The Department of Electrical Engineering at the Malawi Polytechnic, a constituent college of the University of Malawi, in conjunction with the Radio Communication Unit of the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy has organized a short course on Wireless Networking for Developing Countries. This is part of the Wireless Networking for Health Applications project, a project being run at the Malawi Polytechnic, with the assistance from ICTP.

The aim of this short course is to introduce the principles of Networking and Internet; particularly Wireless Networking based on 802.11 IEEE standards. It will provide participants with hands-on experience on the design and implementation of low-cost wireless networks for computer communications. This course will run from 10^th March to 14^th March 2008. This short course is suitable to those who wish to learn about implementing wireless LANs in their enterprises and who support wireless LANs and technical persons. Particularly, the following persons will find the courses attractive:

• Electrical, Telecommunications and Computer Engineers and technicians;
• System administrators and network managers;
• Internet service providers;
• Internet Café Networks operators and managers.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:On completion of the course, the participants should be able to:

• Demonstrate an understanding of principles of radio propagation and communication, antenna and wireless networks;
• Design wireless Local Area Networks in compliance with the 802.11 IEEE Standards;
• Perform hardware set-up and software configuration of equipment for Ethernet/ wireless networks such as Access Points (AP) and Customer Premises Equipment (CPE);
• Use software tools to analyse wireless networks links;
• Design and set up WLAN security features such as WEP.

COURSE CONTENT:Principles of Radio Propagation, Radio Communication Channels and Digital modulation and antenna; Basics of Networks, Routing and sub-netting, Wireless Networks and Hardware; Spectrum Management and Regulation; and Wireless Networks Security.

PRACTICAL ACTIVITIES:Site survey; Link budget analysis; Access Points (AP) and Customer-premises equipment (CPE) configurations; and Software for wireless link design.

REGISTRATION: Course fee per participant is MWK55, 000.00, covering among other expenses lunch, refreshments and printed course notes. Cash or Cheques should be paid to Electrical Engineering Department.

Application forms for the short course can be obtained from the following people:

• Mr Clement Nyirenda; Mobile: +265(0)9929446, fax +265 (0) 1870 578, email:cnyirenda at poly.ac.mw

• Dr Harry Gombachika; Mobile: +265 (0) 8340 922, fax: +265 (0) 1870 578, email: hgombachika at poly.ac.mw

Please note that travel and subsistence expenses are the responsibility of the participants.

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