Education of wireless and ATM networking concepts using hands-on laboratory experience

Traditional computer networking courses primarily tend to provide students with hands-on software development and network performance experience with TCP/IP and Ethernet networks. Our objectives are to enhance the curriculum of networking courses and the expertise of students by introducing next-generation networks such as wireless and ATM networks. To facilitate this, we have established a wireless ATM network instructional facility (NIF) at Washington State University (WSU). Projects based on ATM networks and wireless networks have been introduced in a course on undergraduate computer networks taught at WSU during Spring 1998. This paper describes the laboratory setup, the projects and assignments, and the feedback obtained from the students.