UNIT 1,Network Basics

UNIT 1,Network Basics

NETW 105: Fundamentals of Telecommunications

NETW 105

Fundamentals of Telecommunications

March 17, 2004

Michael Qaissaunee

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The purpose of the course is to provide students with a working knowledge of voice telecommunications (telephony). Students will learn the history, current use and future directions of telephony. Through lectures, class work, case studies, and hands-on projects students will gain an understanding of voice networks and network components, voice and data telecommunication, circuits and LANS, protocols, “standards”, transmission, and media. Other topics include the history and development of the industry and regulation and deregulation, and finally, architectures, network connectivity principles and concepts of network design and management. Upon successful completion of this course, students will earn 3 credits.(PREREQUISITESMATH015 or MATH012 or passing score on the Basic Skills Math Test and ENGL095 or passing score on the Basic Skills English Test)

PREREQUISITES:MATH 012, MATH 015 or passing score in computation on Basic Skills Test and ENGL 095 or passing score in English on Basic Skills Test.

REQUIRED TEXT AND MATERIALS

Guide to Telecommunications Technology, Course Technology Incorporated, 2003, ISBN 0-619-03547-1

FINAL GRADE and Evaluation Criteria

  • 40% of the grade is based on a midterm and a final examination. Both examinations are cumulative and given in a multiple-choice format. An in-class review will be held prior to each examination.
  • 40% of the grade is based on the end of chapter case project assignments. An electronic version of the case project assignments can be downloaded from the course Web site.
  • 10 % of the grade is based on quizzes. Quizzes are announced one week in advance and may vary from 3 to 5 questions that may be in any format.
  • 10 % of the grade is based on keeping a project notebook. Students are asked to obtain a small notebook or to use a lab notebook and keep notes on the results of the hands-on projects at the end of each chapter in the text. The notes should include comments that students can use once the class is over to help describe dialog box results, to keep copies of the network diagrams students make, to retain information on configuration parameters and their meanings, to describe alternative steps, and other information pertinent to the projects.

The final grade will be determined by the following:

20% / Midterm
20% / Final
40% / End of Chapter Case Projects
10% / Quizzes
10% / Project Notebook
100% / Grade for the Course

The following scale will be used to determine satisfactory progress on each unit examination and for the final as follows:

Final Grade / Range
A / 90 to 100
B+ / 85 to 89
B / 80 to 84
C+ / 75 to 79
C / 70 to 74
D / 65 to 69
F / Below 65

CORE COMPETENCIES

Communication

The student will communicate information and ideas clearly and effectively in the written and spoken form, and will demonstrate effective listening and reading skills.

Critical Thinking

The student will think clearly, critically and creatively to analyze information, identify solutions, make logical decisions, and solve problems.

Information Literacy

The student will identify a need for information and collect, analyze, organize, and evaluate information from a variety of sources. The student will synthesize, document, and present information.

Technological Literacy

The student will use computer systems and other appropriate forms of technology to achieve professional, educational, and personal objectives.

NOTIFICATION FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Students with disabilities, who wish to self-identify, must contact the Disability Services Office at 732-224-2730; provide appropriate documentation of the disability and request specific services. If you qualify, services and reasonable accommodations, which are appropriate for the college level and are recommended in the documentation will be approved.

INCOMPLETE

It is the student's responsibility to submit all classwork on a timely basis, and it is expected that all course requirements be completed by the last class meeting. In cases of hardship or emergency, your instructor may grant a grade of INC. In order to be considered for the grade INC, the student must have satisfactorily completed 80% of the course, have a passing test average, and must meet with the instructor prior to the last class meeting to discuss this option. Your instructor is under no obligation to grant an INC. In the event that you are granted an INC, it must be completed by the third week of the following semester or an earlier date specified by the instructor. You will be required to withdraw from the next course in a sequence if you have not successfully completed an INC with a C or better before the first meeting.

WITHDRAWING FROM CLASS

Students are allowed to withdraw from a course without penalty until four-fifths of the course or semester has been completed (i.e., the 12th week of a fifteen week course.) While a W does not affect your GPA, it may have impact if you are receiving Financial Aid. Before withdrawing from any class, you should consult with your counselor, or a Financial Aid representative.

