1. Basic Principles

• Origins of digital
• Inside the PC
• Binary and bits
• Bytes and octets
• Code sets: ASCII, Unicode
• Bits per second (bps)
• Parallel Vs serial transmission
• Simplex and duplex
• Terminal evolution
• DTE and DCE
• Important standards groups

2. Transmission Protocols

• Asynchronous character transmission
• Frame transmission
• Frame format
• Protocol Data Unit (PDU)
• Bit Error Rate (BER)
• Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC)
• Check sum
• Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
• High Level Data Link Control (HDLC)

3. Local Area Networks

• LAN components overview
• Network Interface Card (NIC)
• IEEE 802 standards
• MAC address
• Ethernet elements
• Ethernet frame format
• CSMA/CD protocol
• 10Base5, 10Base2, 10BaseT, 100BaseT
• Hubs and repeaters
• Ethernet switches
• Bridges and routers
• Gigabit Ethernet layout
• Software interface
• Client-server computing

4. Office Wiring

• Electrical characteristics of wire
• Wire gauge Vs resistance
• Noise and interference
• Unshielded twisted pair wire
• Wire categories
• Jacks and connectors
• EIA wiring standards
• Pair definitions and cables
• Shielded wire
• Coaxial cable types

5. Wide Area Networking

• Dedicated line (T1) usage
• Packets Vs frames
• Packet creation process
• Carrier networks
• Packet switching techniques
• Virtual circuits and routes
• Frame relay networks
• Frame relay configuration options
• Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks
• IP packets and addressing
• IP routing
• Access links to carriers
• General interfaces