection and fault isolation, difficulty adding new devices

Ring Topology

• Devices connected in a closed loop.
• Advantages: Easy to install and configure, adding/deleting a device only requires affecting two connections. Easy fault isolation
• Signals travel in one direction, repeated by repeaters at each device.

Hybrid Topology

• Combination of network topologies (e.g., star backbone with bus networks).

Network Models

• OSI standard
• TCP/IP model

Exercises

• Identify the five components of a data communications system
• Determine maximum colors for a 16-bit color image
• Calculate cables and ports for a mesh topology.
• Classify a network using an Ethernet hub into LAN, MAN, or WAN.
• Discuss consequences of connection failures in various topologies.

References

• Dr. Ahmed Al-Gindy
• Dr. Kuljeet Kaur