Chapter 5 Question Bank

5.1 Ethernet Protocol

1. Ethernet operates at what OSI layers?

= Ethernet operates in the data link layer and the physical layer

2. Ethernet is defined by which IEEE standards?

= Ethernet is a family of networking technologies that are defined in the IEEE 802.2 and
802.3 standards.

3. What is the purpose of the LLC sublayer?

= The LLC is used to communicate with the upper layers of the application and transition the
packet to the lower layers for delivery to the destination node.

4. What are the two primary responsibilities of the Ethernet MAC sublayer?

= - Data encapsulation

The data encapsulation process includes frame assembly before transmission, and
frame disassembly upon reception of a frame. In forming the frame, the MAC layer
adds a header and trailer to the network layer PDU.

- Media access control

Media access control is responsible for the placement of frames on the media and
the removal of frames from the media. As its name implies, it controls access to the
media. This sublayer communicates directly with the physical layer.
5. List and describe the three primary functions of data encapsulation.

= - frame delimiting  The framing process provides important delimiters that are used to
identify a group of bits that make up a frame. These delimiting bits provide synchronization
between the transmitting and receiving nodes.

-Addressing  The encapsulation process contains the layer 3 PDU and also provides for
data link layer addressing.

- Error detection  each frame contains a trailer used to detect any errors in transmissions.

6. What is media access control responsible for?

= Placement and removal of frames in the media. Control access to the media.
Communicates directly to physical layer.
7. What is the minimum and maximum frame size as defined by Ethernet II and IEEE 802.3?

= the minimum Ethernet II frame size is 64 bytes and the maximum is 1518 bytes.

8. Describe the structure of a MAC address as specified by IEEE standards?

= OUI( organizationally unique identifier) (24 BITS)

– Vendor assigned(NIC, Interface)(24 bits)

9. What is a unicast MAC address?

= Unique address used when a frame is sent from single transmitting device to single
destination device.

10. What is the function of a multicast address?

= Multicast addresses allow a source device to send a packet to a group of devices.

11. Write out a broadcast MAC address.

= - a broadcast packet contains a destination IPv4 address that has all ones(1s) in the host
portion. This numbering in the address means that all hosts on that local network(broadcast
domains) will receive and process the packet. Many network protocols, such as dhcp AND
aRP, use broadcasts.

Example: FF-FF-FF-FF-FF-FF in hexademical(48 ones in binary)

12. What command is used to identify the MAC address of an Ethernet adapter on a
Windows host?

= 1. Command: ipconfig/all

2. Look for ‘Physical Address’/ MAC Address.

13. What is the range of multiclass IPv4 addresses?

=IPv4 address is in range 224.0.0.0 – 239.255.255.255

5.2 LAN Switches

14. What type of address does an Ethernet Switch use to make forwarding decisions?

= MAC address
15. How does a switch dynamically build up MAC address table?

= By examining the source MAC address of incoming frames.

16. Explain what happens if the source MAC address does exist in the table but on a
different port.

= The switch updates the refresh timer for that entry.

17. If the destination IPv4 host is within the local network, the frame will use the MAC
address of this device is used as the destination MAC address. For packets destined for
external networks, which device’s MAC address would be used for the destination MAC
address?

= For the external networks, the MAC address of the router in that particular network will be
used for the packets. While for internal network, the packets will use the MAC address of
the local area router (default getaway).

18. List and explain two forwarding methods for switching data between network ports.

= Store-and-forward switching

- Receives entire frame then forward frames

- Computes CRC; if CRC is valid switch looks up the destination address which
determines the outgoing interface, frame is then forwarded out the correct port.

Cut-through

- Forward frames before get the entire frame (at least have to read destination
address first before it is forwarded).

19. List and explain two variants of cut-through switching.

= Fast-forward switching:

- Lowest level of latency

- Forwards packets after reading destination address
- It forwards before entire packet received and because of this there will be errors and
destination network adapter discards faulty packet.
- Latency is measured from first bit received to first bit transmitted.

Fragment-free switching:
 - Try to perform small error check to ensure collision will not occur before forwarding the
frame by storing the first 64-bytes on the frame before forwarding because most network
errors nd collisions occurs on the first 64-bytes
- Compromise between store and forward (high latency and integrity) and fast and forward
switching (low latency and intergrity)

20. An Ethernet switch may use a buffering technique to store frames before forwarding
them, describe two memory buffering methods.

= 1. Port-based memory buffering

- In port-based memory buffering, frames are stored in queues that are linked to
specific incoming and outgoing ports.

2. Shared-Memory Buffering

- the frames in the buffer are linked dynamically to the destination port.

21. What is duplex mismatch?

= when one ethernet port operates at full-duplex and the other port operate at half-duplex
this will cause duplex mismatch. This occurs when one or both ports on a link are reset then
the auto-negotiation process does not result in both link partners have the same
configuration. It can also occurs when users reconfigure one side of a link but forgot to
reconfigure others. Both sides should have auto-negotiation on or off.

22. Explain in detail the function of the auto-MDIX feature.

= The switch feature to detect the type of cable attached to the port and configures the
interfaces accordingly. You can use either crossover or straight-through cable for connections
to copper 10/100/1000 port on switch regardless of the type of device on the other end of
the connection.

5.3 Address Resolution Protocol

23. There are two primary addresses assigned to a device on an Ethernet LAN. List and
describe both.

a. Physical address (MAC address) – used for ethernet NIC to ethernet NIC
communications on the same network
 b. Logical address (IP address) – used to send the packet from the original source to
the final destination.

24. The Layer 2 Ethernet frame contains:

a. Destination MAC address – MAC address of the final destination ethernet NIC.
b. Source MAC address – MAC address of the source ethernet NIC.

25. The Layer 3 IP packet contains:

a. Source IP address – IP address of source
b. Destination IP address – IP address of destination

26. When the destination IP address is in an external (or remote) network which device’s
MAC address is used as the destination MAC address?

= default gateway

27. If the destination IP address is known but the destination MAC address is not known,
how does a host determine what is the destination MAC address?

= By sending arp request. Firstly, the source will check its arp cache and if there is no
information about the mac address of destination device it will send an arp request which is
a broadcast address (all device in network must receive and process the frames). Then all
device compares their ip address with the destination ip address. The one with matching ip
address will send arp reply with its mac address

28. What are the two basic function of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)?

a. Resolving IPv4 addresses to MAC addresses

b. Maintaining a table of mappings

29. What command is used to display the ARP table on a Cisco router or Switch?

= ip arp

30. What command is used to display the ARP table on a Windows PC?
= arp -a

31. Explain how ARP spoofing or ARP poisoning works.

= technique used by attacker to reply to an ARP request for an IPv4 address belonging to
another device such as default getaway. Attacker sends ARP reply with its own mac address
and because of this, the receiver will add the wrong mac address to arp table and send
packets to the attacker.