2nd International Conference on Modelling, Identification and Control (MIC 2015)

Teaching the PPP Network Course Based on Network Simulator

Anbao Wang
School of Computer and Information, Shanghai Second Polytechnic University, Shanghai 201209 China
e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract—Due to the complexity of network, the original results under a network environment of high degree of
teaching method cannot meet the needs of development of complexity.
network. Network simulation is an effective means of b) Forecast function of network simulation is unmatched
researching in network protocols and a new kind of network by any other method.
design and optimization technique, it can provide reliable c) Wide range of use, both optimization and expansion
network planning design of quantitative basis, also can test of the existing networks and design of the new network can
plan, or compare different design schemes. This paper be used, and particularly applicable for design and
introduces the principle and characteristic of ns3, proposes
optimization of Medium and large network.
using open source software ns3 as an assistant means to
d) Low initial application cost, only very few funds will
improve the teaching quality, and also discusses the
application of ns3 in network education as well. An example is
be able to provide practical network design and operating
provided at the end of this paper. environment for large number of students, furthermore, the
constructed network model can continue to use so that the
Keywords- teaching; PPP network; ns3, network simulator; latter investment will still decline continuously.
e) It is flexible, vivid and visual to use simulator for
teaching. To teach via network simulator, students can
I. SHORTCOMING OF TEACHING IN CURRENT NETWORK visually see the dealing of the network protocol and
COURSE
understand the effect of various environmental or other
factors on the network, can also demonstrate the advantages
A. Shortcoming and disadvantages of various strategies through comparison.
Modern Information Network courses are mainly related f) The simulation results can be reproduced and easily
to a variety of network protocols, which teaching contents analysis. In this platform, the experimenter can obtain
are mostly based on the five-layer reference model of "ideal" network environment via configuring environmental
TCP/IP. Due to the limited analyze for the theory of protocol parameters and can real-time track and record important
in the teaching, students often feel dry and abstract in the information of key node so as to gain the first-hand
learning process. information about network performance evaluation.
Most people feel it is difficult to understand in the end of Moreover, certain special circumstances can be reproduced
the course. Most of the existing teaching means are the at any time, which is difficult to do in the real network.
principle course plus the experiment course. Principle course
basically adopt such teaching methods as writing on II. INTRODUCTION TO NETWORK SIMULATOR NS3
blackboard, using multimedia and so on. Multimedia mostly The ns3 simulator is a discrete-event network simulator
use PowerPoint slides, just simply move books onto the targeted primarily for research and educational use. In ns3,
computer screen, so enhancing the role of teaching the simulator is written entirely in C++, with optional
performance is little; In addition, because of the complexity Python bindings. Simulation scripts can therefore be written
of the network, school cannot buy a lot of network in C++ or in Python. The results of some simulations can be
equipment; Furthermore, network development is fast, visualized by nam, but new animators are under
various new protocols and equipment are updated constantly, development. Since ns3 generates pcap packet trace files,
it is difficult to build an environment of network to practice other utilities such as Wireshark can be used to analyze
teaching, so the experiment method cannot be used to allow traces as well [8-9].
students access to perceptual knowledge. Even if there is a ns3 is a free software simulation platform which aims at
real experiment environment, facing to huge and complex network technology and whose source code is open.
network environment, students will likewise not gain the Researchers can use it easily to develop network technology.
upper hand, and are difficult to understand the real effect ns3 contains an abundance of modules, almost relating to all
brought about by a variety of factors. So a lot of methods are the aspects of network technology. A large number of
researched to get good teaching results. [14] people are using or attempt to use ns3 in the education sector
B. The advantages of using the network simulator and academic community at present [1-7].
Network simulation technology has the following
characteristics [6]:
a) The entirely new simulation experiment mechanism
makes it have the characteristics of gaining high reliability

