Data Communications

CS 451 – 102
Syllabus

Instructor: Michael De Lucia(mjd4@njit.edu)

Office: NJIT Newark, GITC rm. 4400.

Office hours: Friday 4:45 – 6:00 PM and By Appointment

Website: http://web.njit.edu/~mjd4

Text: Forouzan, Data Communications and Networking, McGraw Hill, 4th ed. 2007. ISBN: 0-
07-296775-7

Schedule: Saturday, 9:15 – 12:10 am,

Course Description
One of the most important developments in computing in the last ten years is the widespread
interconnection of computers. CIS451, Data Communications and Networks, explores this exciting
technology. This course examines the underlying technology that makes data communication possible. The
course will cover various transmission media, digital and analog signals, modulation, multiplexing, circuit
switching, error control and flow control. The course will also cover many real-world examples of data
communication, including modems, DSL, Ethernet, wireless LANs, and cell phones. The course focuses on
the design of individual networks, but it does finish with a brief overview of internetworking and the
TCP/IP internet protocol.

Prerequisites
CS 114, Introduction to Computer Science II. As there will be a programming assignment, you must be
able to program reasonably well in some language. In addition, familiarity with computer usage, e-mail and
web browsing is assumed. Algebra and the ability to solve formulas are required. I will briefly review other
prerequisites, such as binary notation and unit conversions, in class.

Grading:
Participation/Quizzes 15 %
Midterm 25 %
Semester Project 35 %
Final Exam 25 %
Grades will be determined according to the following scale:
90 % - 100 % = A
85 % - 89 % = B+
80 % - 84 % = B
75 % 79 % = C+
70 % -74 % = C
60 % - 69 % = D
0 % - 59 % = F

Lectures
I tend to use PowerPoint slides for the main points in my presentations, augmented with board-work when
necessary. I’ll post slides used for the course on my web site at:

http://web.njit.edu/~mjd4

The slides will be listed on the ‘Classes’ page.

Historically, actively participating students who regularly attend classes score a half to a full grade higher
than their less frequently attending counterparts. Role will be taken at the start of class and attendance
reported to the department. Frequent absences may affect your enrollment/scholarships/etc.

Participation
Role will be taken each week and will be factored into your participation score.

Quizzes
There will be 8 – 10 short quizzes in class based on the homework and lectures. I will announce the date of
a quiz in class.

Semester Project
You will choose a topic to research during our 3rd class session. If you have any particular interests that you
would like to explore, please let me know prior to then and I will review them. The end result of your
exploration will be a paper that details your results or a programming project that implements or simulates
the topic. Your project will be graded on technical content, professionalism, and accuracy. Please provide
your completed work in an electronic copy on CD / DVD. More details will be given during the 3rd class
session. You may work in groups of 4 or less members. The members of your group must be submitted to
me by the 4th class session.

Assessment
The midterm and final exams will constitute a significant portion of your overall grade. Exam times will be
announced as they become available. The final will consist of the material from the second half of the
semester.

As a general rule, I do not give makeup exams without a legitimate reason (e.g., jury duty, serious medical
problem) or allow students to take exams on alternate dates. If you have an emergency, I will make
allowances as long as you provide proper documentation (e.g., a note from your doctor). I will not accept
excuses such as having too heavy a workload or having too many exams the same week. I also do not give
out extra-credit assignments.

If for some reason you must miss the exam, you must inform me immediately. You can send email to me
or leave a message with the CS office for me. You should then come to see me before or after class to
discuss the reason. If you must miss a class, or exam because of a religious observance, it is your
responsibility to report to me within the first two weeks of classes which days you will be missing.

Collaboration
You are encouraged to work together with your classmates in order to help your high-level understanding
of the material presented in the course. Any solutions to assignments/exams/projects presented for credit
must be work created on your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any other anti-intellectual behavior will be
dealt with as per the NJIT Honor Code. You can find a copy of the Honor Code at
http://www.njit.edu/academics/honorcode.php. Please read the Code prior to our first class. In the instance
that a student’s work appears to be a derivative of another’s, both will receive zero credit for the work and
will be referred to the Dean of Students. There will be NO exceptions.
 Schedule
Topics Covered Reading Notes
Wk Date
1 9/01 Overview: Chapters 1, 2
Introduction to Data communications & Class Notes
OSI and TCP / IP layers
Addressing
2 9/08 Physical Layer: Chapters 3
Data and Signal Fundamentals & Class Notes
Analog and Digital Signals
Transmission Impairments
Data Rate Limits
Performance
3 9/15 Data Transmission: Chapters 4, 5 Project Assigned
Digital Encoding Techniques & Class Notes
Scrambling Techniques
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM)
Modulation
Transmission Modes (Parallel, Serial)
4 9/22 Multiplexing: Chapters 6
FDM, WDM & Class Notes
Time Division Multiplexing
5 9/29 Transmission Media and Switching: Chapters 7, 8
Guided and Unguided Media & Class Notes
Circuit-Switched, Datagram, and Virtual Circuit Networks
Switch Structure
6 10/06 Telephone and Cable Networks: Chapters 9
Dial-Up Modems & Class Notes
xDSL
Cable Networks (TV and Data)
7 10/13 Satellite Networks: Chapters 16
& Class Notes
8 10/20 Midterm ----- Midterm
9 10/27 Error Detection and Correction Chapters 10, 11
Hamming Distance & Class Notes
CRC, CheckSum
Framing, Flow and Error Control
Data Link Protocols
HDLC, PPP
10 11/03 Ethernet and LAN Connecting Devices Chapter 13, 15
& Class Notes
11 11/10 Multiple Access: Chapter 12
CSMA / CA, CSMA / CD
Controlled Access, Channelization
12 11/17 Security: Chapters 30
Cryptography & Class Notes
Security
13 12/01 Special Topics: Chapters 19, 20
IPV 6, IPV4
14 12/08 Presentations ----- Presentations / Projects Due
15 12/15 Final Exam ----- Final Exam

Reading is to be completed prior to class. You are responsible for the material on the
date indicated.

The schedule is tentative and subject to change during the semester.