Course Objectives:

To thoroughly acquire a foundational understanding of the current data networking technologies underlying the Internet. Emphasis will be on the data-link layer and above. Specifically,

1. Understand main problems confronting the design of a practical Internet: connectivity, resource sharing, reliability, scalability, and fairness.
2. Understand the overall architecture of the Internet.
   
3. Understand the principles of packet switching and global internetworking based on the Internet Protocol.
4. Understand end-to-end issues and protocols, such as Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
5. Understand some application layer issues, such as name services, network management, emails, WWW, etc.
6. Acquire practical experience, such as using network diagnosis tools, socket programming, etc.

Assessments:

1. Continuous assessment: 55%

- Assignments + tests: 35%

- Class project: 20%

1. Open-book final examination : 45%

Expectations:

1. On attending lectures, and tutorials/labs

1. If you come to the lecture, tutorials, or labs, you are expected to fully participate in it. Please turn off all of your self-activating devices.
2. You may not attend lab sessions other than the one assigned to you, unless it is agreed upon by the lecturer concerned prior to the lab sessions.

2. On the textbook

1. You must not photocopy the textbook; we will report such cases to the appropriate legal authority.
2. You may also aware that some publishers inside Mainland China are given permission to publish textbooks for the Mainland Chinese students (not for Hong Kong students who are generally more well off). You need to understand possible negative impact on the Mainland Chinese students if the original intent of this arrangement were violated.

3. On performing formally assessed works

1. You are expected to be honest in performing your assignments, laboratory work, mid-term test, projects, and final examinations.
2. Late assignments will be penalized by a 10% mark deduction per day.
3. Plagiarism of any forms will not be tolerated.
• Students involved in plagiarism in assignments, laboratory work, and mid-term test, including the "first author," will receive 0 marks for that component and another 100% mark deduction.
• Students involved in plagiarism in the final examination will be handled by the Department and the University's Student Disciplinary Committee.

4. On the whole

      You are expected to try your very best to master the subject material.