CS656 Data Communications and Networking, Fall 2002

Wednesday, 7:20pm to 10:00pm

Section 001: ST 126

Section 002: Internet-based course delivery

Prof. Yih (Ian) Huang
Office: S&T II, Rm. 443
email: huangyih@cs.gmu.edu
Office Hours: Wed. 3:00pm - 5:00pm and by appointment

Course homepage: http://www.cs.gmu.edu/~huangyih/656

DESCRIPTION

The course will present data communications fundamentals and computer networking methods, using the ISO 7-layer reference model to organize the study. Attention will be focused on the protocols of the physical, data link control, network, and transport layers, for local and wide area networks. Emphasis will be given to the Internet Protocol Suite. Students will program simplified versions of the protocols as part of the course project.

Prerequisites

CS571, STAT 344, ability to program in C/C++.

Project

We will use the Network Workbench, a collection of modules developed at GMU that simulate a protocol stack and display the results, using a text or graphic interface. Students will create modules for Data Link Control, Network and Transport layers and run them in the Workbench environment. The Workbench will be available via SITE computing labs in ST2-18, 133, and 137 and by dial- in. Well documented code must be submitted by email for grading. Projects and programming assignments are individual efforts.

Grading Policy

Midterm exam 25%, Homework 10%, Project 25%, Final 40%. Missed exams must be arranged with the instructor BEFORE the exam date. Assignments are due at 7:20PM on the assigned date. Late assignments/projects lose 20% credit within 7 days after deadlines and will not be accepted one week after due, unless under prearranged conditions. All students are expected to abide by the Honor Code as stated in the GMU catalog and elaborated for Computer Science. Grading is proficiency-based (no curve), cutoffs will be in the vicinity of (but not higher than) A > 95%, A- > 90%, B+ > 85%, B > 80%, C > 70%, and D > 60%.

Textbooks

Course notices and assignments will be provided via email. Students are responsible to have a GMU email account and check that account periodically. Course materials (for example, copies of slides) will be available on the course homepage 24 hours before they are presented in class. Students are responsible for assigned readings and all material outlined in lecture slides.

Important Dates

Internet-based Course Delivery

Section 002 will use Internet-based course delivery. Classes will be available on computer desktops at home or office by using dial-up through GMU Internet facilities. System requirements are a multimedia Pentium computer with Microsoft Windows 95 or later, a java-capable web browser, and Ghostview 6.01, with a 56 kbps modem. Instructor's voice, slides, and slide annotations are delivered to the student's desktop; students can ask questions via text or spoken input. Classes are recorded as delivered and can be played back through the same setup. A password is required to access online delivery and playback of classes. Go to http://netlab.gmu.edu/disted to obtain a password and test Internet class reception. You must test your connection by playing back the test session before attempting to participate in a class. Section 001 students can also (and are encouraged to) obtain a password for accesses to course playbacks.
Importance Notice: Section 002 students must attend midterm and final exams on campus.

Yih (Ian) Huang
Dept. of Computer Science
Office: ST2 Room 443
Email: huangyih@cs.gmu.edu