COMP 3203 (Fall 2024): Principles of Computer Networks


General Course Information


Course Summary and Topics Covered

This is an introductory course to the field of Network Computing. Topics include: Protocol Architectures and Internetworking, Types of Networks, Communication Protocols, End-System and Network Traffic Management, Structure of Routing and Congestion Control.


Grading Scheme

The course's grade will be divided over a series of wireshark labs conducted in tutorials (physical attendance required), 6 assignments, a mid-term test, and a final exam. The grading scheme is as follows:

Course Outline

The course outline is listed below.

Week Tutorials Date (2024) Assignments Topic
Week 1 Sep 3 (No class)
Sep 5 Ch.1: Computer Networks and the Internet
Week 2 T1 Sep 10
Sep 12 A1 starts (due: Sep 24)
Week 3 T2 Sep 17 Ch.2: Application Layer
Sep 19
Week 4 T3 Sep 24 A2 starts (due: Oct 3)
Sep 26
Week 5 T4 Oct 1 Ch.3: Transport Layer
Oct 3 A3 starts (due: Oct 15)
Week 6 T5 Oct 8
Oct 10
Week 7 Oct 15
Oct 17 Mid-term Test (location: MC2000)
Week 8 Oct 22 Fall Break (No classes and no TA office hours)
Oct 24
Week 9 T6 Oct 29 Ch.4: The Network Layer - Data Plane
Oct 31 A4 starts (due: Nov 12)
Week 10 T7 Nov 5 Ch.5: The Network Layer - Control Plane
Nov 7
Week 11 T8 Nov 12 Ch.6: The Link Layer and LANs
Nov 14
Week 12 T9 Nov 19 A5 starts (due: Nov 28)
Nov 21 Ch.7: Wireless and Mobile Networks
Week 13 T10 Nov 26 A6 starts (due: Dec 5)
Nov 28
Week 14 T11 Dec 3 Ch.8: Security in Computer Networks
Dec 5
Dec 6 TBD
Week ∞ Dec 17 Final Exam (Time: 2pm-4pm; location: TBD)




If you are unsure of the expectations regarding academic integrity (how to use and cite references, if unauthorized collaboration with lab- or classmates is permitted (and, if so, to what degree), then you must ASK your instructor. Sharing assignment or quiz specifications or posting them online (to sites like Chegg, CourseHero, OneClass, etc.) is ALWAYS considered academic misconduct. You are NEVER permitted to post, share, or upload course materials without explicit permission from your instructor. Academic integrity offences are reported to the office of the Dean of Science. Information, process and penalties for such offences can be found on the ODS webpage.

Late assignments are never accepted for any reason. Assignments submissions are handled electronically (i.e., through Brightspace) and there is no "grace period" with respect to a deadline - an assignment submitted even one minute after the deadline is late and will receive a mark of zero.

Notes on AI Tools

Many of the assessed activities in this course were designed to be completed by an individual working alone. Unless it is explicitly stated otherwise, the use of any will be considered academic misconduct. This includes, but is not limited to, chatbots (e.g., ChatGPT, Google Bard, Bing Chart), research assistants (e.g., Elicit), and image generators (e.g., Stable Diffusion, Dall-E).

References to any material you use but did not originate must use the IEEE/APA/MLA citation style. Failure to reference materials correctly can result in severe penalties, and the use of manufactured (i.e., falsified) or misleading references will be treated as evidence of plagiarism and considered academic misconduct.

Everything you submit for evaluation (e.g., assignments, quizzes, tutorials, and examinations) must be the result of your own work and only your own work. If you use more than five consecutive words from a single source without providing a valid reference, then that is considered plagiarism and an example of academic misconduct.

School of Computer Science Policies

SCS Laptop Requirement Every student that has been enrolled in a 1000-level (i.e., first year) course offered by the School of Computer Science after the 2020/2021 school year is required to have a laptop. This includes COMP1001, COMP1005, and COMP1006. For more information, please visit https://carleton.ca/scs/scs-laptop-requirement/ and then review the requirements at https://carleton.ca/scs/scs-laptop-requirement/laptop-specs/.

Undergraduate Academic Advisor The Undergraduate Advisor for the School of Computer Science is available in Room 5302C HP; or by email at scs.ug.advisor@cunet.carleton.ca. The undergraduate advisors can assist with information about prerequisites and preclusions, course substitutions/equivalencies, understanding your academic audit and the remaining requirements for graduation. The undergraduate advisors will also refer students to appropriate resources such as the Science Student Success Centre, Learning Support Services and Writing Tutorial Services.

Graduate Academic Advisors The Graduate Advisors for the School of Computer Science are available in Room 5302 HP; or by email at grad.scs@carleton.ca. The graduate advisors can assist with understanding your academic audit and the remaining courses required to meet graduation requirements.

SCS Computer Laboratory SCS students can access one of the designated labs for your course. The lab schedule can be found here. All SCS computer lab and technical support information can be found here. Technical support staff may be contacted in-person or virtually, see here for details.

University Policies

Academic Accommodations. Carleton is committed to providing academic accessibility for all individuals. Please review the academic accommodation available to students here.

Academic Integrity.

Student Academic Integrity Policy: Every student should be familiar with the Carleton University Student Academic Integrity policy. A student found in violation of academic integrity standards may be sanctioned with penalties which range from a reprimand to receiving a grade of F in the course, or even being suspended or expelled from the University. Examples of punishable offences include plagiarism and unauthorized collaboration. Any such reported offences will be reviewed by the office of the Dean of Science. More information on this policy may be found on the ODS Academic Integrity page.

Plagiarism: As defined by Senate, "plagiarism is presenting, whether intentional or not, the ideas, expression of ideas or work of others as one's own". Such reported offences will be reviewed by the office of the Dean of Science. More information and standard sanction guidelines can be found here.

Unauthorized Collaboration: Senate policy states that "to ensure fairness and equity in assessment of term work, students shall not co-operate or collaborate in the completion of an academic assignment, in whole or in part, when the instructor has indicated that the assignment is to be completed on an individual basis".