Communication Networks Spring 2026

Learn how the Internet works and how to operate it

It is hard to think of a technology that has more changed the way we live than the Internet. From the very way we communicate, access and exchange information, shop, pay, move, entertain, maintain friendship. At the same time, the Internet is inexorably growing, at an always faster pace: from 3 billion of connected hosts in 2015 to an estimated 4 billion in 2019.

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

1. understand how the Internet works: from your laptop to Google's datacenter at the other end of planet;
2. build and operate an Internet-like network infrastructure;
3. identify the right set of metrics to evaluate the performance or the adequacy of a network and propose ways to improve it (if any).

The course is an introductory one, meaning no prior networking background is needed. The course will include some easy programming assignments in Python.

Grading and organization

The class will be graded 70% based on the final exam and 30% based on continuous performance assessments. The continuous performance assessments will consist in two graded group projects. The first project counts for 20% and the second for 10% of the final grade. If a student does not do/submit a project, he/she will receive a grade of 1.0 for the corresponding project. Students repeating the course can decide at the beginning of the semester if they want to keep the previous grades of their continuous performance assessments (more details). The final exam is a written open book exam. You will not be tested on material we didn't cover during the lesson. All written material (books, notes, lab exercises etc.) is allowed; all electronic devices are prohibited, except for (non-connected) calculators. The exam will be in English.

We will use the textbook Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach (6th Edition) by Kurose and Ross as a reference and as a source of examples. Older versions of the book are fine too but sections number won't necessarily match.

Exercises and projects

In addition to the lectures, there will be a set of exercises (every Thursday) along with two projects to be done in groups of maximum 3 students (the composition of which will be decided by the students themselves at the beginning of the first project).

1. Internet Routing (middle of the semester): You'll build and operate your own network! We'll then interconnect networks together and form a mini-Internet. We'll test out your Internet during a large class-wide Internet Hackathon.
2. Reliable Communication (end of the semester): You'll implement a simple transport protocol that can ensure reliable transmission.

Each project will be available online and will be introduced in class along with instructions on the report and on the specific grading scheme.

You should submit your work on an assignment (via your GitLab repository, according to the assignment instructions) before its due time. All assignments are due by 11:59pm on their selected days. If you submit your work late, we will give you credit for it according to this scale:

• 80% for work submitted up to 1 day late;
• 70% for work submitted up to 2 days late;
• 60% for work submitted up to 3 days late;
• 50% for work submitted up to 7 days late;
• 0% for work submitted more than 7 days late.

Important If you don't have a laptop, please us at the beginning of the course.