I. General Information
1. Course Title:
Network Essentials
2. Course Prefix & Number:
COMP 1230
3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:
Credits: 4
Lecture Hours: 4
Lab Hours: 0
4. Course Description:
This course will provide individuals with the necessary skills to design and implement functional networks. Upon completion of this course, students will be able to build, configure, manage, and maintain essential network devices and infrastructure. Utilize devices such as endpoints, switches, routers, and firewalls to segment network traffic and create resilient networks. Troubleshoot and identify the benefits and drawbacks of existing network configurations while maintaining cabling, network security, standards, and protocols. Career Preparation: The studies in this course will help students prepare for careers in Networking such as Network Administrator, Network Engineer, Systems Analyst, LAN Administrator, WAN Administrator, and Systems Engineer.
5. Placement Tests Required:
6. Prerequisite Courses:
COMP 1230 - Network Essentials
All Credit(s) from the following...
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
| COMP 1109 | Introduction to Operating Systems | 3 cr. |
8. Prerequisite (Entry) Skills:
Prerequisite skills require efficiency with a current Microsoft operating system such as Windows 7, 8, or 10.
9. Co-requisite Courses:
COMP 1230 - Network Essentials
There are no corequisites for this course.
II. Transfer and Articulation
1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:
Century College, ITT 1031 Network Fundamentals, 3 cr
St. Paul College, CSCI 1440 Networking Fundamentals, 4 cr
3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:
- Written
- Oral
- Demonstration
- Portfolio
III. Course Purpose
1. Program-Applicable Courses – This course is required for the following program(s):
Computer Information Technology, AAS
Computer Network Administration, AAS
Computer Support Specialist, Diploma
3. Other - If this course does NOT meet criteria for #1 or #2 above, it may be used for the purpose(s) selected below:
Technical Elective
IV. Learning Outcomes
1. College-Wide Outcomes
| College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies |
Students will be able to: |
| Analyze and follow a sequence of operations |
Follow lab instructions to perform the necessary tasks to complete a network setup. |
| Utilize appropriate technology |
Use computers, current OSs and networking utilities and hardware to configure, diagnose, troubleshoot, and install network components using current microcomputer hardware and OSs. |
2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of
the course:
- Demonstrate correct network design, configuration and installation principles;
- Categorize LAN and WAN technology types and properties;
- Differentiate and implement appropriate media types and wiring standards;
- Evaluate the proper use of addressing technologies and addressing schemes;
- Identify and explain the function of common networking protocols;
- Install, configure, and differentiate between common network devices;
- Evaluate the network based on configuration and performance; and
- Identify common security threats and mitigation techniques
V. Topical Outline
Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.
1. Lecture Sessions
- Standards
- Organizations
- OSI Model
- Physical layer
- Data-link layer
- Mac layer
- LLC
- Network layer
- Transport layer
- Session layer presentation layer
- Application layer
- Media types
- Cabling
- Coaxial cable
- Twisted pair cable
- Fiber optic cable
- Fire ratings
- IEEE standards
- Topologies
- Basic topologies
- Hybrid topologies
- Enterprise-wide topologies
- Topology parameters
- Ethernet
- Ethernet frames
- CSMA/CD
- Ethernet standards
- Fast Ethernet
- Gigabit Ethernet
- -gigabit Ethernet
- Ethernet and media
- Physically installing a network
- How hubs and switches work
- Structured cabling
- Levels of structured cabling
- Mapping and pulling cable runs
- Terminating cable
- Cabling tools
- Diagnosing and repairing cabling problems
- NICs
- Buying NICs
- Installing NICs
- Diagnosing and repairing NIC problems
- TCP/IP
- IP addressing
- CIDR
- Subnetting
- Static vs. dynamic IP addresses
- Routing
- How routers work
- Routing tables
- Dynamic routing
- Routing protocols
- Configuring a router
- TCP/IP applications
- Transport Layer protocols
- Ports and sockets
- Securing TCP/IP
- Encryption standards
- Nonrepudiation
- Authentication standards
- Authorization
- TCP/IP security applications
- IPv6
- IPv6 addressing
- Enabling and using IPv6
- Migrating to IPv6
- Tunneling
- Remote connectivity
- Packet-switching
- Digital services
- Dial-up
- T-carrier lines
- DSL
- Cable
- SONET
- Satellite
- Wireless
- Remote access
- VPNs
- Remote terminals
- Dedicated connections
- Network troubleshooting
- Hardware and software tools
- Troubleshooting processes
- Troubleshooting scenarios
- Wireless networking
- Wi-Fi standards
- Implementing Wi-Fi
- Site surveys
- Installing wireless clients
- Ad-Hoc networks
- Infrastructure networks
- Troubleshooting Wi-Fi
- Network security
- Threat assessment
- Software/hardware failure
- Administrative access control
- Malware
- Social engineering
- DoS attacks
- Securing user accounts
- Passwords
- Controlling user accounts
- Firewalls
- Network management
- Configuration management documentation
- Change management documentation
- Monitoring network performance and connectivity
- Network performance optimization