Chapter 1-١
Chapter 1-١
College of Engineering
EE 305 Computer Networks
Chapter 1
Introduction
Instructor: Driss BH / S. Guizani
Fall: 2025
Introduction: 1-2
The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view
Billions of connected mobile network
computing devices: national or global ISP
▪ hosts = end systems
▪ running network apps at
Internet’s “edge”
bikes
Gaming devices
Others?
Internet phones diapers
Introduction: 1-4
The Internet: a “nuts and bolts” view
mobile network
4G
▪ Internet: “network of networks” national or global ISP
• Interconnected ISPs
▪ protocols are everywhere Skype
IP
Streaming
video
• control sending, receiving of
messages local or
regional ISP
• e.g., HTTP (Web), streaming video,
Skype, TCP, IP, WiFi, 4/5G, Ethernet home network content
provider
HTTP network datacenter
▪ Internet standards network
Ethernet
• RFC: Request for Comments
• IETF: Internet Engineering Task enterprise
TCP
Force network
WiFi
Introduction: 1-5
The Internet: a “services” view
▪ Infrastructure that provides mobile network
Introduction: 1-6
What’s a protocol?
Human protocols: Network protocols:
▪ “what’s the time?” ▪ computers (devices) rather than humans
▪ “I have a question” ▪ all communication activity in Internet
▪ introductions governed by protocols
Rules for:
Protocols define the format, order of
… specific messages sent messages sent and received among
… specific actions taken network entities, and actions taken
when message received,
or other events on message transmission, receipt
Introduction: 1-7
What’s a protocol?
A human protocol and a computer network protocol:
Hi TCP connection
request
Hi TCP connection
response
Got the
time? GET http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross
2:00
<file>
time
Introduction: 1-12
Internet history
1990, 2000s: commercialization, the Web, new applications
▪ early 1990s: ARPAnet late 1990s – 2000s:
decommissioned ▪ more killer apps: instant
▪ 1991: NSF lifts restrictions on messaging, P2P file sharing
commercial use of NSFnet ▪ network security to forefront
(decommissioned, 1995)
▪ est. 50 million host, 100 million+
▪ early 1990s: Web users
• hypertext [Bush 1945, Nelson 1960’s]
• HTML, HTTP: Berners-Lee ▪ backbone links running at Gbps
• 1994: Mosaic, later Netscape
• late 1990s: commercialization of the
Web
Introduction: 1-13
Internet history
2005-present: scale, SDN, mobility, cloud
▪ aggressive deployment of broadband home access (10-100’s Mbps)
▪ 2008: software-defined networking (SDN)
▪ increasing ubiquity of high-speed wireless access: 4G/5G, WiFi
▪ service providers (Google, FB, Microsoft) create their own networks
• bypass commercial Internet to connect “close” to end user, providing
“instantaneous” access to social media, search, video content, …
▪ enterprises run their services in “cloud” (e.g., Amazon Web Services,
Microsoft Azure)
▪ rise of smartphones: more mobile than fixed devices on Internet (2017)
▪ ~15B devices attached to Internet (2023, statista.com)
Introduction: 1-14
Chapter 1: roadmap
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network,
physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit
switching, internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Security
▪ Protocol layers, service models
▪ History
Introduction: 1-15
A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network
enterprise
network
Introduction: 1-16
A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network
enterprise
network
Introduction: 1-17
A closer look at Internet structure
mobile network
▪ interconnected routers
▪ network of networks enterprise
network
Introduction: 1-18
Access networks and physical media
Q: How to connect end systems mobile network
national or global ISP
to edge router?
