58423 - Internet Architecture

Learning outcomes

Learning the Internet architecture, its organizazion, its communication protocols and prominent applications (i.e., web)

Course contents

• Internetworking concepts and fundamentals
• Communication protocols for LAN, WAN, MAN
• MAC, Transport, and Application Layers
• Internet structure
• Routing in Internet
• Internet applications
• Ethernet, IEEE 802.11, HDLC, PPP, ARP, RARP, IP, TCP, UDP, HTTP, SMTP, POP, IMAP, ICMP, TELNET, FTP
• World Wide Web, Email, news, Chat, Client/Server, P2P  file-sharing
• Internet2 and QoS
• Wireless Networking
• Wireless Internet

Readings/Bibliography

F. Kurose, K. W. Ross, Computer Networking: a Top-Down Approach, 3th-5th Ed. , McGraw-Hill

Teaching methods

Lessons with use of electronics slides.

Exercise/Experimentationonnetwork protocols, system configuration and network services.

Assessment methods

The examination aims at evaluating if the students have acquired adequate knowledge and sufficient practical skills as to the Internet architecture, its organizazion, its communication protocols and prominent applications (i.e., the web).

In particular the written exam is comprised of an adequate number of exercises (from 3 to 5 typically) whose solutions indicate whether the student is able to manage this specific kind of knowledge both from a theoretical and from a practical standpoint.


The following three topics are typically addressed.


- application level protocols, e.g., HTTP,
- network level protocols, e.g., IP, RIP/OSPF/BGP,
- transport level protocols, e.g., TCP.


Also an oral examination can be conducted depending on the specific case.

Teaching tools

References to additional material on the web

Suggested readings

Didactical lab

Office hours

See the website of Marco Roccetti