1.

Title of subject

Data Communications and Computer Networking

2. Subject code

ECP2056

3. Credit Hour

4. Pre-Requisite

EEN1036 Digital Logic Design

5. Aim of Subject

To introduce to students various fundamentals of data communications,

protocols and computer networks.
At the completion of the subject, students should be able to:

6. Learning Outcomes
and Program
Outcomes of Subject

7. Assessment
Scheme

8. Details of Subject

Learning Outcomes:
LO1 - Describe communication protocols and layered network
architectures (cognitive understanding, level 2)
LO2 - Explain conventional computer system interfacing standards
and peer to peer data link communication protocols (cognitive
understanding, level 2)
LO3 - Design basic network systems (cognitive creating, level 6)
LO4 - Analyze data communication systems (cognitive analyzing,
level 4)
Programme Outcomes:
PO2 - Acquire technical competence in specialised areas of
engineering discipline to solve complex engineering problems.
PO6 - Create, select and apply appropriate techniques, resources,
and modern engineering and IT tools to complex engineering
activities.
Lab
Experiments

Work in group
Lab report writing
Oral assessment at the end of lab

10%

Tutorial /
Assignment

Group assignment
Focus group discussion in tutorials
To enhance understanding of basic
concepts in lectures

15%

Test / Quiz

Written exam

15%

Final Exam

Written exam

60%

Topics

Hours

Data Communications and Networking Overview

Introduction to data communications and networking,
Introduction to network standards and protocols, seven layer
ISO-OSI standard protocols, TCP/IP protocol suite, network
architecture.

Data Communications Fundamentals

Analog and digital signals, Transmission impairment, data
rate, performance, transmission modes: parallel, serial,
synchronous, asynchronous, line encoding, analog-to-digital
conversion, digital-to-analog conversion.

Characteristics of Data Communication Networks

Network topology, transmission media guided & unguided,
bandwidth utilization: multiplexing FDM, TDM, WDM,
spread spectrum FHSS & DSSS, packet-switched data
networks, circuit switched data networks

Reliable Data Communications

Error detection and correction, framing, flow and error
control, Stop-and-Wait protocol, Automatic Repeat Request
(ARQ), Go-Back-N, Selective Repeat, HDLC

Multiple Access Networks

Random access techniques - ALOHA, CSMA, controlled
access techniques reservation & token passing, IEEE 802
Reference Model, local area network (LAN), wired LANs,
wireless LANs, connecting LANs

Internetworking Protocols
Basic principles, Internet Protocol (IP): IPv4, addressing,
datagram format, IPv4 vs. IPv6: Transmission Control
Protocol (TCP), socket address, TCP connection, flow
control, error control, congestion control, User Datagram
Protocol (UDP), TCP vs. UDP.

9. Teaching and
Learning Activities

This subject will be delivered using the following means:

1. Lecture Hours = 39 hours
2. Supervised Tutorial Hours = 6
3. Laboratory Experiments = 6
Total Contact Hours = 51

10. Laboratory

1. Network Design, Setup and Analysis

2. Communication Protocol Simulation (using Network Simulator)
Textbook

1. Behrouz A. Forouzan, Data Communications and

Networking, 5th edition, McGraw Hill, 2013.

Reference
materials

1. William
Stalling,
Data
and
Computer
Communications, 9th edition. Prentice Hall, 2011.
2. Fred Halsall, Computer Networking and the
Internet 5th edition, Addison-Wesley, 2005.

11. Reading Material