UCCS CS 4220 Computer Communication

Spring 2026; M/W 12:15 PM - 1:30 PM (003), 4:45 PM - 6:00 PM (001); Cybersecurity A-107

General Information

Instructor

Dr. Xi Tan
E-mail: xtan4@uccs.edu
Homepage: https://mintancy.github.io/
Office hours: M/W 3:15 PM - 4:30 PM or by appointment. Student hours can be held in person, or via Teams.
Loc: Cybersecurity Center, 120J

Teaching Assistant

TBD
E-mail: TBD
Office hours: TBD

Overview

CS 4220 focuses on the basic network and protocol concepts and principles with practical hands-on exercises on network management, network programming, and network planning through the use of industry simulators. Topics include: Internet protocols and routing, local area networks, basic TCP/IP programming, congestion control, packet switching and routing, quality-of-service, and network management. Prer., CS 2060, CS 2150 or MATH 2150; College of Engineering students only.

Tentative Schedule

Date Topic Notes
Week-1 Class-1 1/19 === No class ===
Week-1 Class-2 1/21 Introduction Read Chap 1.
Week-2 Class-1 1/26 Application Layer I (chap 2)
Week-2 Class-2 1/28 Application Layer II (chap 2) Assignment 1 Release
Week-3 Class-1 2/2 Application Layer III (chap 2)
Week-3 Class-2 2/4 Transport Layer I (chap 3) HW-1 Release
Week-4 Class-1 2/9 Transport Layer II (chap 3) HW-1 Solution Release
Week-4 Class-2 2/11 Section 001: Transport Layer III (chap 3)
Section 003: Lab Office Hours (in class)
Quiz 1
Week-5 Class-1 2/16 Section 001: Lab Office Hours (in class)
Section 003: Transport Layer III (chap 3)
Week-5 Class-2 2/18 Network Data Plane I (chap 4) Lab 1 Webserver due (Details)
Week-6 Class-1 2/23 Network Data Plane II (chap 4)
Week-6 Class-2 2/25 Network Data Plane III (chap 4) HW-2 Release
Week-7 Class-1 3/02 Network Control Plane I (chap 5) HW-1 Solution Release
Week-7 Class-2 3/04 Network Control Plane II (chap 5) Quiz 2
Week-8 Class-1 3/09 Section 001: Lab Office Hours (in class)
Section 003: Network Control Plane III (chap 5)
Week-8 Class-2 3/11 Section 001: Network Control Plane III (chap 5)
Section 003: Lab Office Hours (in class)
Week-9 Class-1 3/16 *** Midterm Review *** Lab 2 ICMP Pinger Lab Due (Details)
Week-9 Class-2 3/18 *** Midterm Exam ***
Week-10 Class-1 3/23 === Spring Break No class ===
Week-10 Class-2 3/25 === Spring Break No class ===
Week-11 Class-1 3/30 Link Layer and LANs I (chap 6)
Week-11 Class-2 4/01 Link Layer and LANs II (chap 6)
Week-12 Class-1 4/06 Link Layer and LANs III (chap 6) HW-3 Release
Week-12 Class-2 4/08 Link Layer and LANs IV (chap 6) HW-3 Solution Release, Lab 3 Ethernet Frames and ARP Due (Details)
Week-13 Class-1 4/13 Link Layer and LANs V (chap 6) Quiz 3
Week-13 Class-2 4/15 Wireless and Mobile Networks I (chap 7)
Week-14 Class-1 4/20 Wireless and Mobile Networks II (chap 7)
Week-14 Class-2 4/22 Wireless and Mobile Networks III (chap 7) HW-4 release
Week-15 Class-1 4/27 Network Security I (chap 8) HW-4 Solution Release
Week-15 Class-2 4/29 Network Security II (chap 8) Quiz 4
Week-16 Class-1 5/04 Network Security III (chap 8) Lab 4: 5G Radio Due (Details)
Week-16 Class-2 5/06 *** Final Exam Review ***
Final Exam: TBD *** Final Exam *** Cyber - A107

Resources

Required textbook: Additional resources:

Course Structure

We will have
  1. Lectures.
  2. Four non-grade homework assignments but four popped quizzes.
  3. Four hands-on labs picked from Programming Assignments and Wireshark Labs.
All materials will be updated to Canvas later.

Disclaimer

  • All information in this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
  • Much of the resources were borrowed from Prof. Xiaobo "Charles" Zhou and Jim Kurose, partial of the copyright belongs to Pearson Education, Inc.
  • Labs: Wireshark Labs