© 2015. The authors - Published by Atlantis Press 6

 III. THE APPLICATION IN TEACHING point out how the PPP encapsulates the datagram of network
layer.
A. The General Process for Network Simulation Using
ns3
Firstly we must analyze which layer simulation touches
on. ns3 simulation is based on c++ programming. Utilizing
existing network elements of ns3 to achieve simulation,
there is no need to amend ns3 itself, just to compile c++
script. If there is not network elements required in ns3, it Figure 1. Example of a ONE-COLUMN figure caption.
needs to expand ns3 and add the necessary network elements,
that is, adding a new c++ category and compiling new c++ When teaching the theory of PPP protocol, we can cut
script. Supposing that the user has completed expansion of some snippet from the ns3 source code, explain the code to
ns3, or components containing in ns3 have met the the students in order to help them to understand the format
requirements, then carrying out a step of simulation is of the PPP frame and the working process of PPP . for
approximately as follows: [14-15] example the PPP header is defined in file ppp-header.h, and
a) Starting to compile c++ script. The first thing is to the key code is displayed below.
configure simulation network topology structure, at this time void SetProtocol (uint16_t protocol);
the basic features of chain can be determined, such as delay, uint16_t GetProtocol (void);
private:
bandwidth and loss strategies and so on. uint16_t m_protocol;
b) Establishing protocol agency, including protocol
binding of end equipment and establishment of C. The Application of ns3 in Teaching
communication business model. A point-to-point network is built, the topology is very
c) Configuring parameters of business model, so as to simple, and there is a point to point connection between
determine the distribution of business in network. node n0 and node n1. This simulation scripts refers to the
d) Setting the trace target. ns3 saves the entire simulation literature [8], we simulate n0 as a client who sends package
process via trace files. After simulating, the user can analyze to n1 acting as a server using point to point connection. The
and research the trace files. parameters for the simulation at the starting time show in
e) Compiling other assistant process, setting the time of table1.
simulation of starting and ending, then the c++ script is
completed. TABLE I. THE PARAMETERS FOR THE SIMULATION
f) Using ns3 to explain and execute c++ script compiled Name value
just now. Device DataRate 5Mbps
g) Analyzing the trace files and to obtain useful data. Channel Delay 2ms
Adjust configuring topology structure and business model, Client MaxPackets 1
then re-simulating above process. Client Interval 1.0s(Seconds)
Client PacketSize 1024
B. The concept of the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) IP address(Client) 10.1.1.1
The Point-to-Point Protocol is designed for simple links IP address(Server) 10.1.1.2
Server Start 1.0s(Seconds)
which transport packets between two peers. These links Server Stop 10.0s(Seconds)
provide full-duplex simultaneous bi-directional operation, Client Start 2.0s (Seconds)
and are assumed to deliver packets in order. It is intended Client Stop 10.0 s (Seconds)
that PPP provide a common solution for easy connection of
a wide variety of hosts, bridges and routers [12]. PPP is Device DataRate tells the PPP layer to use the value
comprised of three main components: [13] “5Mbps” as the “DataRate”. Channel Delay sets the point to
1. A method for encapsulating multi-protocol datagrams. point channel to use the value “2ms” as the value of the
2. A Link Control Protocol (LCP) for establishing, transmission delay. The Client MaxPackets tells the client
configuring, and testing the data-link connection. the maximum number of packets allowed to be sent during
3. A family of Network Control Protocols (NCPs) for the simulation. Client Interval tells the client how long to
establishing and configuring different network-layer wait between packets, and the Client PacketSize tells the
protocols. client how large its packet payloads should be. It is told the
The Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) is working at the client to send one 1024-byte packet. Server Start and Stop
second layer of the network, and it provides the service for will cause the server to start at one second and to stop at ten
the network layer, so when teaching the PPP protocol, seconds into the simulation. Client Start and Stop will cause
Firstly, the basic theory for the PPP protocol is presented, the Client when to start and stop into the simulation.
for example, the Encapsulation, Error Control, and Firstly we can use the function of Logging Module to get
Transparent Transmission, they are the three key points in some information from the console directly.
the MAC layer. At time 2s client sent 1024 bytes to 10.1.1.2 port 9
During the teaching period, the method for encapsulating At time 2.00369s server received 1024 bytes from 10.1.1.1 port 49153
multi-protocol datagrams is introduced. The figure 1 is to At time 2.00369s server sent 1024 bytes to 10.1.1.1 port 49153

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 At time 2.00737s client received 1024 bytes from 10.1.1.2 port 9 Figure 2 shows that there is a point to point connection
By explaining the message above, it can tell the students between node n0 (ip address 10.1.1.1) and node n1 (ip
when and where the package is sent or received on the PPP address 10.1.1.2), we run this simulation about 200 seconds,
peer layer. It can be used to explain the operation mode of the following is the analysis of the result in this experiment
the Client/Server as well. for node n0, and firstly, this simulation result tells the
We want to tell the students the network performance students how the Point to Point network acts step by step
parameters in different parameters, so we change some over time. There are 196 packages which are sent or
parameters for the simulation showed in table2, the others received in n0, we can scan every packets to learn the details,
are remains unchanged as table1. for example, the first packet, the data’s length is 1024 bytes,
the UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is used to encapsulate
TABLE II. THE PARAMETERS FOR THE SIMULATION
the data from the upper layer in the transport layer, the Src
Name value port is 49153, and the Dst port is 9. The ipv4 is used in
Device DataRate 1Mbps network layer, and then the PPP is used in second layer. We
Channel Delay 1ms can also get the protocol hierarchy using the Wireshark
Client MaxPackets 200
Client Interval 1s(Seconds)
which is show in Figure 3, and it is clearer than the Figure 2.
Client PacketSize 1024
Server Start 1.0s(Seconds)
Server Stop 100.0s(Seconds)
Client Start 2.0s (Seconds)
Client Stop 100.0 s (Seconds)

