ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING

CATEGORY L T P CREDIT
ECT423 COMPUTER NETWORKS
PEC 2 1 0 3
.
Preamble: The course aims to expose students to computer networks taking a top-down
approach of viewing from the layer of user applications and zooming into link layer
protocols. The principles of various protocols used in every layer are studied in detail. A brief
introduction to mathematical modelling of queues with an application to a single example is
included.

Prerequisite: MAT 204 Probability, Random Process and Numerical Methods

Course Outcomes: After the completion of the course the student will be able to

CO1 K2 Describe the protocols used in web and email applications.

CO2 K4 Analyse problems pertaining to reliable data transfer, flow control and
congestion over a TCP network.
CO3 K3 Apply Dijkstra’s algorithm and distance-vector algorithm in the context of
routing over computer networks.
CO4 K4 Analyze the performance of collision avoidance algorithms in random
access protocols such as ALOHA.
CO5 K4 Analyze the delay performance of an ARQ system using standard queueing
models.

Mapping of course outcomes with program outcomes

PO PO PO PO
PO 2 PO 3 PO 4 PO 5 PO 6 PO 7 PO 8 PO 9
1 10 11 12
CO 1 3 3 3 2
CO 2 3 3 3 2
CO 3 3 3 3 2
CO 4 3 3 3 2
CO 5

Assessment Pattern

Bloom’s Category Continuous Assessment End Semester Examination

Tests
1 2
Remember
Understand K2 10 10 30
Apply K3 20 20 40
Analyse K4 20 20 30
Evaluate
Create

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Mark distribution

Total Marks CIE ESE ESE Duration

150 50 100 3 hours

Continuous Internal Evaluation Pattern:

Attendance : 10 marks
Continuous Assessment Test (2 numbers) : 25 marks
Assignment/Quiz/Course project : 15 marks

End Semester Examination Pattern: There will be two parts; Part A and Part B. Part A
contain 10 questions with 2 questions from each module, having 3 marks for each question.
Students should answer all questions. Part B contains 2 questions from each module of which
student should answer any one. Each question can have maximum 2 sub-divisions and carry
14 marks. Mark patterns are as per the syllabus with 60 % for theory and 40% for
logical/numerical problems, derivation and proof.

Course Level Assessment Questions

Course Outcome 1 (CO1): Describe the protocols used in web and email applications.
1. Describe the HTTP message format
2. Compare and contrast two application layer protocols SMTP and HTTP

Course Outcome 2 (CO2: Analyse problems pertaining to reliale data transfer, flow control
and congestion over a TCP network.
1. Why is it that voice and video traffic is often sent over TCP rather than UDP in
today’s Internet?
2. Suppose two TCP connections are present over some bottleneck link of rate R bps.
Both connections have a huge file to send (in the same direction over the bottleneck
link). The transmissions of the files start at the same time. What transmission rate
would TCP like to give to each of the connections?

Course Outcome 3 (CO3): Apply Dijkstra’s algorithm and distance-vector algorithm in the
context of routing over computer networks.
1. Consider the following network. Compute the shortest-path from the node D to all
other nodes using Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm. (Numbers indicated shows the
link costs).

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2. Consider a router that interconnects three subnets: Subnet 1, Subnet 2, and Subnet 3.
Suppose all of the interfaces in each of these three subnets are required to have the
prefix 223.1.17/24. Also suppose that Subnet 1 is required to support at least 60
interfaces, Subnet 2 is to support at least 90 interfaces, and Subnet 3 is to support at
least 12 interfaces. Provide three network addresses (of the form a.b.c.d/x) that satisfy
these constraints.

Course Outcome 4 (CO4):Analyze the performance of link-layer protocols in general,

random access protocols in particular in terms of efficiency and collision avoidance
capability.
1. Describe how slotted ALOHA achieves multiple access.
2. Distinguish between TDM, FDM and random access.

Course Outcome 5 (CO5):Analyze the delay performance of an ARQ system using standard
queueing models.
1. Consider a network where packets arrive via N different nodes with different arrivate
rates. Illustrate the use of Littles law in this scenario to calcualte the average packet
delay inside the network.
2. Customers arrive in a restaurant at a rate of 5 per minute, and wait to receive their
order for an average of 5 minutes. Customers eat in the restaurant with a probability
of 0.5, and carry their order out without eating with probability 0.5. What is the
average number of customers in the restaurant?

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 ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
SYLLABUS

Module Course contents Hours

Components of computer networks Components of computer
network, Applications of computer network – the Internet, Definition
of protocol. Protocal standardization.

Network edges, Network core and Network links Client and server
hosts, connectionless and connection-oriented services provided to
hosts, circuit-switched versus packet-swtiched network cores, FDM,
TDM versus statistical multiplexing, Datagram versus Virtual-circuit
networks. Access and physical media.
I 8
Delay and loss in packet-swtiched networks Types of delay, Packet
loss. Layered Architecture: Protocol layering, Internet protocol stack,
Message encapsulation.

