COMSATS University Islamabad

Department of Computer Science

Course Syllabus
Course Information
Course Code: CSC340 Course Title: Computer Networks
Credit Hours: 4(3,1) Lecture Hours/Week: 3
Lab Hours/Week: 3 Pre-Requisites: None
Catalogue Description:
This course introduces the concepts of computer networks along with communication standards and protocols.
Topics include: Introduction; Physical Components; Internet Backbones; Layered Architecture; Application
Layer Services & Protocols; Transport Layer Services; Transport Layer Protocols; Network Layer; The
Internet Protocol; Routing Algorithms; Link Layer; Error Detection Techniques; MAC Protocols; Physical
Layer; Transmission Impairment; Wireless & Mobile Networks; Cellular Networks; and Security in Computer
Networks.
Text and Reference Books
Text Book:
1. Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, James F. Kurose, Keith Ross Pearson, 2021.
Reference Book:
1. Data Communications and Networking with TCP/IP Protocol Suite, Behrouz A. Forouzan,
McGraw-Hill, 2021.
Week wise Plan:
CDF
Lecture Reading
Unit Topics Covered
# Material
#
Introduction & Overview: Basic Concepts of Networking &
1 Kurose: Ch1,
1. Internet; Access Networks, Physical Components of a Network,
Ref. Material
and Physical/Wireless Media.
ISPs and Internet Backbones, Network Topologies (Bus, Star, Ring,
1 Kurose: Ch1,
2. Mesh, hierarchical); LAN Technologies; and Circuit Switching vs
Ref. Material
Packet Switching.
Concepts of Loss, Throughput, and End-to-End Delay
3. 1 (Transmission Delay, Queuing Delay, Propagation Delay, Kurose: Ch1
Processing Delay).
1 End-to-End Delay; Layered Architectures (OSI, TCP/IP), and Role
4. Kurose: Ch1
of different Layers.
Application Layer: Client-Server Paradigm, Peer-to-Peer
2 Paradigm, Communicating Processes Addressing, Transport
5. Kurose: Ch2
Services; HTTP: Persistent vs Non-Persistent Connections, and
RTT.
2 Performance Comparison in Terms of Delay (HTTP Persistent vs
6. Kurose: Ch2
Non-Persistent Connection), Web Caching, and Cookies.
2 SMTP, Mail Access Protocols, (POP3, IMAP), and DHT
7. Kurose: Ch2
(Distributed Hash Table).
8. 2 FTP, and DNS. Kurose: Ch2
Transport Layer: Transport Layer Protocols (UDP, TCP), TCP &
9. 3 UDP Segment Structures; Transport Layer Services: Multiplexing, Kurose: Ch3
De-Multiplexing, and Socket Programming.
10. 3 Socket Programming, and Principles of Reliable Data Transfer: Kurose: Ch3

