CS 640, Spring 2026: Introduction to Computer Networks

Textbooks

Additional References

Grading

Your final grade for the course will be based on the following weights:

The course will be quite hands on. We will have 4 required labs. In general, the lab should be done in groups of 1-2. You should pick your own group members for your projects, but you may use the Canvas to help find group members.

We will have 1 final exam.

Schedule

Date Topics Readings Notes Remarks
Tue 01/20 Course logistics. Networks overview.
P&D Chapter 1 (1.1, 1.2) L1
Thu 01/22 Computer networks--a sw and hw perspective.
P&D Chapter 1 (1.3, 1.4) L2
Tue 01/27 Network performance analysis.
P&D Chapter 1 (1.5) L3
Thu 01/29 Encoding.
P&D Chapter 2 (2.1, 2.2) L4 Lab1 out
Tue 02/03 Framing and error handling.
P&D Chapter 2 (2.3.1, 2.3.2, 2.4) L5
Thu 02/05 No Class.
Tue 02/10 L2 switching.
P&D Chapter 3 (3.1.1, 3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.2.3) L6
Thu 02/12 Ethernet.
P&D Chapter 2 (2.6) L7 Quiz1
Tue 02/17 L2 reliable transmission.
P&D Chapter 2 (2.5.1, 2.5.2) L8 Lab2 out
Thu 02/19 IP introduction.
P&D Chapter 3 (3.3.1, 3.3.2, 3.3.4) L9
Tue 02/24 Efficient addressing.
P&D Chapter 3 (3.3.3, 3.3.5, 3.3.6, 3.3.7, 3.3.8) L10
Thu 02/26 Distance vector routing.
P&D Chapter 3 (3.4.1, 3.4.2) L11
Tue 03/03 Link state routing.
P&D Chapter 3 (3.4.3, 3.4.4)
Thu 03/05 Software-defined networking.
OpenFlow Quiz2
Tue 03/10
Thu 03/12
Tue 03/17
Thu 03/19
Tue 03/24
Thu 03/26
Tue 03/31 Spring Break.
Thu 04/02 Spring Break.
Tue 04/07
Thu 04/09
Tue 04/14
Thu 04/16
Tue 04/21
Thu 04/23
Tue 04/28
Thu 04/30
Fri 05/08 Final Exam.

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Last updated: 2026-02-26 16:01:20 -0600 [validate xhtml]