LEARNING OUTCOMES

Basic concepts on modern Network and Internet technologies; introduction to the architecture and protocols for wireless communication; basic concepts on Radio Cellular Networks , WiFi, Bluetooth and sensor networks technologies. Machine to Machine standards. Laboratory practical and simulative experiences.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The main goal of the class is to provide basic knowledge of network technologies with a particular focus on the Internet architecture, wireless networks and their applications to monitoring and emergency management. No previous specific background knowledge is required for effectively following the course. More specifically, the lectures start with the networking basic definitions and concepts, including reference architectures, layering, circuit and packet switching and physical and data layer technology summary. The successive topic is Internet technologies, starting from the architecture, and going on with application layer, and ending with a summary of the main characteristics of its main protocols, i.e. IP and TCP. The third subject is wireless networks, which are introduced and characterized in general at first and successively described specifically for each relevant typology: mobile radio networks (from GSM to 4G and 5G), WiFi (IEEE 802.11), Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15) and, finally, sensor networks and specific technologies. Finally, by using some examples, the application of the described technologies to monitoring and emergency management is discussed with the support of some practical examples.

TEACHING METHODS

Traditional lectures with some technological demonstrations.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

• Networking basics
  • Basic definitions, circuit and packet switching, functional architectures and layering, reference architectures, protocols, physical and data layer summary.
•  Internet technologies
  • Internet architecture, application layer, TCP/UDP, IPv4/6.
• Wireless Networks
  •  Radio mobile networks (GSM, UMTS, 4G-LTE, 5G); Wi-Fi (IEEE 802.11); Bluetooth (IEEE 802.15.1), sensor networks, TETRA.
• Networks for monitoring and emergency management
  •  Issues, applications and practical examples.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

- Course material on Aulaweb (https://www.aulaweb.unige.it): copy of all lecture slides.

- J. F. Kurose, K. W. Ross, Computer Networking – A Top-Down Approach, 6th Ed., Pearson Education, Upper Saddle river, NJ, 2013.