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Technical University of Munich

Master Practical Course: Exploring Beyond 5G Networks Through Simulation

(Formerly: Master Practical Course: Computer Network Simulation)

Important Information

  • Pre-meeting: 11.07.2025 at 14:00 in Room 01.07.023
    • Pre-Meeting Slides available here.
  • Registration: 18.07.2025 – 22.07.2025 using the matching system
  • Duration: 17.10.2025 – 06.02.2026 with:
    • All meetings and consultation hours will take place on Fridays 14:00 - 18:00.
    • First meeting on 17.10.2025 at 14:15 in Room 01.07.023.
    • We will hold all lectures and meetings in person! Attendance of lectures and meetings is mandatory.
  • The course is split into two blocks:
    • First block with introductory lectures (5 weeks)
      • Graded homework associated with each lecture
    • Second block with project work (~10 weeks)
      • Initial project meeting and discussion
      • Mid-term project meeting and discussion
      • Final project presentation
  • ECTS: 10.
  • Capacity: 24.
  • Module ID: IN2106, IN4324
  • Concept: Initial weekly homeworks individually, later project work in teams of 1 to 3 students. The students will apply network simulation in a practical setting, and learn how to use it and obtain meaningful results.

Course Description

Simulation is an essential tool extensively used for the development of new technologies and solutions. It allows us to obtain preliminary results and insights without the need for, sometimes costly, real-world deployments. Especially in the area of computer networks, simulation provides a straightforward and flexible method for prototyping and obtaining insights into bleeding-edge networking solutions.

This master practical lab course will give you an introduction with hands-on experience to computer networks simulation. During the run of the course, you will learn how to use OMNeT++, a discrete-event simulator. This will be used as a tool to explore 5th generation mobile networks (5G), their challenges, and future opportunities. We will use the simulation framework to propose new applications/protocols in the form of project work. Additionally, you will understand how to obtain meaningful information, results, and/or artifacts out of the simulated environment. Finally, you’ll learn about limitations of simulation and situations in which it might not be usable.

The contents of this course include, but are not limited to:

  • Introduction to discrete event simulation
  • Introduction to simulation software (OMNeT++)
  • Revision of knowledge on computer networking
  • Introduction to 5G
    • 5G Core
    • 5G Radio Access Network
    • Mobile Edge Computing
    • Other enabling technologies and use-cases, e.g., Time-Sensitive Networking for URLLC
  • Best practices for result collection, evaluation, and visualization

Learning Outcomes / Study Goals

After successful completion of this module, students will understand how discrete-event simulation works and will be able to apply this knowledge in practice to experiment with 5G networks and obtain meaningful results out of the introduced tools. Furthermore, they will be able to evaluate and visualize the obtained results.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The class is conducted as a lab course during Winter Term 2025/26. The class comes in two parts/blocks. The first 5 weeks will include lectures on the topic of discrete event simulation and 5th generation mobile networks. Each lecture will come with an associated, graded, individual homework. Each homework will include a 5-minute discussion with the lecturer on the homework’s topic. In parallel to the lectures, groups of max 3 students will be formed, who will familiarize themselves with and prepare the simulation environment to be used for project development in the second block.

In the second part, the groups will work on a project broadening their understanding of computer network simulation, focusing on 5th generation and beyond mobile networks. They will develop an extensive simulation environment, focusing on:

  1. Implementation of new methods into the simulator
  2. Evaluation of data obtained from the simulation
  3. Exploration of new 5G concepts
  4. Other relevant technologies for beyond 5G networks

The students will be able to influence their project topic in consultation with the lecturers.

During the second block, students will hold three presentations. One at the beginning discussing their ideas, one mid-term and one final talk outlining their project and results. In each of those meetings, students will have to answer questions on their solution as part of the grading process. There will also be weekly consultation hours.

Prerequisites

  • General knowledge about computer networking
  • General familiarity with the C++ programming language
  • Access to a Unix-based system with root privileges

Contact

For more information or to apply for the course, please contact both Marcin Bosk and Mehmet Mert Beşe!

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