COS-461, Spring 2020: Computer Networks

Latest Announcements

3/11: Due to events at Princeton related to COVID-19, the midterm will now be taken at home. You have 2 hours to complete the midterm (under test conditions), but can take it anytime between Mar 11 (1:30pm) through Mar 20 (1:30pm), your choice.

3/9: Lectures have now gone virtual via Zoom.

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Overview

This course studies computer networks and the applications and services that run on them. The course covers concepts in networking including: packet switching; Internet routing and business relationships; IPv4 and IPv6 addressing; the domain name system (DNS), router, switch, and middlebox design; network security; content distribution networks; wireless networks; and networked applications such as streaming video. The course will also include several programming assignments, ranging from client-server programming to network measurement, analysis, and inference

Prerequisite: Students must have taken COS 217 and one of COS 316, COS 333, COS 318, COS 418, or COS 432 prior to enrolling in this course. Exceptions require explicit permission from the instructor. The assignments in this class are in Go, C, and Python. You do not need to have experience with all of these languages before taking the course. However, you should be comfortable with learning new programming languages and finding resources on your own, independently as you attack problems. You will be exposed to new programming languages and environments.

Information

• Lecture: Mondays and Wednesdays, 1:30am - 2:50am. Robertson Hall, Room 002
• Instructors:
  • Professor: Mike Freedman
    • Office hours: Immediately following each lecture outside Robertson 002
  • TAs: Srikar Kasi, David Liu, Ashwini Raina
• Grading: Grading is based on a midterm (20%), a final exam (26%), and six programming assignments (9% each).
• Questions: Please use the class Piazza site.