Want to learn how systems communicate?
Want to understand how the Internet works (and what it means when it doesn’t)?

Take CS1680!

Course summary

CSCI 1680 is an undergraduate course in computer networks. We will discuss the technologies supporting the Internet, from Ethernet and Wifi to routing protocols that govern the flow of traffic, and the web technologies and cloud services that are responsible for most of it. In doing so, we’ll focus on the protocols used on the Internet, including what each component does, how they work, why they are designed the way they are, their limitations and shortcomings (in terms of reliability, security, oversight, etc.), and what improvements are on the horizon.

Lectures: T/Th 09:00-10:20 EDT (All lectures will be recorded)

Location: CIT 368

Prerequisites: Students are expected to have taken an introductory systems course, eg. CSCI 0330, CSCI 0300, CSCI 1310, CSCI1330, or must have consent of the instructor.

If you have questions about whether this course is a good fit for you, please feel free to contact the instructor!

Topics

For a list of topics, see the Schedule.

Registration FAQ

I am a graduate student, can I join the course?

Yes! Graduate students are welcome to join, but we need you to fill out our registration form to confirm you meet the prerequisites. Please fill out the form and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can!

Will the course be capped?

We have no intention of capping the course in Spring 2026. We prefer to allow all interested students who meet the prerequisites to take CS1680. In Fall 2024, CS1680 served 127 students.

Will there be a remote section?

Yes. For more details, see Remote Section.

I have a conflict with the lecture time. Can I join the remote section?

Yes! Please fill out our registration form and indicate that you have a conflict. For more details, see Remote Section.

Can I capstone this course?

Yes! Capstone students must complete extended versions of our two major projects (IP and TCP), which adds around 15% extra work to each project. For details, see our Capstone policy.

Course Policies

See Policies.