* Data transmission: channel limitations. Analog and digital transmission, line coding and modulation. Multiplexing.
* Physical infrastructure and transmission media: SDH/SONET, xDSL, PON, wireless networks.
* Flow and error control: stop&wait and sliding window, error detection and control, error correcting codes, retransmissions (ARQ).
* Multiple access and channelization: TDMA, FDMA, WDMA, CDMA, CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA. Wireless channelization, spread spectrum, OFDM, etc. Access protocols for optical networks. MPLS and GMPLS.
* Local area networks: topologies, access control, Ethernet, wireless LANs, bridged networks, "spanning tree", virtual LANs. Data link protocols.
* Metro area networks: Metro Ethernet, ring networks, WiMAX.