Supporting networking courses with a hands-on laboratory

With the growing importance of communications, the establishment of a network lab with a networking course is becoming a necessary and rewarding venture in many schools. Not only do the students receive instructions in class, but they also obtained hands-on experience through setting up commercial networks in the lab. One such lab is being established at the University of Arkansas in the Computer Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering Department to support the undergraduate and graduate network courses. With the lab, the students can set up the networks and perform various exercises including troubleshooting, administrating, and timing.