▪ residential access nets
▪ institutional access networks (school,
company)
local or
▪ mobile access networks (WiFi, 4G/5G) regional ISP
enterprise
network
Introduction: 1-19
Access networks: cable-based access
cable headend
cable splitter
modem
C
O
V V V V V V N
I I I I I I D D T
D D D D D D A A R
E E E E E E T T O
O O O O O O A A L
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Channels
DSL splitter
modem DSLAM
to/from headend or
central office
often combined
in single box
to Internet
to Internet
Introduction: 1-24
Access networks: enterprise networks
Enterprise link to
ISP (Internet)
institutional router
Ethernet institutional mail,
switch web servers
local or
regional ISP
Introduction: 1-26
Host: sends packets of data
host sending function:
▪ takes application message
▪ breaks into smaller chunks, two packets,
known as packets, of length L bits L bits each
Introduction: 1-28
Links: physical media
Coaxial cable: Fiber optic cable:
▪ two concentric copper conductors ▪ glass fiber carrying light pulses, each
pulse a bit
▪ bidirectional
▪ high-speed operation:
▪ broadband: • high-speed point-to-point
• multiple frequency channels on cable transmission (10’s-100’s Gbps)
• 100’s Mbps per channel ▪ low error rate:
• repeaters spaced far apart
• immune to electromagnetic noise
Introduction: 1-29
Links: physical media
Wireless radio Radio link types:
▪ signal carried in various ▪ Wireless LAN (WiFi)
“bands” in electromagnetic • 10-100’s Mbps; 10’s of meters
spectrum ▪ wide-area (e.g., 4G/5G cellular)
▪ no physical “wire” • 10’s Mbps (4G) over ~10 Km
▪ broadcast, “half-duplex” ▪ Bluetooth: cable replacement
(sender to receiver)
• short distances, limited rates
▪ propagation environment
effects: ▪ terrestrial microwave
• reflection • point-to-point; 45 Mbps channels
• obstruction by objects ▪ satellite
• Interference/noise • up to < 100 Mbps (Starlink) downlink
• 270 msec end-end delay (geostationary)
Introduction: 1-30
Chapter 1: roadmap
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network,
physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit
switching, internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Security
▪ Protocol layers, service models
▪ History
Introduction: 1-31
The network core
▪ mesh of interconnected routers mobile network
national or global ISP
▪ packet-switching: hosts break
application-layer messages into
packets
• network forwards packets from one local or
regional ISP
router to the next, across links on
path from source to destination home network content
provider
network datacenter
network
enterprise
network
Introduction: 1-32
Two key network-core functions
Introduction: 1-34
forwarding
forwarding
Introduction: 1-35
Packet-switching: store-and-forward
L bits
per packet
3 2 1
source destination
R bps R bps
Introduction: 1-36
Packet-switching: queueing
R = 100 Mb/s
A C
D
B R = 1.5 Mb/s
E
queue of packets
waiting for transmission
over output link
Introduction: 1-37
Packet-switching: queueing
R = 100 Mb/s
A C
D
B R = 1.5 Mb/s
E
queue of packets
waiting for transmission
over output link
Packet queuing and loss: if arrival rate (in bps) to link exceeds
transmission rate (bps) of link for some period of time:
▪ packets will queue, waiting to be transmitted on output link
▪ packets can be dropped (lost) if memory (buffer) in router fills up
Introduction: 1-38
Alternative to packet switching: circuit switching
end-end resources allocated to,
reserved for “call” between source
and destination
▪ in diagram, each link has four circuits.
• call gets 2nd circuit in top link and 1st
circuit in right link.
▪ dedicated resources: no sharing
• circuit-like (guaranteed) performance
▪ circuit segment idle if not used by call (no
sharing)
▪ commonly used in traditional telephone networks
* Check out the online interactive exercises for more examples: http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/interactive
Introduction: 1-39
Circuit switching: FDM and TDM
Frequency Division Multiplexing
(FDM) 4 users
frequency
▪ optical, electromagnetic frequencies
divided into (narrow) frequency
bands
▪ each call allocated its own band, can
transmit at max rate of that narrow time
band
frequency
▪ time divided into slots
▪ each call allocated periodic slot(s), can
transmit at maximum rate of (wider) time
frequency band (only) during its time
slot(s) Introduction: 1-40
Packet switching versus circuit switching
example:
▪ 1 Gb/s link
N
▪ each user: users 1 Gbps link
• 100 Mb/s when “active”
• active 10% of time
Q: how many users can use this network under circuit-switching and packet switching?
