CS 425/525 Computer Networks
Catalog Description
CS 425/525 COMPUTER NETWORKS (3-0-3)(F) Concepts and implementation of networking: physical, link, network, transport, and application layer protocols. Wireless networking and security basics. Cross-listed with ECE 434/534, may be taken once for credit.
Course Logistics
- Email: shanepanter (at) boisestate.edu
- Office Hours: Book an appointment
- Semester: Fall 2026
- Canvas: CS425/525, ECE434/534
- Textbook: Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach, 9th edition, by James Kurose and Keith Ross. Provided as a digital textbook under Course Materials.
Assessments
| Group | Weight |
|---|---|
| Midterm Exam or X1, best score counts | 25% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
| In Class Activities and Knowledge checks | 40% |
| Projects | 10% |
| Extra Credit | 2.5% |
All programming projects are written in C and must compile and run on both GitHub Codespaces and Onyx. Portable code is a learning objective of this course, so a project that builds on only one of the two receives no credit.
Anything you do on your own laptop (activities, M1, X1, and the P4 capture) can use any operating system the laptop supports. Linux is the ground truth: if a command or its output is different on your machine, the Linux behavior is the one the course and the grading go by.
Course Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course the student should have achieved the following course learning outcomes.
| TLO | SLO | Objective | Assessment Instrument |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Describe the layered architecture of the Internet and the service each layer provides | Exam | |
| 1.1 | Explain encapsulation and how a message is transformed as it moves down and up the protocol stack | Exam | |
| 1.2 | Compare circuit switching and packet switching, and account for delay, loss, and throughput in a packet-switched network | Exam | |
| 1.3 | Distinguish the service models offered by the network core and the network edge | Exam | |
| 2 | Implement network applications against a standard application layer protocol | Project 1 | |
| 2.1 | Write a client that speaks a text-based protocol (SMTP, HTTP) over a socket | Project 1 | |
| 2.2 | Explain the client-server and peer-to-peer application architectures | Exam | |
| 2.3 | Describe how DNS resolves a name, and why it is structured as a distributed hierarchical database | Exam | |
| 3 | Construct applications that use the transport layer to deliver data reliably | Project 2 | |
| 3.1 | Implement a reliable data transfer protocol over an unreliable channel | Project 2 | |
| 3.2 | Analyze TCP connection management, flow control, and congestion control | Exam | |
| 3.3 | Choose between TCP and UDP for a given application and defend the choice | Project 2 | |
| 3.4 | Analyze a complex computing problem and apply principles of computing to identify solutions. (ABET Outcome 1) | Project 2 | |
| 4 | Explain how packets are forwarded and how forwarding tables are computed | Exam | |
| 4.1 | Describe the data plane: forwarding, the IP datagram, addressing, and NAT | Project 3 | |
| 4.2 | Trace the operation of link-state and distance-vector routing algorithms | Exam | |
| 4.3 | Explain the role of intra-AS and inter-AS routing, and what BGP is for | Exam | |
| 4.4 | Subnet an address block with CIDR and compute the resulting ranges | Project 3 | |
| 5 | Describe link layer services and the operation of a local area network | Project 4 | |
| 5.1 | Explain error detection and correction, and multiple access protocols | Exam | |
| 5.2 | Trace an end-to-end request through ARP, DHCP, switching, and routing | Project 4 | |
| 5.3 | Describe how 802.11 wireless differs from wired Ethernet at the link layer | Exam | |
| 6 | Apply security principles to network communication | Exam | |
| 6.1 | Explain confidentiality, integrity, authentication, and how they are achieved | Exam | |
| 6.2 | Describe TLS, and what it does and does not protect | Exam | |
| 6.3 | Identify common network attack vectors and the defenses against them | Exam | |
| 7 | Use professional software engineering tools and techniques | All Projects | |
| 7.1 | Build code with a build system and run it under a unit test framework | All Projects | |
| 7.2 | Produce code free of memory leaks and out-of-bounds accesses | All Projects | |
| 7.3 | Compile and run code on at least two different systems | All Projects | |
| 7.4 | Use continuous integration to test every change | All Projects | |
| 7.5 | Use a professional version control system (git) | All Projects |
Grading Policy
Grades will be posted in Canvas and calculated using the percentages below. Final grades will not be rounded. Extra credit opportunities are available throughout the semester to help improve your final grade.
| Letter Grade | Percentage |
|---|---|
| A | 94% to 100% |
| A- | 90% to 93.99% |
| B+ | 87% to 89.99% |
| B | 84% to 86.99% |
| B- | 80% to 83.99% |
| C+ | 77% to 79.99% |
| C | 74% to 76.99% |
| C- | 70% to 73.99% |
| D+ | 67% to 69.99% |
| D | 64% to 66.99% |
| D- | 60% to 63.99% |
| F | Below 60% |
Extra Credit Opportunities
Extra credit can only be worth 2.5% of the total course grade.
