College of Saint Benedict-Saint John's University

CSCI 312
Data Communications and Networks
Spring Semester, 2019

 

Instructor:      Jim Schnepf                 
Office:             SJU PEngel Science Center  201
Phone:             3073                           
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:45-1:45
Homepage: www.users.csbsju.edu/~jschnepf

 

TEXTS:  Kurose and Ross:  Computer Networking, A Top-Down Approach)

 

Course Overview: Networks have become pervasive in businesses and the World Wide Web has popularized the Internet beyond anyone's expectation.  Although many have become fascinated with the topic, few understand the mechanisms that allow networks to work.  This course provides a broad overview of the concepts and applications of data communications and networking.  Our objective is to understand the principles of data communication, design approaches for applying those principles and the standards that have evolved regarding the designs.  To help in the understanding of the concepts, we will have the opportunity to explore how some of these concepts can be applied in a lab set up for this class.

 

Assignments:   In addition to written exercises, there will be a series of lab exercises.  These exercises are to be done at a time of the student's choosing and can be done individually or in groups. The exercises will utilize equipment that has been set up expressly for this class in room 204 of the Science Hall.  There is limited equipment and time for the lab exercises.  I will put up a reservation sheet for equipment and it is up to the student to assure that the equipment is available.  Students should plan on doing the exercises early.  Lack of access will not be accepted as an excuse for incomplete assignments.  Assignments handed in after the due date will be docked for being late. No assignments will be accepted more than one cycle after they are due.

 

Course Objectives: On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

 

Evaluation:  Your final grade for the course will be calculated using the following percent­ages:

Labs

15%

 

A

 Understand material at an advanced level

90%+

Quizzes

25%

B

Understand material at a fully competent level

80%+

Midterm

20%

 

C

 Understand material at an acceptable level

70%+

Assignments

15%

 

D

 Partial Comprehension of the material

60%+

Final Exam

25%

 

F

 Unsatisfactory Performance

59%-

Make up quizzes will not be given.  ABs, BCs and CDs will be given for borderline cases at the instructors discretion.  





SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS


Student needing special accommodations or who have special needs are invited to share this information with the instructor as early as possible.


ACADEMIC HONESTY

Work must be completed in a manner consistent with the College of Saint Benedict's & Saint John's University's codes for academic honesty. All outside work and/or ideas used in any part of this course must be properly attributed; all forms of plagiarism including - but not limited to - copying the ideas and the written and/or spoken words of others and copying or annexing computer files from other people are strictly prohibited. All acts of plagiarism, cheating, or other academic misconduct are considered forms of academic dishonesty and are strictly prohibited. Such instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the appropriate personnel and officials.  Any writing assignment or programming project that is not your original work will be graded as a zero and will be reported to the Academic Dean. A second offence will will be reported to the Academic Dean and handled according to the procedures in the most recent version of the College of Saint Benedict's & Saint John's University's Academic Catalog (Academic Misconduct).
 

Labs: 


(to be assigned)



Revised!!! Tentative Class Schedule (subject to change):

Date
 Topic
 Reading/Assignment
1/15
 Introduction and course overview, Syllabus, Chapter 1 Ch 1
1/17
 Protocol Layers
 Ch 1
1/22
 HTTP/Email
  Ch 2 pp 83-125 
1/24
DNS Ch 2 pp 126-139
1/29
  Socket Programming
 Ch2 pp 157-169
1/31

2/5
 Transport Layer Ch 3 pp 187-232
2/7
 No Class -weather
2/12
 Transport Layer Ch 3 pp 261-281
2/14
 Transport Layer Ch 3 pp 261-302
2/19
 Network Layer: Data Plane Ch 4 pp 305-321
2/21
 Network Layer: Data Plane Ch 4 pp 322- 348
2/26
 Network Layer: Control Plane Ch 5 pp 373-379
2/28
 Network Layer: Control Plane Ch 5 pp 384-401

Spring Break
3/12
 Network Layer: Control Plane Ch 5 pp 402-407
3/14
 Exam Ch 1-5
3/19 Link Layer and LANS Ch 6 pp 439-450
3/21
 Link Layer and LANS Ch 6 pp 451-466
3/26
 Link Layer and LANS Ch 6  pp 439-450
3/28
 Exam1Redo
4/2
 Link Layer and LANS Ch 6 pp 451-466
4/4
 Link Layer and LANS Ch 6 pp 467-487
4/9
 Wireless Ch 7 pp 546-550
4/11
 Wireless Ch 7 pp 551-569
4/16
 Guest Speaker Kyle Loven
 Ch 8 pp 593-604
4/18
 Security Ch 8 pp 610-621
4/23
 Security Ch 8 pp 621-637
4/25
 Scholarship and Creativity Day
4/30
 Security Ch 8 646-661
5/2
 Review
5/10
 Final Exam 10:45-12:45
 Comprehensive