ECE 462: Data and Computer Communications

Class Schedule: Lecture Topics and Reading Assignments schedule in pdf


  • Week 1
    Introduction, course overview, basic concepts in data communication networking, layering and communication network architectures (chap 1 & 2)

  • Week 2
    Fundamental concepts and theoretical basis for data transmission, channel impairments, channel capacity (chap 3)

  • Week 3
    Review of signals and systems, transmission media, guided and unguided transmission (chap 4)

  • Week 4
    The physical layer: Guided and unguided transmission; propagation, wireless transmission (chap 4)

  • Week 5
    Signal encoding techniques, signal constellations, binary encoding techniques (chap 5)

  • Week 6
    Signal encoding techniques, quantization and PCM, transmission of analog and digital signals (chap 5)

  • Week 7
    Digital data communications techniques; synchronous and asynchronous transmission, error detection and correction (chap 6) & Exam I
    Exam I will be for the duration of class on October 9

  • Week 8
    Columbus Day Holiday– No Class on Oct 14, Digital data communications techniques; synchronous and asynchronous transmission, error detection and correction (chap 6)

  • Week 9
    Data link control protocol (chap 7)

  • Week 10
    Multiplexing (chap 8)

  • Week 11
    Circuit and packet switching (chap 10)

  • Week 12
    Cellular Networks (chap 14) and Local Area Networks (chap 15)

  • Week 13
    Exam II will be for the duration of class on November 20
    Local Area Networks (chap 15)

  • Week 14
    Ethernet and VLANs, Wireless LANS (chapter 16 & 17), Thanksgiving Day Holiday– No Class on Nov 27

  • Week 15
    Internet Protocols and Routing (chap 18)

  • Week 16: Exam
    Final Exam on Tuesday December 17, 1:30 – 4:15 pm