PC/CP364 -- Data Communications and Networks Laboratory

Lab Tools and Learning Materials

All of the information for these labs and all of the available electronic resources are on the lab website. I've tried to make it as complete as possible, so that you only have to look in one place for anything relevant to the labs. If you find any other resources that are particularly useful, let me know.

Course Description:	Data communication fundamentals, with an emphasis on the physical layer, and telecommunication networks, with an emphasis on the architectures and protocols will be studied. Topics include transmission media, digital data transmission, architectures of telecommunication networks.

Prerequisites:	PC/CP120, PC/CP200, or PC212

Lab Instructor:	Terry Sturtevant
	Office:	N2092A
	Ext:	2049
	Office Hours:	by appointment

Enrollment:	no more than 22 per lab section

Learning Objectives:	By the end of this course, you should be able to:	Read pin diagrams for integrated circuits an correctly identify pin numbers Wire circuits on a breadboard following a schematic diagram New: Explain how what you see on an oscilloscope matches the theory behind it
Lab Overview and Approach/Framework:	In the lab component of a course most of your learning will happen through your hands-on experiences in the lab. The videos and other on-line documents have been chosen to give you the background you will need to prepare you for the labs. At the end of this course you will get a detailed, anonymous evaluation to fill out, where you can indicate your opinion on many aspects of the labs. This is one of the most important resources to help me improve the labs each time I teach them.

Web Page:	http://denethor.wlu.ca/pc364/


Marking Scheme:	60%	Lab Demonstrations & Prelabs
	30%	New: Scope Trace Illustrations explain how the signals you see fit the theory
	10%	Participation/Attendance reinforces a professional approach to work

General Information

Please read through lab material before coming to each lab.

In case of absence, such as illness, your partner and the lab instructor should be informed as soon as possible. Marks will be taken out for absence with no reasons.

For safety and hygiene reasons, absolutely no food or drinks are allowed in the lab. The lab should be kept tidy at all times. Please read and submit the Laboratory Safety Form.

The Lab Instructor will make alternate arrangements in case of equipment failure, holidays, illness, etc.

Lab work builds upon previous work: if you fall behind, you stay behind, so keep on top of things. If you are taking too much time to do your work, then you didn't understand something, you didn't remember something, or you don't know how to handle a tool. Get help immediately!

Resources

To view pdf documents, you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader .

If you need to update a browser, you might try Firefox which is

free
open source
available for several platforms

Since this page uses cascading style sheets for its layout, it will look best with a browser which supports the specifications as fully as possible.

If you are looking for an office package, with a word processor, spreadsheet, etc., you might try LibreOffice which is

free
open source
available for several platforms

Go to the main page for the Department of Physics and Computer Science.