▪ circuit-switching: 10 users
▪ packet switching: with 35 users, Q: how did we get value 0.0004?
probability > 10 active at same time
is less than .0004 *
A: HW problem (for those with
course in probability only)
* Check out the online interactive exercises for more examples: http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/interactive
Introduction: 1-41
Packet switching versus circuit switching
Is packet switching a “slam dunk winner”?
▪ great for “bursty” data – sometimes has data to send, but at other times not
• resource sharing
• simpler, no call setup
▪ excessive congestion possible: packet delay and loss due to buffer overflow
• protocols needed for reliable data transfer, congestion control
▪ Q: How to provide circuit-like behavior with packet-switching?
• “It’s complicated.” We’ll study various techniques that try to make packet
switching as “circuit-like” as possible.
access access
net net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-44
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
Question: given millions of access ISPs, how to connect them together?
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
access
access net
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-45
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
Option: connect each access ISP to one global transit ISP?
Customer and provider ISPs have economic agreement.
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
access
access net
net
global
access
net
ISP access
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-46
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
But if one global ISP is viable business, there will be competitors ….
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
access
access net
net ISP A
access
net ISP B access
net
access ISP C
net
access
net
access
net
access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-47
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
But if one global ISP is viable business, there will be competitors …. who will
want to be connected
Internet exchange point
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
IXP access
access net
net ISP A
access
net
IXP ISP B access
net
access ISP C
net
access
net
access
net
peering link
access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-48
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
… and regional networks may arise to connect access nets to ISPs
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
IXP access
access net
net ISP A
access
net
IXP ISP B access
net
access ISP C
net
access
net
access
net
regional ISP access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-49
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
… and content provider networks (e.g., Google, Microsoft, Akamai) may
run their own network, to bring services, content close to end users
access access
net net
access
net
access
access net
net
IXP access
access net
net ISP A
access ISP C
net
access
net
access
net
regional ISP access
net
access access
net access net
net
Introduction: 1-50
Internet structure: a “network of networks”
Tier 1 ISP Tier 1 ISP Google
IXP IXP IXP
Regional ISP Regional ISP
B
packets in buffers (queueing delay)
free (available) buffers: arriving packets
dropped (loss) if no free buffers
Introduction: 1-53
Packet delay: four sources
transmission
A propagation
B
nodal
processing queueing
B
nodal
processing queueing
Introduction: 1-56
Caravan analogy
100 km 100 km
Introduction: 1-57
Packet queueing delay (revisited)
▪ a: average packet arrival rate
3 probes 3 probes
3 probes
Introduction: 1-59
Real Internet delays and routes
traceroute: gaia.cs.umass.edu to www.eurecom.fr
3 delay measurements from
gaia.cs.umass.edu to cs-gw.cs.umass.edu
1 cs-gw (128.119.240.254) 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms 3 delay measurements
2 border1-rt-fa5-1-0.gw.umass.edu (128.119.3.145) 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms
3 cht-vbns.gw.umass.edu (128.119.3.130) 6 ms 5 ms 5 ms to border1-rt-fa5-1-0.gw.umass.edu
4 jn1-at1-0-0-19.wor.vbns.net (204.147.132.129) 16 ms 11 ms 13 ms
5 jn1-so7-0-0-0.wae.vbns.net (204.147.136.136) 21 ms 18 ms 18 ms
6 abilene-vbns.abilene.ucaid.edu (198.32.11.9) 22 ms 18 ms 22 ms
7 nycm-wash.abilene.ucaid.edu (198.32.8.46) 22 ms 22 ms 22 ms trans-oceanic link
8 62.40.103.253 (62.40.103.253) 104 ms 109 ms 106 ms
9 de2-1.de1.de.geant.net (62.40.96.129) 109 ms 102 ms 104 ms
10 de.fr1.fr.geant.net (62.40.96.50) 113 ms 121 ms 114 ms looks like delays
11 renater-gw.fr1.fr.geant.net (62.40.103.54) 112 ms 114 ms 112 ms
12 nio-n2.cssi.renater.fr (193.51.206.13) 111 ms 114 ms 116 ms decrease! Why?