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Academic integrity is submitting one's own work, and properly acknowledging the work of others. Any violation of this principle constitutes academic dishonesty. Forms of academic dishonesty include:

Plagiarism

Submitting another's work, in whole or part, as one's own. This includes an examination, a computer program, a laboratory report, or a written assignment.

Facilitating Academic Dishonesty

Helping another commit an act of dishonesty, such as substituting for an examination or completing an assignment for someone else.

Cheating

Using or attempting to use unauthorized materials on an examination or assignment, such as using unauthorized texts or notes or improperly obtaining, or attempting to obtain, copies of an examination or answers to an examination.

Illegal System Access

Altering, transmitting, or permitting unauthorized individuals to access your account, or an attempt to alter or destroy system files on any server or computer. This also includes altering, transmitting, or attempting to alter or transmit academic information or records by unauthorized individuals.

Students that participate in dishonest activities:

  • will receive a 0 for that project, examination, or assignment
  • may be given a grade of F for the course
  • will be reported to the Dean for disciplinary action

For additional information, refer to the current Brookdale Community College Student Handbook.

Project Due Dates and Exam Dates

Week /
Topics
/ Readings (Dean) / Case Projects: Aspen Consulting / Hands-On Projects /
Exams
Due the following week
1 / Telecommunications Overview / Chap 1 / Telecommunications Technology / Chap 1
2 / Principles of Telecommunications Technology / Chap 2 / Numbering Systems / Chap 2
3 / The Evolution of Telecommunications Technology and Policy / Chap 3 / Grades of Transmission Media / Chap 3
4 / The Public Network / Chap 4 / LEC and IXC Switches / Chap 4
5 / Customer Premise Equipment and Applications / Chap 5 / Switching Solutions / Chap 5
6 / Signaling and Switching / Chap 6 / Troubleshooting Switching Systems / Chap 6
7 / Data Networking Fundamentals / Chap 7 / Installing Protocols / Midterm
8 / Physical Transmission Media / Chap 8 / Design Cabling / Chap 7 & 8
9 / Wireless Transmission and Services / Chap 9 / Wireless Networking / Chap 9
10 / Network Access and Transmission Methods / Chap 10 / Ethernet Network / Chap 10
11 / Data Network Connectivity / Chap 11 / Wireless MAN / Chap 11
12 / Internet Standards and Services / Chap 12 / E-commerce / Chap 12
13 / Information Security / Chap 13 / Voice and Data Networks / Chap 13
14 / Convergence of Voice, Video and Data / Chap 14 / Voice Over IP / Chap 14
15 / Review / Final Exam

Objectives

Chapter 1: Telecommunications Overview

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Define communication and telecommunication
  • Illustrate components of a communication system
  • Understand the difference between voice, video, and data telecommunications
  • Describe how telecommunication is used in a variety of industries
  • Identify careers available to telecommunication professionals
  • Identify the organizations responsible for establishing significant telecommunications standards and policies

Chapter 2: Principles of Telecommunications Technology

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Describe the principles of electricity that underlie all telecommunications signaling
  • Explain the concepts of current and voltage as they apply to telecommunications technology
  • Describe the components on an integrated circuit
  • Explain the difference between analog and digital transmission
  • Use binary encoding to represent decimal numbers
  • Describe various electricity and data transmission measurements

Chapter 3: The Evolution of Telecommunications Technology and Policy

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Describe the growth of the telecommunications technology since the late 19th century
  • Identify key inventions and their current equivalents in telephony technology
  • Explain the impetus for and impact of AT&T’s divestiture
  • Discuss how government has influenced the way in which consumers obtain telecommunications services
  • List current policy trends that affect the telecommunications industry

Chapter 4: The Public Network

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Explain, in general terms, the structure of the public telephone network
  • Describe the types of carriers who currently participate in the public telephone network
  • Recognize the elements of outside plant and describe their purposes
  • Recognize the elements of inside plant and describe their purposes
  • Describe the hierarchy of central offices that participate in the public telephone network
  • Explain issues related to interconnection and billing between common carriers
  • Describe the current telephone numbering plan and explain how it has evolved

