CS 542 Computer Networking (Spring 2024)

Instructor: Dr Nik Sultana, Department of Computer Science, Illinois Institute of Technology
Lecture Time: MW 10:00-11:15 CT    Lecture Location: Perlstein Hall 131
TAs: Prajwal S Venkateshmurthy (psomendyapanahallive@hawk),  Alexander Wolosewicz (awolosewicz@hawk).
Office Hours:
    Prajwal: Thursdays at 12:00-14:00
    Alexander: Tuesdays at 12:30-14:30
    Nik: Mondays at 09:00-10:00
Announcements: On Blackboard.
Course content: This page.
Grading: Assignments (40%), Initial Exam (10%), Mid-term Exam (25%), Final Exam (25%).
Policies: See the policies page.
Cohort-scale feedback: engagement.
Books and material:

Course Calendar

   The final exam takes place during Exam Week and isn't shown in the course calendar. The exam takes place at 2pm on May 3.

MondayTuesday WednesdayThursday Friday
Jan 08
LEC 1: Introduction (part 1)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 1 & 2
Jan 09
Jan 10
LEC 2: Introduction (part 2)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 1 & 2
Jan 11
Assignment 1 released
Jan 12
Jan 15
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -- No Classes
Jan 16
Jan 17
LEC 3: Physical Layer (part 1)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 2
Jan 18
Initial Exam
Scope: Lectures 1-3.
Jan 19
Jan 22
LEC 4: Physical Layer (part 2)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 2
Jan 23
Jan 24
LEC 5: Physical Layer (part 3)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 2
Jan 25
DUE: Assignment 1
Jan 26
Jan 29
LEC 6: Using FABRIC
Preparation: Do the Hello FABRIC tutorial.
Jan 30
Jan 31
LEC 7: Link layer (part 1)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 01
Assignment 2 released
Feb 02
Feb 05
LEC 8: Link layer (part 2)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 06
Feb 07
LEC 9: Link layer (part 3)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 08
Assignment 3 released
Feb 09
Feb 12
LEC 10: Link layer (part 4)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 13
Feb 14
LEC 11: Link layer (part 5)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 15
DUE: Assignment 2
Feb 16
Feb 19
LEC 12: Link layer (part 6)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 20
Feb 21
LEC 13: Link layer (part 7)
Preparation: Read CN Chapters 3 & 4
Feb 22
DUE: Assignment 3
Feb 23
Feb 26
LEC 14: Introduction to P4
Preparation: Work through the basic example of the P4 tutorial.
Feb 27
Feb 28
LEC 15: P4 examples
Preparation: Work through the calculator example of the P4 tutorial.
Feb 29
Assignment 4 released
Mar 01
Mar 04
LEC 16: More advanced P4
Preparation: Work through the MRI example of the P4 tutorial.
Mar 05
Mar 06
Mid-term Exam
Scope: Lectures 1-16.
Mar 07
Mar 08
Mar 11
Spring Break Week -- No Classes
Mar 12
Spring Break Week -- No Classes
Mar 13
Spring Break Week -- No Classes
Mar 14
Spring Break Week -- No Classes
Mar 15
Spring Break Week -- No Classes
Mar 18
LEC 17: Using SmartNICs on FABRIC
Mar 19
Mar 20
LEC 18: Network layer (part 1)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 5
Mar 21
Mar 22
Mar 25
LEC 19: Network layer (part 2)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 5
Mar 26
Mar 27
LEC 20: BPF and eBPF
Preparation: Read the papers on BPF and Caper
Mar 28
DUE: Assignment 4
Mar 29
Apr 01
LEC 21: Network layer (part 3)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 5
Apr 02
Apr 03
LEC 22: Network layer (part 4)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 5
Apr 04
Assignment 5 released
Apr 05
Apr 08
LEC 23: Network layer (part 5)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 5
Assignment 6 released
Apr 09
Extra Credit Assignment released
Apr 10
LEC 24: Transport Layer (part 1)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 6
Apr 11
Apr 12
Apr 15
LEC 25: Transport Layer (part 2)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 6
Apr 16
Apr 17
LEC 26: Transport Layer (part 3)
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 6
Apr 18
Apr 19
DUE: Assignment 5
DUE: Extra Credit Assignment
Apr 22
LEC 27: Internet Applications
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 7
Apr 23
DUE: Assignment 6
Apr 24
LEC 28: Network security
Preparation: Read CN Chapter 8
Apr 25
Apr 26