13 nice.cssi.renater.fr (195.220.98.102) 123 ms 125 ms 124 ms
14 r3t2-nice.cssi.renater.fr (195.220.98.110) 126 ms 126 ms 124 ms
15 eurecom-valbonne.r3t2.ft.net (193.48.50.54) 135 ms 128 ms 133 ms
16 194.214.211.25 (194.214.211.25) 126 ms 128 ms 126 ms
17 * * *
18 * * * * means no response (probe lost, router not replying)
19 fantasia.eurecom.fr (193.55.113.142) 132 ms 128 ms 136 ms
B
packet arriving to
full buffer is lost
* Check out the Java applet for an interactive animation (on publisher’s website) of queuing and loss
Introduction: 1-61
Throughput
▪ throughput: rate (bits/time unit) at which bits are being sent from
sender to receiver
• instantaneous: rate at given point in time
• average: rate over longer period of time
link capacity
pipe that can carry linkthat
pipe capacity
can carry
Rsfluid
bits/sec
at rate Rfluid
c bits/sec
at rate
serverserver,
sends with
bits
(fluid) into pipe (Rs bits/sec) (Rc bits/sec)
file of F bits
to send to client
Introduction: 1-62
Throughput
Rs < Rc What is average end-end throughput?
Rs bits/sec Rc bits/sec
Rs bits/sec Rc bits/sec
bottleneck link
link on end-end path that constrains end-end throughput
Introduction: 1-63
Throughput: network scenario
▪ per-connection end-
Rs end throughput:
Rs Rs min(Rc,Rs,R/10)
▪ in practice: Rc or Rs is
R often bottleneck
Rc Rc
Rc
* Check out the online interactive exercises for more
examples: http://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/
Introduction: 1-66
Example: organization of air travel
end-to-end transfer of person plus baggage
ticket (purchase) ticket (complain)
baggage (check) baggage (claim)
gates (load) gates (unload)
runway takeoff runway landing
airplane routing airplane routing
airplane routing
Introduction: 1-69
Layered Internet protocol stack
▪ application: supporting network applications
• HTTP, IMAP, SMTP, DNS
application
application
▪ transport: process-process data transfer
• TCP, UDP transport
transport
▪ network: routing of datagrams from source to
destination network
• IP, routing protocols
link
▪ link: data transfer between neighboring
network elements physical
• Ethernet, 802.11 (WiFi), PPP
▪ physical: bits “on the wire”
Introduction: 1-70
Services, Layering and Encapsulation
M
application Application exchanges messages to implement some application
application service using services of transport layer
Ht M
transport Transport-layer protocol transfers M (e.g., reliably) from transport
one process to another, using services of network layer
source destination
Introduction: 1-71
Services, Layering and Encapsulation
M
application application
Ht M
transport Transport-layer protocol transfers M (e.g., reliably) from transport
one process to another, using services of network layer
network Hn Ht M network
Network-layer protocol transfers transport-layer segment
[Ht | M] from one host to another, using link layer services
link link
▪ network-layer protocol encapsulates
transport-layer segment [Ht | M] with
physical network layer-layer header Hn to create a physical
network-layer datagram
source • Hn used by network layer protocol to destination
implement its service
Introduction: 1-72
Services, Layering and Encapsulation
M
application application
Ht M
transport transport
network Hn Ht M network
Network-layer protocol transfers transport-layer segment
[Ht | M] from one host to another, using link layer services
link Hl Hn Ht M link
Link-layer protocol transfers datagram [Hn| [Ht |M] from
host to neighboring host, using network-layer services
physical physical
▪ link-layer protocol encapsulates network
datagram [Hn| [Ht |M], with link-layer header
source Hl to create a link-layer frame destination
Introduction: 1-73
Encapsulation
Matryoshka dolls (stacking dolls)
datagram Hn Ht M
network Hn Ht M network
physical physical
source destination
Introduction: 1-75
message M
source
application
Encapsulation: an
segment
datagram Hn Ht
Ht M
M
transport
network
end-end view
frame Hl Hn Ht M link
physical
link
physical
switch
destination Hn Ht M network
M application Hl Hn Ht M link Hn Ht M
Ht M transport physical
Hn Ht M network
Hl Hn Ht M link router
physical
Introduction: 1-76
Chapter 1: roadmap
▪ What is the Internet?