Chapter 5: Customer Premise Equipment and Applications

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Discuss the purpose of customer premise equipment in telecommunications network
  • Identify the significant components of a modern telephone
  • Discuss the varieties of station equipment
  • Explain how private switching systems integrate with both CPE and the PSTN
  • Describe how enhanced CPE services and applications work and how businesses benefit from using them

Chapter 6: Signaling and Switching

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Define modulation and explain its four basic versions
  • Explain the different types of multiplexing techniques, their benefits, and hardware requirements
  • Discuss the fundamental types of switching used in voice and data communications
  • Identify the differences between local and tandem switching
  • Describe modern signaling techniques used to route calls to their destination

Chapter 7: Data Networking Fundamentals

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Discuss basic networking concepts, including the elements common to all client-server networks
  • Provide examples of multiple network services
  • Describe the differences between LANs, MANs, and WANs
  • Understand the functions of each layer of the OSI model
  • Describe the purpose of protocols and list several types of protocols
  • Recognize the core protocols and addressing scheme for the TCP/IP suite

Chapter 8: Physical Transmission Media

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Identify the characteristics of wireline transmission
  • Describe the properties and uses of coaxial cable
  • Describe the properties and uses of different types of twisted-pair wire
  • Identify the characteristics of lightwave transmission
  • Describe the properties and uses of fiber optic cable
  • Identify factors to consider when selecting a telecommunications medium
  • Explain and apply cabling standards
  • Describe best practices for installing wire and fiber optic cabling
  • Identify techniques for testing the continuity and performance of physical transmission media

Chapter 9: Wireless Transmission and Services

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Associate electromagnetic waves at different points on the wireless spectrum with their wireless services
  • Identify characteristics that distinguish wireless transmission from wire-bound transmission
  • Explain the architecture and access methods used in cellular net-works and services
  • Understand the differences between wireless and wireline local loops
  • Describe the most popular WLAN standards, including their advantages, disadvantages, and uses
  • Identify the major satellite positioning schemes and list several telecommunications services that rely on satellite transmission

Chapter 10: Network Access and Transmission Methods

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Recognize simple and complex physical topologies used in data networks
  • Describe Ethernet and the CSMA/CD network access method
  • Understand the different types of Ethernet access methods
  • Describe the techniques used in the Token Ring, ATM, and FDDI network access methods
  • Identify the main characteristics of network transmission methods, such as X.25, Frame Relay, T-Carriers, ISDN, DSL, cable, and SONET

Chapter 11: Data Network Connectivity

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Explain how NICs operate
  • List the most common types of NICs
  • Describe the purpose and operation of hubs and repeaters
  • Describe the purpose and operation of bridges and switches
  • Explain how routers connect dissimilar networks
  • Identify other Layer 3 connectivity devices and understand their uses
  • Describe how remote users can connect to a LAN or WAN via a modem
  • Identify the components necessary for access and carrier network connectivity

Chapter 12: Internet Standards and Services

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Summarize the history of today’s Internet
  • Identify the organizations that cooperate to set Internet standards
  • Explain conventions for Internet domain and host naming
  • Describe several popular Internet-based services and identify the protocols on which they rely
  • Run and interpret the output of simple TCP/IP-based utilities

Chapter 13: Information Security

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • List the key steps in assessing information security risks
  • Explain the elements and purpose of a security policy
  • Describe strategies for minimizing common security risks associated with people, passwords, physical security, and modem access
  • Discuss the most popular, current methods of encrypting data
  • Identify security threats to public and private telephone networks and discuss ways to prevent them
  • Identify security threats to LAN- and WAN-based telecommunications and discuss ways to prevent them
  • Identify security threats to wireless telecommunications and discuss ways to prevent them

Chapter 14: Convergence of Voice, Video, and Data

After reading this chapter and completing the exercises students will be able to:

  • Identify terminology used to describe applications and other aspects of converged networks
  • Describe several different applications available on converged networks
  • Outline possible VoIP implementations and examine the costs and benefits of VoIP
  • Explain methods for encoding analog voice or video signals as digital signals for transmission over a packet-switched network
  • Identify the key signaling and transport protocols that may be used with VoIP
  • Understand Quality of Service (QoS) challenges on converged net-works and discuss techniques that can improve QoS