HKUST ECE
Computer Networks (ELEC 3120)
Fall 2026

Schedule

This syllabus is tentative. Lecture topics, tutorial topics, the midterm, and assignment/project dates may change. Course materials and external service links will be added gradually.

Lectures (L1): Monday 1:30PM-2:50PM and Friday 9:00AM-10:20AM, LTL, CYT Bldg. Tutorial T1: Monday 3:00PM-3:50PM, Rm 5583, Lift 29-30. Tutorial T2: Friday 3:00PM-3:50PM, Rm 2504, Lift 25-26. All times are Hong Kong time.

Tutorials are grouped by teaching week, with Monday (T1) and Friday (T2) sharing a row. No tutorial on September 4; tutorials begin on September 7 (T1) and September 11 (T2). October 23 is T2 only, and November 30 is T1 only.

Teaching period: September 1-November 30, 2026. The first lecture is September 4. No lecture or T1 tutorial on October 19 (the day following Chung Yeung Festival). September 26 (the day following the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival) and October 1 (National Day) do not fall on our teaching days.

Study break: December 1-5. Final examination period: December 7-19; the course’s final exam date, time, and venue are to be announced.

Calendar reference: HKUST Academic Calendar 2026-27, confirmed July 2026.

  • Event
    Date
    Description
    Course Material
  • Lecture
    04/09
    Friday
    Network Transmission and Performance
    [slides] [recording]

    Suggested Readings:

  • Lecture
    07/09
    Monday
    The Web
    [slides] [recording]

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    07/09 and 11/09
    Mon and Fri
    Coding Recap

    Recap on C++ Programming How to compile and debug C++ codes.

  • Project
    07/09
    Monday
    Checkpoint 1: Kickoff (tentative release)
    [code autograder] [report]
  • Lecture
    11/09
    Friday
    The Web (cont'd)
    [slides]

    Suggested Readings:

  • Lecture
    14/09
    Monday
    Video Streaming

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    14/09 and 18/09
    Mon and Fri
    Introduction to Checkpoint 1
  • Assignment
    14/09
    Monday
    Homework #1: Web and Video (tentative release)
    [Homework #1: Web and Video]
  • Lecture
    18/09
    Friday
    Video Streaming (con't)

    Suggested Readings:

  • Lecture
    21/09
    Monday
    Transport Model

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    21/09 and 25/09
    Mon and Fri
    Coding Advanced

    Usage of Visual Studio Code, Copilot, Cursor, etc.

  • Lecture
    25/09
    Friday
    TCP Basics

    Suggested Readings:

  • Assignment
    25/09
    Friday
    Homework #2: Transport Layer (tentative release)
  • Project
    25/09
    Friday
    Checkpoint 2: TCP Basics, Congestion Control and Loss Recovery (tentative release)
    [code autograder]
  • Lecture
    28/09
    Monday
    Congestion Control

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    28/09 and 02/10
    Mon and Fri
    Introduction to Checkpoint 2
  • Lecture
    02/10
    Friday
    Congestion Control (cont'd)

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    02/10 23:59
    Friday
    Homework #1 due (tentative)
  • Due
    02/10 23:59
    Friday
    Checkpoint #1 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    05/10
    Monday
    Queue Management

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    05/10 and 09/10
    Mon and Fri
    Review of Homework 1
  • Lecture
    09/10
    Friday
    IP and DNS

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    09/10 23:59
    Friday
    Checkpoint #2 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    12/10
    Monday
    BGP

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    12/10 and 16/10
    Mon and Fri
    Usage of network tools

    How to use ping, iperf, traceroute, wireshark, etc.

  • Lecture
    16/10
    Friday
    Midterm Review
  • Due
    16/10 23:59
    Friday
    Homework #2 due (tentative)
  • Holiday
    19/10
    Monday
    Public holiday: no lecture or T1 tutorial (day following Chung Yeung Festival)
  • Exam
    23/10 09:00
    Friday
    Midterm Exam (tentative)
  • Tutorial
    23/10
    Fri
    Project Q&A (T2 only)
  • Lecture
    26/10
    Monday
    BGP (cont'd)

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    26/10 and 30/10
    Mon and Fri
    Review of Homework 2
  • Assignment
    26/10
    Monday
    Homework #3: Network Layer (tentative release)
  • Project
    26/10
    Monday
    Checkpoint 3: Congestion Control and Loss Recovery (tentative release)
  • Lecture
    30/10
    Friday
    The Internet Architecture

    Suggested Readings:

  • Lecture
    02/11
    Monday
    Local Area Network

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    02/11 and 06/11
    Mon and Fri
    Introduction to Checkpoint 3
  • Assignment
    02/11
    Monday
    Homework #4: Link Layer (tentative release)
  • Lecture
    06/11
    Friday
    Distance Vector

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    06/11 23:59
    Friday
    Homework #3 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    09/11
    Monday
    Link Layer Challenge

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    09/11 and 13/11
    Mon and Fri
    Review of Homework 3
  • Project
    09/11
    Monday
    Checkpoint 4: Design your own algorithm! (tentative release)
  • Lecture
    13/11
    Friday
    Wireless and Mobile Networks

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    13/11 23:59
    Friday
    Checkpoint #3 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    16/11
    Monday
    New Networks

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    16/11 and 20/11
    Mon and Fri
    Introduction to Checkpoint 4
  • Lecture
    20/11
    Friday
    Datacenter Network

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    21/11 23:59
    Saturday
    Homework #4 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    23/11
    Monday
    Network Security

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    23/11 and 27/11
    Mon and Fri
    Review of Homework 4 and Final Review
  • Lecture
    27/11
    Friday
    Advanced Topics in Networking

    Suggested Readings:

  • Due
    27/11 23:59
    Friday
    Checkpoint #4 due (tentative)
  • Lecture
    30/11
    Monday
    Final Review

    Suggested Readings:

  • Tutorial
    30/11
    Mon
    Final Q&A (T1 only)