UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER SCIENCE

HCS/HAI/HCC -DATA COMMUNICATIONS & COMPUTER NETWORKS

Lecturer: Mr. M. Munyaradzi ()

Email: mmunyaradzi@science.uz.ac.zw

Course Objectives

This course aims at providing an overview of the basic principles of data and computer
communications. Emphasis will be placed on the basic principles and fundamental topics
concerning the technology and architecture of Data Communication as well as providing
an introduction to the current trends in the field.

The objectives of this course are:

To provide a solid conceptual understanding of the fundamentals of data communications
and computer networks.
 To learn the basic concepts of data communications.

 To learn the layered architecture of communication protocols.

 To learn digital signal transmission and encoding techiniques.

 To learn multiplexing techniques.

 To learn the concepts and techniques in error detection and correction.

 To learn data link control and its related protocols.

 To learn LAN architectures and systems.

 To learn switching techniques.

 To learn the main protocols and standards of the Internet.

 To learn basic concepts of internetworking, addressing, and routing.

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Course Outline

1. Intro to Networking
Connecting to the Internet
Business Applications of Networks
Home Applications
Network Hardware
Broadcast Networks
LANs and WANs
Connection –Oriented and Connectionless-Oriented Services
Reference Models
Ethernet
Wireless LANs

2. Networking Hardware
Networking Devices
Repeaters
Hubs
Bridges
Switches
Routers & Gateways
Analog and digital transmission

3. Transmission media
Coaxial, UTP, Fiber Optic, wireless
Termination of UTP(straight through, cross-over, roll-over
and their applications)
Synchronous and Asynchronous Serial lines
Modulation and Demodulation
Simplex or Half-Duplex, and Full-Duplex Transmission
File, Print, and Application Services
Mail Services

4. Topologies and Networks

Bus Topology
Ring Topology
Star Topology
Extended Star Topology
Hierarchical Topology
Mesh Topology
LANs, MANs & WANs
Wireless Networks

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5. Bandwidth and Protocol Stacks

Bandwidth Measurements
Comparing the OSI Model and TCP/IP Model

6 IP Addressing

7 Subnetting

8 Routing

9 Switching

10 2G, 3G, 4G & 5G Mobile Technologies

Assessment

1. Examination 50%
2. Assignments, Tests & Practicals 50%

Recommended Texts
1. Computer Networks - Andrew S. Tanenbaum
2. Data and Computer Communications - William Stallings
3. Fred Halsal, Data Communication, Computer networks and Open systems ,
Addison Wesley Publishing Company.,
4. Douglas. E.Comer, Computer Networks and Internets (with internet Applications)
5. Also look at any other CISCO networking material that you might come across.