Spring 2026
CS242

Course Overview

This course will follow a flipped-classroom model.
Before each class, students are expected to watch the videos linked to the lecture and ask questions on the class material via a Google form and in-class. During the lecture, we will discuss hard to understand topics, work on examples and exercises, and run some fun demos.

Textbook The course textbook is Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach Featuring the Internet, written by Jim F. Kurose and Keith W. Ross and published by Pearson. Copies of the text are available in the College Bookstore. Every lecture, there will be required readings from the textbook. All readings will be based on the 8th edition of the book, but you might find older versions of the book for way cheaper. A small part of the readings can only be found in the 8th edition, but we can provide copies of these sections via the College Library, if you choose to buy a previous edition.

Lectures and textbook resources The course videos and many demos are adopted from the material prepared by one of the textbook authors, Jim Kurose. We will refer a lot to the textbook resource companion website (https://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/index.php).

Other Platforms

We will use Piazza for all course communication as well as group discussions.
I encourage you to use it for class discussions, and questions. If you know the answer to a classmate's question, feel free to post a reply yourself. Please do not post any code or answers in your messages on the group!

We will also use Gradescope for all course assignment submissions, including coding problems.

Course Syllabus

All important course information and policies can be found in the CS 242 course syllabus.

Special Accommodations

If you have a disability or condition, either long-term or temporary, and need reasonable academic adjustments in this course, please contact Accessibility and Disability Resources (ADR) to get a letter outlining your accommodation needs, and submit that letter to me. You should request accommodations as early as possible in the semester, or before the semester begins, since some situations can require significant time for review and accommodation design. If you need immediate accommodations, please arrange to meet with me as soon as possible. If you are unsure but suspect you may have an undocumented need for accommodations, you are encouraged to contact (ADR). They can provide assistance including screening and referral for assessments.

Disability Services can be reached at accessibility@wellesley.edu, at 781-283-2434, by scheduling an appointment online at their website, https://www.wellesley.edu/adr or by visiting their offices on the 3rd floor of Clapp Library, rooms 316 and 315.

Nondiscrimination and Harassment

Wellesley College considers diversity essential to educational excellence, and we are committed to being a community in which each member thrives. The College does not allow discrimination or harassment based on race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, ethnic or national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, pregnancy or any other protected status under applicable local, state or federal law. If you or someone you know has experienced discrimination or harassment, support is available to you:

• Confidential reporting: Students can report their experiences to Health Services (781.283.2810); Stone Center Counseling Service (781.283.2839); or Religious and Spiritual Life (781.283.2685). These offices are not required to report allegations of sexual misconduct to the College.
• Non-confidential reporting:
  • You can let me know. As a faculty member, I am obligated to report allegations of sex-based discrimination to the Nondiscrimination/Title IX Office.
  • You can report directly to the Nondiscrimination/Title IX Office (781.283.2451) to receive supports, and to learn more about your options for a response by the College or about reporting to a different institution.
  • You can report to the Wellesley College Police Department (Emergency: 781.283.5555, Non-emergency: 781.283.2121) if you believe a crime has been committed, or if there is an immediate safety risk.