SYLLABUS

This special topics course provides an overview of computer networking principles, protocols, and architecture. Students will learn about the Internet, the technologies used to configure local and wide area networks, operating system concepts focusing on network usage and resource sharing, and the ethics and responsibilities of secure networks, focusing on confidentiality, integrity, and authentication.


Quick Overview of COMP 485


Prerequisites COMP 230 (Computer Organization).
Instructor Sandino Vargas-Pérez
Dr. Vargas-Pérez • he, him, his pronouns
Olds/Upton 208D
(269) 337-7564
Office Hours:
  • Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays: 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
  • By appointment (check my weekly schedule)
Required Text I will provide readings from the following sources:
  • James F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 6th edition, Addison-Wesley
  • Larry Peterson and Bruce Davie, Computer Networks: A Systems Approach, [ONLINE].
  • Peter L. Dordal, An Introduction to Computer Networks, 2nd edition,[ONLINE].
Microsoft Team Site You can download the app and install it in your system here: MS Teams
Software You'll need to install software to work with exercises and/or final presentation. Suggested software include:

Goals and Objectives

This course will have both conceptual and hands-on components. Students will research and present various topics, install, build, and configure real-world networks (LANs), and document and reflect on their learning throughout the course.

The objectives of this course are to help you develop:

  • Skills and knowledge that are essential to building and configuring networks and the Internet.
  • Skills and knowledge that are essential for understanding the INTERNET
  • Understanding of the OSI reference model.
  • A basic understanding of interconnected networks and how services are provided on the INTERNET
  • The ability to configure a number of different IPv4 services such as:
    • Routing (RIP, RIPv2, and OSPF)
    • Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
    • Web services (LAMP)
    • Name Service, Distributed Name Service (DNS), and zone files
    • Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) and client/server variants

Topics to be Covered

The following are the topics we will be learning about and discussing during COMP 485 (and a tentative schedule for when each of them will be covered).

Week 1 Introduction to Computer Networks
What is the Internet
History of Computer Networking
Week 2 Packet Switching
Dalay, Loss, and Throughput
Protocol Layers and Service Models
Week 3 Application Layer:
The Web and HTTP
File Transfer (FTP)
E-mail and SMTP
Domain Name Service (DNS)
Week 4 Transport Layer:
Connection-less Transport (UDP)
Connection-oriented Transport (TCP)
Congestion Control
Week 5 Network Layer:
Forwarding and Routing
Internet Protocol (IP)
Routing Algorithms
Weeks 6 Link Layer:
Local Area Networks (LAN)
Ethernet
MAC Addresses
Switches
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
Weeks 7 Wireless Networks
WiFi and Wireless LANs
Weeks 8 Network Security:
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) and IPsec
Cryptography
Wireless LANs Security
Firewalls and Intrusion Detection Systems
Weeks 9 Quality of Service
Net Neutrality
Multimedia Streaming
Real-time Transport Protocol (RTP)
Weeks 10 Research/Topic Presentations

Community Guidelines

The following are a set of guidelines to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment in our class. It was adapted from the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) at the University of Michigan, by Dr. Josephine Mitchell.

Take care of each other

Get to know your classmates and call each other by your preferred names and pronouns.

Be an engaged scholar

Complete the pre-class readings and assignments, be on time to class, and engage with your classmates, professor, and the material in class.

Respectfully contribute to the learning environment

Treat each other with kindness, listen and develop awareness for ideas and opinions that are different from your own, be accountable to each other in discussions and group work, and foster an environment where everyone feels welcome.

Adopt an open mindset

Learning is a process! Strive for intellectual humility. Recognize that we will make mistakes as we learn. Think critically about how your perspectives have been shaped and be open to exploring new ideas and points of view.

Share responsibility for welcoming everyone to participate

If we tend to have a lot to say, make sure we leave space to hear and learn from others. If we tend to be quieter in group discussions, let us challenge ourselves to contribute so others can learn from us.

Challenge the idea, not the person

It is expected that different opinions and perspectives will be shared during discussions. We will be respectful of each other when debating an idea that may differ from our own. Personal attacks, divisive language, etc. will not be tolerated in our class.

Be accountable

We are in control of our learning and will get out of it what we put in. When working in groups, we will respect other group members and push ourselves to contribute to the group in ways that stretch our learning. We will maintain the highest standards of Academic Honesty and give credit to ideas that are not our own.


Final Grade

Final grade will be based on:

  • Participation: Quizzes, Discussion Questions, Attendance 25%
  • Homework: 5 assignments across the term 25%
  • Group Work: Building the "Internet", a term-wide activity 30%
  • Final Research Presentation 20%

Details about the format for final research presentations, discussions questions, and others as well as reading assignments, announcements, links to class presentations, and other material, will be made available on the schedule page or via Teams.


Attendance and Participation

Since this class will be highly participatory and collaborative, regular attendance and fully engaged participation is crucial to everyone's learning and will weigh heavily in your grade. Please be sure to talk to me in advance if you must miss any class meetings. Active participation in the class means being on time, being prepared, listening to others, contributing ideas of your own, and asking questions as they come up. Student presentations in this course will be as important as presentations by the instructor; you should obviously prepare for your own presentations carefully, but you should also attend to your classmates' presentations thoughtfully and actively.

Meeting deadlines will also be very important -- in a collaborative setting such as this class, it is essential that you be ready with presentations and complete assignments in a timely fashion. Some assignments will be time-consuming and difficult to predict, but time-management skills are as critical in industry as they are in college.


Collaboration and the Honor System

This course operates in accordance with the principles of the Kalamazoo College Honor System: responsibility for personal behavior, independent thought, respect for others, and environmental responsibility. In particular, academic integrity is a fundamental principle of scholarship. Representing someone else's work as your own, in any form, constitutes academic dishonesty. Unauthorized collaboration and receiving help from others outside the bounds permitted by the instructor are also violations of the College honor code. You are responsible for working within the permitted bounds, and acknowledging any help from others or contributions from other sources.

The Group Work in this class will be highly collaborative. Working effectively as a team will be an important component. Your responsibilities under the Honor Code include contributing to the team in all ways, documenting everyone who worked on any piece of code, and acknowledging all help you and your team receive from any source, including books, articles, websites, classmates, your instructor, etc. Discussing group assignments with members of other teams is allowed in this class. I may occasionally ask all the members of a group to evaluate the effort and effectiveness of their own work and that of others in the group; anyone who feels that they are being put at a disadvantage because of lack of engagement of someone else in their group should talk to me about it.

Class presentations should represent your own analysis and synthesis of ideas drawn from one or more sources. Your presentation should indicate clearly the source(s) you used or about which you are reporting. You may work on presentations collaboratively or individually, depending on the topic. Be sure to discuss any proposed collaborations with me in advance.

Individual work: Homework assignments, and quizzes will all be individual efforts.