Homework Policy
Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all work is individual. Group assignments will be clearly marked. The Kount Learning Center (CCP 241) is accessible 24/7 by proxy card to all students enrolled in CS courses and has all the software you will need.
AI Policy
There is no restriction on AI use in this course. You may use AI tools to help you with your work, but you are responsible for ensuring that your work is accurate and meets the requirements of the assignment. You are strongly encouraged to explore the use of AI tools as part of your learning process, but you should not rely on them exclusively. If you use AI tools, you should disclose this in your work and provide a brief explanation of how you used them.
Attendance Policy
I follow the official attendance policy as defined by the university. Students are responsible for all announcements made during class. If you miss a class, it is your responsibility to get caught up. Students with an excused absence should contact me as soon as possible to arrange make-up work. Students who are chronically late may lose up to 10% of their final grade for excessive tardiness after receiving a written warning.
Class Interaction Policy
All class interaction assignments must be completed within the time frame specified in Canvas or during the lecture unless prior arrangements have been made. Interactive assignments are only valuable when everyone participates at the same time. It is not fair to classmates who submitted on time to have to respond to or view late submissions.
This applies to (but is not limited to):
- Discussion posts
- Reflections (written and video)
- Group meetings (virtual and in person)
- Status updates
- In-class activities
- Paper quizzes and exams
Late Work Policy
Homework assignments may be submitted up to 2 days late with no penalty. After the grace period, no submissions will be accepted unless prior arrangements were made before the original due date. No work or extra credit will be accepted after the last day of course instruction: the semester must end at some point, so plan accordingly. Work submitted 1 second late is treated the same as work submitted 1 day late. You can find the last day of course instruction on the registrar's academic calendar.
Compressed Semesters
For courses taught in a 5-week or 7-week session, the last day of course instruction is NOT the same as a regular 15-week semester. Consult the registrar's academic calendar for the exact date.
Exam and Quiz Policy
All exams and quizzes must be completed within the time frame specified in Canvas unless prior arrangements have been made. Extensions are granted on a case-by-case basis for circumstances outside the student's control. Some assessments may require the testing center, and it is the student's responsibility to schedule their own appointment in a timely manner. The secret code for the syllabus quiz is "green".
Communication Policy
Outside the classroom, communication will be through email, Canvas, and office hours. Other methods such as carrier pigeon 🐦 are not supported.
If you do not receive a reply within two business days, verify you are emailing from BroncoMail and send a follow-up. You can also message through Canvas if email is not going through. Please include the following in all emails:
- First and last name
- Student ID
- Course and section number (e.g., CS452, Section 1)
BroncoMail is the official university communication channel. Check it two to three times per week. Your instructor will not respond to emails from personal accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.). See University Policy 2280 for details.
Emails are answered within 24 hours, Monday to Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Mountain Time. Emails sent on weekends or outside those hours will receive a reply on the next business day. Reserve email for private matters such as grades, since general course questions belong in the class discussion forum.
IT Support Policy
Your instructor and teaching assistant cannot provide IT support for personal machines. If you cannot get your personal machine configured correctly, use a lab machine to complete your work.
Labs and Other Building Spaces
The CCP building (downtown Boise) has three labs secured by proxy card access. All lab machines are supported by department IT staff and are guaranteed to work.
- Kount Learning Center (CCP 241): Accessible 24/7 by proxy card to all CS students. See the Success & Tutoring page for details.
- CS 121 Classroom Lab (CCP 242): Accessible 24/7 by proxy card, but not available during scheduled courses and labs (see the schedule posted outside the lab).
- Metageek Lab (CCP 240): Accessible 24/7 by proxy card, but not available during scheduled CS courses and labs (see the schedule posted outside the lab).
University Policies
Violations of university policies may result in a failing grade (F) for the course. All students are required to review the following:
Student Support
Boise State cares about your success. Help is available for technical, academic, financial, and personal needs, as well as learning accommodations. Nearly all services are available to online students as well.