▪ What is a protocol?
▪ Network edge: hosts, access network,
physical media
▪ Network core: packet/circuit
switching, internet structure
▪ Performance: loss, delay, throughput
▪ Security
▪ Protocol layers, service models
▪ History
Introduction: 1-77
Network security
▪ Internet not originally designed with (much) security in
mind
• original vision: “a group of mutually trusting users attached to a
transparent network” ☺
• Internet protocol designers playing “catch-up”
• security considerations in all layers!
▪ We now need to think about:
• how bad guys can attack computer networks
• how we can defend networks against attacks
• how to design architectures that are immune to attacks
Introduction: 1-78
Network security
▪ Internet not originally designed with (much) security in
mind
• original vision: “a group of mutually trusting users attached to a
transparent network” ☺
• Internet protocol designers playing “catch-up”
• security considerations in all layers!
▪ We now need to think about:
• how bad guys can attack computer networks
• how we can defend networks against attacks
• how to design architectures that are immune to attacks
Introduction: 1-79
Bad guys: packet interception
packet “sniffing”:
▪ broadcast media (shared Ethernet, wireless)
▪ promiscuous network interface reads/records all packets (e.g.,
including passwords!) passing by
A C
A C
Introduction: 1-81
Bad guys: denial of service
Denial of Service (DoS): attackers make resources (server,
bandwidth) unavailable to legitimate traffic by
overwhelming resource with bogus traffic
1. select target
2. break into hosts
around the network
(see botnet)
3. send packets to target target
from compromised
hosts
Introduction: 1-82
Lines of defense:
▪ authentication: proving you are who you say you are
• cellular networks provides hardware identity via SIM card; no such
hardware assist in traditional Internet
▪ confidentiality: via encryption
▪ integrity checks: digital signatures prevent/detect tampering
▪ access restrictions: password-protected VPNs
▪ firewalls: specialized “middleboxes” in access and core
networks:
▪ off-by-default: filter incoming packets to restrict senders, receivers,
applications
▪ detecting/reacting to DOS attacks
Introduction: 1-85
ISO/OSI reference model
Two layers not found in Internet
application
protocol stack!
presentation
▪ presentation: allow applications to
interpret meaning of data, e.g., encryption, session
compression, machine-specific conventions transport
▪ session: synchronization, checkpointing, network
recovery of data exchange link
▪ Internet stack “missing” these layers! physical
• these services, if needed, must be
implemented in application The seven layer OSI/ISO
reference model
• needed?
Introduction: 1-86
More than seven OSI layers
Introduction: 1-87
Services, Layering and Encapsulation
M
application M application
message
Ht M
transport Ht M transport
segment
network Hn Ht M Hn Ht M network
datagram
link Hl Hn Ht M Hl Hn Ht M link
frame
physical physical
source destination
Introduction: 1-88
Wireshark
application
(www browser,
packet
email client)
analyzer
application
OS
packet Transport (TCP/UDP)
Network (IP)
capture copy of all
Ethernet frames Link (Ethernet)
(pcap) sent/received
Physical
Introduction: 1-89