The lecture describes and analyzes the basic functions of protocols and explains the most important algorithms and methods, which are used in communication systems. The exercises complement the lecture by applying the theoretic knowledge to special problems.

The lecture usually includes an excursion to a working telecommunication network. The lecture is intended for Master students in electrical engineering, possibly also for students in computer science and mathematics.

• Concepts and definitions of digital communication networks
• Data transmission from point-to-point
• Synchronization aspects
• Multi-access protocols
• ALOHA protocols (slotted, unslotted) and collision resolving strategies
• Carrier-Sensing (with and without collision detection)
• Techniques for reliable data transmission (ARQ- and hybrid-ARQ techniques)
• Routing algorithms, flow in graphs, shortest path routing
• Markov-chains
• Queuing theory
• Lossless and lossy queuing systems
• Project orientated lab: ARQ, Markov chains, simulation of queuing systems

• Bossert, M., Breitbach, M., Digitale Netze, Teubner Verlag, 1999
• Bertsekas, D., Gallager, R., Data Networks, Prentice Hall, 1992 Online available
• Tanenbaum, A., Computer Networks, Pearson, 2011

The Institute's Formulary: Version 2012/05/02

1. Probability Theory
2. Probability Theory, Point-to-Point Transmissions, Bit Stuffing
3. Point-to-Point Transmissions, Slotted Aloha (corrected 2012/05/25)
4. Aloha, Tree Algorithm, FCFS
5. CSMA
6. ARQ
7. ARQ
8. Routing
9. Markov Chains (changed 2012/07/04)
10. Queuing
11. Queuing

1. Probability Theory (corrected 2012/05/11)
2. Probability Theory, Point-to-Point Transmissions, Bit Stuffing (corrected 2012/05/11)
3. Point-to-Point Transmissions, Slotted Aloha (corrected 2012/05/25)
4. Aloha, Tree Algorithm, FCFS
5. CSMA
6. ARQ
7. ARQ
8. Routing
9. Markov Chains
10. Queuing
11. Queuing

1. Introduction Stochastic
2. Slides of the 3rd exercise
3. Slides of the 4th exercise
4. Slides of the 8th exercise

ARQ Lab

• The ARQ Lab will be introduced during Exercise 6.
• Description ARQ-Lab
• Throughput (Solution)

Queuing Lab

• The Queuing Lab will be introduced during Exercise 10
• Description Queuing-Lab
• Basic Source-Code (updated to gcc 4.4.1 2012/07/19)

Please check this site regularly for any last-minute changes and announcements!

Exam Announcements

Exams will be at  2012/08/16 and 2012/09/21 from 10:00 to 12:00 in room 43.2.104.

Rules for the exam:

• The institute's formulary will be distributed for the exam
• Two sheets of DIN-A4 paper (4 pages) selfcomposed and handwritten formulary (no copies)
• A non-graphical and non-programmable calculator
• A dictionary is allowed

Pre-exam Question Events

There are additional events on Monday, 2012/08/13, and Tuesday, 2012/09/18, starting from 14:00 in room H 45.1.

Please send problems and questions, which should be discussed in these events, via e-mail.

Exam Viewing

Exam Viewing (1st Exam) on 2011-09-10, 10:00 am in 43.2.227

Exam Viewing (2nd Exam) on 2011-10-12, 10:00 am in 43.4.201