MASENO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF COMPUTING AND INFORMATICS

DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
CIT 205 and CIM 203: COMPUTER NETWORKS
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE (UPDATED

INSTRUCTOR: DR. MUHAMBE MUKISA (PhD)

CONTACT PHONE: 0720-048445/lecturer.muhambe@gmail.com
OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Thursday
 If you have any concerns about this course, please contact me first.
If I cannot resolve your issue, please contact the IT department

IMPORTANT NOTICE: office and speak to the department chairman.

 Please DO NOT wait until the last minute to make your concerns
known to me and/or to the department chairman.
At the end of this course: the Learner should be able to
 Define a computer network and other basic computer network
terminologies
 Defend the need for computer networks
 Explain the basic principles of computer networks
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
 Understand the functions and roles of the various components of a
computer network
 Configure network services
 Troubleshoot LANs and WANs
 Understand and terminate various types of network media
The course will be assessed as follows
 CAT 1 & CAT 2 (Sit in CAT): 20%
GRADING
 Assignment (5%) and Class Attendance and Participation: 5%
 Exam: 70%
 Missing CATs, Assignments and Exams without a valid reason will
not be entertained
 There are NO MAKEUP CATS, Assignments or exams
MAKE-UP POLICY
 All exams and assignments will have strict due dates.
 University Rules and regulations relating to assessment and exams
shall apply in all case

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WEEK TOPIC SUB-TOPIC
 Introduction to Networks
Introduction to  Definition
1 Computer Networks  Need for networks
 Basic Network Principles
 Core design Principles
 Network as a system
Components of a
 Network Categories of Network Components
2 computer Network and
 Network Components: Roles and Functions
Functions
 Linking/interconnection network Components
 Definition
 Selecting Media
Network Media
3  Categories of Media (Guided/Unguided Media or
Bounded/ unbounded Media)
 Media and Connectors: termination
 Introduction to Reference Models
OSI and TCP/IP  Need for reference Models
4 models  Developing Reference Models (OSI& TCP/IP)
 Open Systems Interconnection Model
 Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol Model
 Device Identify as a Basic Principle
 Types of device Identification: Names, MAC addresses
and IP addresses
 IP Addressing Schemes
Device Identify – IP
 IPv4 Address Structure (Private and Public, Classful
5 addressing (IPv4 and
and Classless IP Address
IPv6)
 Subnetmask and their functions
 IPv6 Addressing Schemes
 Types of IPv6 Addresses
 IPv4 & IPv6 device configuration
 Overview of Routing
 Routable and Routing Protocols
6 Routing and Routing
Protocols  Roles of Routable and Routing Protocols
 The process of routing: Routes and routing table
 Types of network
Types of Networks:  Role of the different types of networks
7 Private and Public  Private vs Public
Networks, Peer to Peer  Client/Server (Server Based Networks) vs Peer to Peer
and Client Server, network

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 Valued Added Network  Ethernet, Token-ring and Wireless

 Categories of Network Topologies – physical vs logical

topologies
Network Topologies  Point to Point vs Multipoint
8
 Selecting a network topology
 Impact of network topology on network expansion and
performance
 Overview of Wireless Network
 Wireless Network Frequency Banks
Wireless Network
9 Design &  Wireless Network Standards
Implementation  Wireless Network Topologies
 Security in Wireless Networks
 Basic Network Design Requirements
 Scaling a network: Users and services
Network Services  Network services and their functions (DHCP, DNS,
10
(DHCP. DNS, DC etc) File Server Service, Authentication, Printing etc
 Automatic Network services
 Configuring Network services
 Telephony Computer Integration
 Telephony systems
Internet and WAN  Structure, components and functions
11
communication  facilities in exchanges, connecting to LAN/PBX/ACD,
computer telephone integration ISDN, DSL
technologies, ATM, SONET, WAP,
 VOIP, Mobile services
Emerging services
12  Video conferencing
 Chat infrastructure components and functions
 Performance measurement and simulations
 Network management planning
 Policy based network management
Network Management
13  Personnel, Tasks & Responsibilities
and Security
 Network Management Activities: User management,
device management, configuration management,
disaster management
 Course Overview
Course Summary

TEACHING METHODOLOGY
 Lectures, Practical Lab Configuration Exercises, Research Exercises & assignments

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  Discussions, Reflections & Presentations.
COURSE TEXT AND RECOMMENDED READING
 Forouzan Behrouz “Data Communication and Networking” 4th Edition McGraw-Hill
Publisher
 Notes with Catherine Coombs and Sophia Chung Fegan “Data Transmission Systems -
Computer Networks”
 Walrand Jean “Communication Networks: a first course” 4th Edition Publisher Irwin
 Szuprowicz Bohdan O, “Multimedia Networking and Communication”
 Tanenbaum “Computer networks”
 Annabel Z. Dodd “The Essential Guide to Telecommunications”
 Comptia N+ Certification Bible Boson-2002

EVALUATION AND GRADING

 Class Assignments 10%
 CAT = 20%
 End of Semester Exam = 70%

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