Navigating Network Addressing and Routing

A comprehensive unit for 12th-grade computer science students exploring the Domain Name System (DNS), routing algorithms, HTTP protocols, and network diagnostic tools. Students move from high-level naming concepts to the low-level physical routing of data packets across the global internet.

The DNS Hierarchy

Students explore the hierarchical structure of DNS, from root servers to top-level domains (TLDs) and subdomains, through a role-play simulation of a DNS lookup.

DNS Security and Spoofing

An examination of DNS vulnerabilities and security, focusing on how DNS spoofing and cache poisoning can redirect traffic to malicious sites.

Routing Algorithms and Cost

Introduction to network routing logic and Dijkstra's algorithm concepts, where students calculate the most efficient data paths based on cost, distance, and congestion.

HTTP and the World Wide Web

A deep dive into the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), distinguishing the World Wide Web from the Internet and analyzing the structure of GET and POST requests.

Tracing the Path

Students use command-line tools like traceroute to map the physical and logical path data takes to reach international servers, visualizing the geographic reality of routing.