1
 Building a Reliable Data Transfer Protocol (RDT 1.0, 2.X & 3.0).
3 Pipelined Reliable Data Transfer Protocol (Go Back N, Selective
11. Kurose: Ch3
Repeat Protocol), Throughput, and TCP Connection Establishment.
TCP Reliability (Acknowledgements & Timeout), and Flow
12. 3 Kurose: Ch3
Control.
13. 3 Congestion Control & Avoidance; and Fairness. Kurose: Ch3
The Network Layer: Forwarding & Routing, Virtual Circuits,
14. 4 Kurose: Ch4
Datagram Networks, and What’s inside a Router?
15. 4 IP Protocol: Datagram Format, IPv4 Addressing, and Subnetting. Kurose: Ch4
Supernetting, IPv6 Addressing, and Routing (Unicast, Broadcast &
16. 4 Kurose: Ch4
Multicast, NAT, and Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP)).
17.
Mid Term Exam
18.
19. 4 DHCP, and Distance Vector Routing Protocol. Kurose: Ch4
Link State Routing Protocol, and Routing in the Internet (Intra-AS
20. 4 Kurose: Ch4
Routing & Inter-AS Routing).
Link Layer: Introduction, Link Layer Services, Link Layer
21. 5 Addressing; Link Layer Error Detection Techniques: Parity Check, Kurose: Ch5
and Check Summing Method.
CRC, Channel Partitioning Protocols (TDMA, FDMA, CDMA),
22. 5 Kurose: Ch5
and Multiple Access Protocols (ALOHA, Slotted ALOHA).
23. 5 Multiple Access Protocols (CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA), and ARP. Kurose: Ch5
RARP; Link Layer Switches: Forwarding & Learning, and
24. 5 Kurose: Ch5
Switches vs Routers.
Retrospective: A day in the life of a webpage request (DHCP, UDP,
25. 5 IP, Ethernet), DNS & ARP, and Intra-Domain Routing to DNS Kurose: Ch5
Server.
Physical Layer: Analog & Digital Data, Analog & Digital Signals,
Periodic & Non-Periodic Signals, and Periodic Analog Signals
26. 6 Ref. Material
(Sine Wave, Phase, Wavelength, Time & Frequency, Time &
Frequency Domains, Composite Signals, and Bandwidth).
Digital Signals (Bitrate, Bit Length, Transmission of Digital
Signals); Transmission Impairments: Attenuation, Distortion,
27. 6 Ref. Material
Noise; Data Rate Limits: Noiseless Channel (Nyquist Bit Rate),
and Noisy Channel (Shannon Capacity).
Wireless & Mobile Networks: 802.11 Wireless; LANs:
28. 7 Architecture, MAC Protocol, Mobility, Personal Area Networks: Kurose: Ch6
Bluetooth, and Zigbee.
Accessing Internet Using Cellular Networks, Cellular Network
29. 7 Kurose: Ch6
Architecture, and Cellular Technologies (3G, 4G, 5G).
Mobility Management, Mobile IP, and Managing Mobility in
30. 7 Kurose: Ch6
Cellular Networks.
Network Security: Security Services (Message Confidentiality,
Message Integrity, Message Authentication, Message Non-
Kurose: Ch8,
31. 7 Repudiation, Entity Authentication), Confidentiality (Symmetric &
Ref. Material
Asymmetric Key Cryptography), and Message Integrity (Message
& Message Digest, Fingerprint, and Hash Function).
Message Authentication, Digital Signature, Entity Authentication
(Passwords, Challenge Response), Key Management; Latest Kurose: Ch8,
32. 7
Trends in Computer Networks: Software Defined Networks (SDN), Ref. Material
Name Defined Networks (NDN), and Internet of Things (IoT).
Final Term Exam
2
Student Outcomes (SOs)
S.# Description
Apply knowledge of computing fundamentals, knowledge of a computing specialization, and
1 mathematics, science, and domain knowledge appropriate for the computing specialization to the
abstraction and conceptualization of computing models from defined problems and requirements
Identify, formulate, research literature, and solve complex computing problems reaching substantiated
2 conclusions using fundamental principles of mathematics, computing sciences, and relevant
domain disciplines
Design and evaluate solutions for complex computing problems, and design and evaluate systems,
3 components, or processes that meet specified needs with appropriate consideration for public health
and safety, cultural, societal, and environmental considerations
Create, select, adapt and apply appropriate techniques, resources, and modern computing tools
4
to complex computing activities, with an understanding of the limitations
Function effectively as an individual and as a member or leader in diverse teams and in multi-
5
disciplinary settings.
Recognize the need, and have the ability, to engage in independent learning for continual
9
development as a computing professional
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
Blooms
Sr.# Unit # Course Learning Outcomes Taxonomy SO
Learning Level
CLO’s for Theory
Summarize the fundamental concepts of computer
CLO-1 1 Understanding 1
networks.
Apply the concepts of computer networks to solve its
CLO-2 1-2,6 Applying 2
related problems
Analyze various protocols, algorithms, and their
CLO-3 2-5 Analyzing 2
functions in a network.
Comprehend the fundamentals of wireless and mobile
CLO-4 7 Understanding 1
networks along with the security issues.
CLO’s for Lab
Create a network application using socket
CLO-5 2-4 Applying 2-4,9
programming
Design a physical network architecture to execute
CLO-6 1-7 Creating 2-5,9
network services and applications.
CLO Assessment Mechanism
Assessment
CLO-1 CLO-2 CLO-3 CLO-4 CLO-5 CLO-6
Tools

Quizzes Quiz 1 Quiz 2 Quiz 3 Quiz 4 - -

Assignment Assignment Lab

Assignments - - -
1&2 3&4 Assignments
Mid Term Mid Term Mid Term Mid Term
- - -
Exam Exam Exam Exam
Final Term
Final Term Exam - -
Exam

3
 Project - - - - - Lab Project
Policy & Procedures
 Attendance Policy: Every student must attend 80% of the lectures as well as laboratory in this course.
The students falling short of required percentage of attendance of lectures/laboratory work, is not
allowed to appear in the terminal examination.

 Course Assessment:
Mid Term Terminal
Quizzes Assignments Total
Exam Exam
Theory (T) 15 10 25 50 100
Lab (L) - 25 25 50 100
Final Marks
(T/100) *75 + (L/100) *25
(T+L)

 Grading Policy: The minimum passing marks for each course is 50% (In case of LAB; in addition to
theory, student is also required to obtain 50% marks in the lab to pass the course). The correspondence
between letter grades, credit points, and percentage marks at CUI is as follows:
Grade A A- B+ B B- C+ C C- D+ D F
Marks >= 85 80 - 84 75 - 79 71 - 74 68 - 70 64 - 67 61 - 63 58 - 60 54 - 57 50-53 < 50
Cr. 3.67- 3.34- 3.01- 2.67- 2.34- 2.01- 1.67- 1.31- 1.01- 0.10-
0.00
Point 4.00 3.66 3.33 3.00 2.66 2.33 2.00 1.66 1.30 1.00

 Missing Exam: No makeup exam will be given for final exam under any circumstance. When a student
misses the mid-term exam for a legitimate reason (such as medical emergencies), his grade for this
exam will be determined based on the Department policy. Further, the student must provide an official
excuse within one week of the missed exam.

 Academic Integrity: All CUI policies regarding ethics apply to this course. The students are advised to
discuss their grievances/problems with their counsellors or course instructor in a respectful manner.

 Plagiarism Policy: Plagiarism, copying and any other dishonest behaviour is prohibited by the rules
and regulations of CUI. Violators will face serious consequences.