69774 - Digital Communications and Internet

Academic Year 2022/2023

Learning outcomes

The student will learn how the internet works, with particular reference to addressing and routing of information.

Course contents

The following contents refer to the 12 credits course for the students of the Laurea in Ingegneria elettronica per l'energia e l'informazione.

The students of Laurea in Ingegneria e scienze informatiche should refer just to the section of NETWORKS of this description.

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

1. Random processes. Stationarity and ergodicity. Gaussian random processes. PAM random processes.

2. Theory of modulation (bandpass signals and systems). Modulation schemes based on sinusoidal carrier.

3. The thermal noise in devices. The AWGN channel. Effect of noise on received signal quality.

4. Introduction to baseband and passband analog and digital transmission systems.

5. Elements of information theory.

NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

1. Introduction to telecommunication networks.

2. Local Area Networks (LANs). The Ethernet LAN and IEEE 802.3. Wireless LANs and IEEE 802.11.

3. Internet architecture. transport protocols: UDP and TCP. The IP protocol. Addressing, subnetting and supernetting, CIDR. Direct and indirect forwarding.

4. Signaling and management in IP networks: ICMP, DHCP, NAT, ARP.

5. Routing in Internet. Authonomous Systems. Routing protocols Interior (IGP) and exterior (EGP). Examples of running RIP and OSPF.

6. Introduction to network security.

Readings/Bibliography

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

L. Calandrino, M. Chiani, Lezioni di comunicazioni elettriche, Pitagora Editrice, Bologna.

NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

J. F. Kurose, K. W. Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, Global Edition, Pearson Education; 01 edition (21 November 2016)

Teaching methods

Lectures

DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS

Lab experiments on:

  • signal processing;
  • analysis of modulated signals;
  • use of the spectrum analyzer.

NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET

Practical experiments:

  • network traffic analysis (Wireshark);
  • network virtualization
  • analysis of forwarding and routing

Assessment methods

The assesment will include two parts, one for the teaching module in DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS and one for the teaching module on NETWORKS AND THE INTERNET.

Detailed information about the form of the exam can be found on the IoL platform. The exams are in Italian.

Please contact the Professors for details about the assesment in English.

Teaching tools

Lecture notes and slides available on the IoL platform.

Office hours

See the website of Franco Callegati

See the website of Davide Dardari

SDGs

Industry, innovation and infrastructure

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.