Date |
Questions |
Readings and HW |
| Jan 7 | Why do we care about telecommunications? What are the requirements of key applications? How can we express requirements and manipulate the information? Notes | Read: Chapters 1 and 2, skim Chapter 3 For next class, do: Homework 1 -- Homework 1 Solution |
| Jan 14 | Class cancelled due to weather | Read: For next class, do: |
| Jan 21 | Now that we understand a little about the environment, how can we move information? How can information be physically represented? What are the properties of various physical representations? Notes | Read: Chapter 4 For next class, do: Homework 2 -- Homework 2 Solution |
| Jan 28 | Given the various physical representations of information, how do we move this information from one location to another? What systems might we need, and under which circumstances? Notes Please visit the HP Test and Measurement site for an interactive Java applet on AM and FM. | Read: Chapter 5, sections 5.1 and 5.2 For next class, do: Homework 3 -- Homework 3 Solution |
| Feb 4 | What are the details of connecting devices together? How do they influence the design of systems? Notes | Read: Up to (including) Section 5.4 For next class, do: Homework 4 -- Homework 4 Solution |
| Feb 11 | Now that we know how to physically move information from one place to another, what else do we have to do? How can we build a richer set of features into the communications system? What are the "traditional" solutions? Notes | Read: Rest of Chapter 5 For next class, do: Homework 5, Homework 5 solutions |
| Feb 18 | What are some of the mechanisms that are used to implement the features and services we discussed last week, and how do they work? Notes . If you want to see animations of Kermit and HDLC, please run the "slide show" of the this Powerpoint 97 file for slides 13-17 and 25-27 (see the instructions from HW 5). | Read: For next class, do: |
| Feb 25 | Review and Midterm Exam. Here is the Equation Sheet for the midterm exam, and last semester's midterm exam. Here are the solutions for the exam. | Read: Chapters 1-6 For next class, do: |
| Mar 4 | How do we make use of these high speed channels that we read about? How can we tailor these approaches to the characteristics of the application? How do these fit into networks; the telephone network for starters? What are the elements of the network, and how did engineers organize this network for the voice application? Notes | Read: Chapter 6; Chapter 7, sections 1-3 For next class, do: |
| Mar 11 | Spring Break -- No Class | -- |
| Mar 18 | We saw how the telephone network worked. If we assume a data application, how else might we design a network? Notes | Read: Rest of Ch. 7 For next class, do: Homework 6 -- Homework 6 Solution |
| Mar 25 | What are modern implementations of wide area data networks? How are they unique, and what do you have to know from a user's perspective? Also, how would we design networks that are optimized for local operation? What are the advantages and disadvantages of the various approaches? Notes | Read: Chapter 8 (sections 1-3), Chapter 9 For next class, do: Homework 7 -- Homework 7 Solution |
| Apr 1 | What are the local networking technologies that are emerging? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach? How do these work in real environments? Notes | Read: Chapter 10.1-10.3, Levi Strauss and Rock and Roll Museum cases. For next class, do: |
| Apr 8 | We have learned about lots of technologies for lots of different problems. How do we put it all together? How do we organize the functionality? Notes | Read: Chapter 12 (skip 12.4) For next class, do: |
| Apr 15 | Also, what if we want to have connectivity across many independent administrative domains? How do common applications work? What other issues to we have to consider in the design and operations of networks? Notes, Notes | Read: Read Chapter 13, Ch. 16 (sec. 1-4) and Ch. 17 For next class, do: |
| Apr 22 | Leftovers and Review | Last Semester's final, Solutions |
| Apr 29 | Final Exam (at 6pm in room 404 IS) | -- |