The pcap files are the output when the simulation stops,
and they can be used to help the students to learn the data
transfer between the two nodes between the client (node n0) Figure 3. protocol hierarchy
and the server (node n1). When the command “tcpdump” is
used to display the pcap file for node n0, the output is as Figure 2 and Figure 3 is the simulation procedures of the
follows. selected node in this simulation, it presents packets transfer
reading from file ppp-0-0.pcap, link-type PPP (PPP) between the client and the server in a manner of easy way to
2.000000 IP 10.1.1.1.49153 > 10.1.1.2.9: UDP, length 1024 understand for students, and also it is convenient to use
2.018864 IP 10.1.1.2.9 > 10.1.1.1.49153: UDP, length 1024 some kind of the tools to get the statistics data of this node
3.000000 IP 10.1.1.1.49153 > 10.1.1.2.9: UDP, length 1024 which is showed in Table 3.
3.018864 IP 10.1.1.2.9 > 10.1.1.1.49153: UDP, length 1024
4.000000 IP 10.1.1.1.49153 > 10.1.1.2.9: UDP, length 1024 In Table 3, it shows that in 100 seconds 196 packets
4.018864 IP 10.1.1.2.9 > 10.1.1.1.49153: UDP, length 1024 were transmitted, there are 97.017 seconds between first and
5.000000 IP 10.1.1.1.49153 > 10.1.1.2.9: UDP, length 1024 last packet, it is accordance with our estimate, the average
The first line of the output indicates that the link type is packets/sec is 2.020, and the average packet size is about
PPP (point-to-point) which we expect. You then see the 1054.000 bytes. From these statistics data it provides extra
echo packet leaving node n0 at 2 seconds via the device help for students to master the PPP network procedure with
associated with IP address 10.1.1.1, node n0 headed for IP accurate statistic information.
address 10.1.1.2, node n1. This packet will move over the
point-to-point link and be received by the point-to-point net TABLE III. THE STATISTICS DATA IN NODE N0
device on node n1. Name value 
The second line of the output indicates that the reply Packets 196
packet leaving node n1 at 2.018864 seconds via the device Between first and last packet 97.017 sec
associated with IP address 10.1.1.2, node n1 headed for IP Avg. packets/sec 2.020
address 10.1.1.1 node n0. This packet will move over the Avg packet size 1054.000 bytes
point-to-point link and be received by the point-to-point net Bytes 206584
Avg bytes/sec 2129.357
device on node n0.
Avg Mbit/sec 0.017
After the simulation, the tool of Wireshark is used to
From the analysis of the work procedure in the point to
display the simulation procedure; it is very useful and vivid
point network between the node n0 and n1, the students can
to find how the packet is sent and received. The result for n0
easily understand the real process and the details of the point
is display in figure 2.
to point network, it can tell the student the time when the
package is send or received; where the package is send or
received. The size and protocol type of the packet is present
to the student obviously as well.
In the rest of the experiment, one of parameters is
changed in PPP network, the Client Interval is changed
between 0.1s to 2ms, and we want to tell the students how it
can affect the performance in node n0 of PPP network. The
Figure 2. Procedure of the packets sent and received.
result are showed in Figure 4, Figure 5, and Figure 6.

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 those files, the protocol working procedure can also be
easily lay out lively.
IV. CONCLUSION
Teaching practice indicates that the teaching of computer
network course not only needs the content of theory teaching
modernization as well as that of practical teaching in the
time when the development of computer network becomes
complexity more and more, but also needs to continuously
explore and research advanced teaching ideas and methods
and means to stimulate students’ interests in this course and
improve teaching quality. Here, the network simulation tool
Figure 4. Packets transfer according to the Client Interval ns3 as a teaching aid to construct a virtual network
simulation teaching environment, which has positive
significance in improving teaching effect and level of
computer network course and can make up for the
shortcoming of current computer network course teaching to
a certain extent. This is an entirely new exploration in the
teaching of computer network course.
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