Network and Data Communications

Course Title: Network and Data Communications

Course No: BIT254

Nature of the Course: Theory + Lab

Semester: 4

Full Marks: 60 + 20 + 20

Pass Marks: 24 + 8 + 8

Credit Hours: 3

Course Description

The course covers fundamental concepts about Data communication, Data Transmission and Computer Network with their functionalities at Physical, Data, Network, Transport and Application Layer respectively.

Course Objectives

The main objective of this course to introduce analog and digital signals with their conversion and transmission; Protocols: OSI, TCP/IP; Medium of transmission; Multiplexing Techniques; Switching Techniques; Error Detection and Correction; Data Link Control; Routing Algorithms; Transport Protocols; Congestion Control; Domain Name System, Electronic Mail, File Transfer.

Course Contents

1. Fundamental of Data Communication

6 hrs

1.1. Components, Data Representation, Data Flow

1.2. Distributed Processing, Network Criteria, Physical Structures, Network Models, Categories of Networks

1.3. Basic Concepts about Bridge, Hub, Switch, Router, NIC, MAC-address, Gateway

1.4. The Internet, Protocols and Standards

1.5. OSI, TCP/IP

1.6. Addressing

2. Physical Layer and Media

12 hrs

2.1. Analog and Digital

2.2. Periodic Analog Signals, Digital Signals

2.3. Basic Concepts about Noise, Distortion, Attenuation, Nyquist Bit Rate, Shannon Capacity, Bandwidth, Throughput, Latency

2.4. Conversion

Analog to Analog

Digital to Digital

Analog to Digital

Digital to Analog

2.5. Transmission modes

2.6. Multiplexing

Time Division Multiplexing

Frequency Division Multiplexing

Wavelength Division Multiplexing

2.7. Guided Media, Unguided Media

2.8. Switching

Circuit Switching

Packet Switching

3. Data link layer

8 hrs

3.1. Functionality of Data link Layer

3.2. Error detection and Correction

Introduction

Block Coding

Linear Block Codes

Cyclic codes

Checksum

3.3. Data Link Control

Framing

Flow and Error Control

Protocols

Noiseless Channels

Noisy Channels

3.4. Multiple Access

Random Access

ALOHA

Controlled Access

3.5. Basic concepts about Cellular telephony and Satellite network

4. Network layer

8 hrs

4.1. Functionality of Network Layer

Static vs. Dynamic Routing

Routing Algorithms: Shortest-path, Flooding, Flow-based, Distance-vector, Link-state

4.7. Congestion control and prevention

Leaky-bucket algorithm

Token-bucket algorithm

4.8. Network layer protocols: IP, NAT, ICMP, IGMP, RIP, ARP, RARP, OSPF, IGRP, EIGRP, BGP

5. Transport layer

6 hrs

5.1. Functionality of Transport layer

5.2. Client Server Paradigm

5.3. Multiplexing and De-multiplexing

5.4. Connectionless vs. Connection Oriented Service

5.5. Reliable vs. Unreliable

5.6. Basic Overview of TCP and UDP

5.7. Congestion Control and Quality of Service

Network Performance

Congestion Control: Open-loop and Closed loop

6. Application layer

5 hrs

6.1. Functionality of Application Layer

6.2. Domain Name System

Namespace, Domain Name Space, Distribution of Name Space

DNS in the Internet: Generic Domains, Country Domains, Inverse Domain

Resolution: Resolver, Mapping Names to Addresses, Address to Names, Recursive Resolution, Caching

6.3. Electronic mail: SMTP, POP, IMAP

6.4. File transfer: FTP, Telnet

6.5. Dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP), HTTP, WWW, SNMP

Laboratory Works

Students should be able to configure network hardware and software; should be able to design and set up networks by using simulators and devices.

1.Network hardware and software configuration
2.Network design and setup using simulators and devices

Text Books

1.Behrouz A. Forouzan; "Data Communications and Networking", 4th Edition, McGraw Hill.

Reference Books

1.William Stallings; "Data And Computer Communications", 8th Edition Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi.
2.A.S. Tanenbaum; "Computer Network", 4th Edition, Pearson Education International.

Notes:

This syllabus follows the official BIT curriculum of Tribhuvan University. In case of any doubt or revision, the university’s published syllabus shall be considered authoritative.

Computer Networks