Course Description: Introduction to computer networks and computer communication, architecture and protocols. Design of protocols for error recovery, reliable delivery, routing and congestion control. Store-and-forward networks, satellite networks, local area networks and locally distributed systems. Case studies of networks, protocols and protocol families.
Credit hours and workload: This is a four credit class. Students are expected to do significant work outside of class time. This supplementary work includes reading, programming and other assignments, quiz preparation, and paper writing (457) and therefore is expected to require up to eight hours of effort per week.
Prerequisites: CSC 252 (or equivalent).
Lectures: MW 4:50pm-6:05pm in Goergen Hall Room 108
Instructor:
Teaching Assistants:
Overview:
We will use class time for traditional
in-person lectures. You are welcome to bring laptops to class
to participate in occasional demonstrations. You will be
expected to complete assigned readings, short experiment-style
activities using network tools (referred to as labs), to write
substantial network applications (e.g., socket programming),
and to complete short in-class quizzes.
Course Schedule: Coming soon.
Textbooks and materials:
Workload and Assignments:
This course will involve
several different kinds of assignments:
Your Overall Grade:
Your scores on the individual
components of this course will weighted to obtain your course
score. All appeals of grades on individual scores must be made
within one week of the grade being available. The following
table represents this weighting of components.
Category | 257 | 457 |
Labs | 36% | 25% |
Projects | 36% | 36% |
Quizzes | 24% | 24% |
Research Project | 4% | 15% |
Total | 100% | 100% |
Your Letter Grade:
Letter grades will follow
the Official
University of Rochester Grading Scheme. Note that the
University scheme puts “average” somewhere between C and B. The
following table is an estimate of how the numeric grades will
map onto the letter grades. Half-letter adjustments (e.g., A-,
B+, B-) will be assigned at instructor discretion. Note that
grading schemes are slightly different for undergraduate and
graduate students.
Score | 257 | 457 |
>=90% | A-/A | A-/A |
>=80% | B-/B/B+ | B-/B/B+ |
>=70% | C-/C/C+ | C-/C/C+ |
>=60% | D | E |
<60% | E |
It is my hope that all participants in my courses feel welcome, respected, and supported. If anyone is unfairly excluded, please let me know and I will do my best to fix it.
All assignments and activities associated with this course must be performed in accordance with the University of Rochester’s Academic Honesty Policy. More information is available at: www.rochester.edu/college/honesty
All incidents of academic dishonesty will be reported. This is because academic dishonesty is harmful to the entire university community, AND because it is the explicit requirement of the University of Rochester Academic Honesty Policy.
All work submitted for this course is expected to be your own except for assignments and activities which explicitly state otherwise (i.e., team projects).
Note that posting homework and project solutions to public repositories on sites like GitHub is a violation of the College’s Academic Honesty Policy, Section V.B.2 “Giving Unauthorized Aid.”
The University of Rochester respects and welcomes students of all backgrounds and abilities. In the event you encounter any barrier(s) to full participation in this course due to the impact of disability, please contact the Office of Disability Resources. The access coordinators in the Office of Disability Resources can meet with you to discuss the barriers you are experiencing and explain the eligibility process for establishing academic accommodations. You can reach the Office of Disability Resources at: disability@rochester.edu; (585) 276-5075; Taylor Hall.
Students with an accommodation for any aspect of the course must make arrangements in advance through the Disability Resources office. Then, as instructed by the office, contact the instructor to confirm your arrangements.
This course follows the University policy regarding incompletes: “Incompletes may be given only when there are circumstances beyond the student’s control, such as illness or personal emergency, that prevented the student from finishing the course work on time.” Students who are unable to attend or complete any part of the course due to illness should contact the instructor as soon as possible. Please note that the University Health Service (UHS) does not provide retroactive excuses for missed classes. Students who are seen at UHS for an illness or injury can ask for documentation that verifies the date of their visit(s) to UHS without mention of the reason for the visit. Because of the potential impact across all of your courses, students with extended or severe illness should additionally contact the College Center for Advising Services (CCAS) for advice and assistance. In general, any student who feels that they are unable to adequately experience and participate in the course due to serious issues should reach out to the instructor as soon as possible.
You will need access to a computer with reliable internet access for this course, but otherwise there are no special requirements.
In many computer science courses, "try it and see what happens" is a perfectly safe, fun, and valid way to learn. However, when dealing with tools of computer networking, the programs you write and execute may make connections to other machines belonging to private individuals, governments, and corporations. ome of the topics discussed (such as virtual private networks), may not be permitted under your local jurisdiction. It is your responsibility to be aware of your local laws and responsibilities and to be thoughtful in your use of the tools and techniques of computer networks.
If you choose to use electronics, please do so respectfully. Leave all devices on silent. Please avoid activities which are not immediately helpful to your participation in the lecture (e.g., social media/texting). Doing these things can distract your peers or your instructor. For this class, there are a few topics which can be fun to explore in a networked environment, so you are welcome to bring laptops if you so choose.
Quizzes must be completed during the assigned timeframe. Quiz dates will be available at the beginning of the course. Students with substantial conflicts (e.g., varsity travel, conferences) should contact the instructor well in advance. Projects must be submitted by the appropriate deadlines, which will be communicated at least two weeks in advance. Students in exceptional circumstances who cannot take a quiz during the assigned timeframe or submit a project by the appropriate deadline must make arrangements with the instructor in advance or they may otherwise receive a zero for the activity.