EE4761/IM4761 Computer Networking

EE4761 Computer Networkingg (EEE course code)
IM4761 Computer Networking (IEM course code)
Taken in AY 18/19 Semester 1

Course details
AUs: 3
Category: Major-PE (EEE/IEM)
Pass/Fail mod: No
2 hours lecture and 1 hour tutorial weekly.

Assessment
- 10% participation (for tutorial sessions 1 - 6): weekly mini quiz.
- 10% quiz #1
- 10% quiz #2
- 10% report

Syllabus
1. Introduction
- Introduction to computer networks and Internet
- Network protocols, protocol layers and service models
- Internet structure and Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- Circuit switching and packet switching
- Network edge and network core
- Network access
- Physical media
- Network performance measures
- History of Internet, and challenges (not to be examined)

2. Network Layer
- Basic functions of network layer
- Software defined networks: a brief introduction
- What is inside a router?
- Internet protocol: a brief introduction
- Routing algorithms
- Routing protocols
- Multicast routing: A brief introduction

3. Transport Layer Protocols
- Introduction: Basics, Major Functions
- User Datagram Protocol (UDP)
- Reliable Data Transfer: Reliable Data Transfer, Finite-state Machine
- Transmission Control Protocol (TCP): TCP, Flow Control, Congestion Control

4. Application Layer
- Basics
- Web and HTTP
- P2P Applications

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My opinion:

Computer Networking course is an extension of Computer Communications course. (Com comms talk about the bottom 2 layers of the Internet Protocol Stack (physical, link), and computer networking talks about the top three (network, transport, app). Quite content heavy. Need good understanding, there is no use in purely memorising. Mathematics-wise it is not complicated but getting the steps out is. Exam is not easy, must understand, practice. But I feel like no matter how many times I practice calculation for pipelining (delay calculation) I still can't get it LOL. The hints the lecturer gave were not accurate for my year (LOL) so I would say please just study everything... /cry laugh
Quiz and report wise, just study and do your best, should be ok.

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TL;DR: Not easy but not deathly difficult. Quiz are ok but exam is not easy. On the bright side, eveyone dies together during exam LOL.

Final grade: (I will not be putting up my core mod results, only my GER-PE/UE results!)