Application Layer Communication between processes, Web

application: HTTP, Mssage format, Email application: SMTP,
Message format, MIME, POP3, IMAP and Web-based email. Domain
Name System (DNS)

Transport Layer Multiplexing and demultiplexing: connectionless

and connection-oriented. UDP. Procols for reliable data transfer: ARQ
protocols, stop-and-wait protocol, alternating-bit protocol, Go-back-
II N, Selective Repeat. 7

TCP Connection, segment structure, RTT estimate, Flow control.

Congestion Control General approaches. TCP congestion control.

Network Layer Datagram versus virtual-circuit network service,

Router architecture, IPv4: datagram format, addressing, address
assignement – manual and DHCP, NAT. ICMP. IPv6.
III 7
Routing Algorithms Link-State (Dijkstra’s) Algorithm, Distance-
vector algorithm. Routing in Internet – RIP, OSPF, BGP. Broadcast
and Multicast.

Link Layer Services of link layer, Error detection and corretion –

checksum, CRC. Multiple access protocols – Channel partitioning,
random access, taking-turns. ALOHA – pure and slotted, efficiency,
IV 7
CSMA, CSMA/CA, CSMA/CD. Link layer addressing: MAC
address, ARP, DHCP. Ethernet. Link virtualization: ATM, MPLS

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Wireless Networks IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN

Queueing models in computer networks Littles theorem and

V 8
examples. Review of Poisson process. M/G/1 Queue. Delay analysis
of Go-Back-N ARQ system.

Text Books
1. James F. Kurose, Keith W. Ross, Computer Networking: A Top-Down Approach
Featuring the Internet, 3rd edition, Pearson
2. D. Bertsekas, RG Gallager, Data Networks, Prentice Hal

Reference Books
1. Larry L. Peterson, Bruce S. Davie, Computer Networks – A Systems Approach, Morgan
Kauffman
2. N. Abramson, F. Kuo, Computer Communication Networks, Prentice Hall
3. A. S. Tanenbaum, D. J. Wetherall, Computer Networks, Pearson
4. A. Kumar, D. Manjunath, J. Kuri, Communication Networking – An Analytical Approach,
Morgan Kauffman Series.

Course content and Lecture plan

No TOPIC No of Lectures
MODULE 1
1.1 Components of computer networks, Applications, Protocol, 1
Protocol standrdization
1.2 Hosts, connectionless and connection-oriented, circuit- 1
switching versus packet-swtiching in network core design,
FDM, TDM versus statistical multiplexing,
1.3 Datagram versus Virtual-circuit networks. Examples of access 1
networks, and examples of physical media.
1.4 Types of delay, Packet loss. 1
1.5 Layered Architecture, Protocol layering, Internet protocol 1
stack, Message encapsulation.
1.6 Communication between processes, HTTP, Mssage format 1
1.7 Email application: SMTP, Message format, MIME, POP3, 1
IMAP and Web-based email.
1.8 Domain Name System (DNS) 1
MODULE II
2.1 Services of transport layer, Multiplexing and demultiplexing. 1
Connectionless and connection-oriented transport. UDP.
2.2 Procols for reliable data transfer: ARQ protocols, stop-and- 3
wait protocol, alternating-bit protocol, Go-back-N, Selective
Repeat.

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2.3 TCP Connection, TCP segment, RTT, Flow control. 1
2.4 Congestion, Congestion control. TCP congestion control. 2
MODULE III
3.1 Services of Network Layer,Recap of Datagram versus virtual- 1
circuit network service, Router.

3.2 IPv4 addressing, Address assignement – manual and DHCP, 2

NAT. ICMP. IPv6.
3.3 Link-State (Dijkstra’s) Algorithm, Distance-vector algorithm. 2
3.4 Routing in Internet – RIP, OSPF, BGP. Distinction between 2
Broadcast and Multicast routing.
MODULE IV
4.1 Services of link layer, Parity checks, checksum, CRC. 1
4.2 Multiple access protocols – Channel partitioning, random 1
access, taking-turns.
4.3 ALOHA – pure and slotted, efficiency, CSMA, CSMA/CA, 2
CSMA/CD.
4.4 Link layer addressing: MAC address, ARP, DHCP. 1
4.5 Ethernet 1
4.6 Link virtualization: ATM, MPLS 1
MODULE V
5.1 IEEE 802.11 wireless LAN 1
5.2 Mathematical modeling of queues/buffers. 1
5.3 Littles theorem and examples. 2
5.4 Review of Poisson process. M/G/1 Queue 1
5.5 Delay analysis of Go-Back-N ARQ system. 3

Simulation Assignments

Assignment 1:

1. Understanding protocols using Wireshark.

2. Wireshark is a standard network packet analyzer tool which can be used to analyze
how the different protocol layers work (by adding headers and other meta
information) to an application layer message.

3. Students can download Wireshark for their OS from

https://www.wireshark.org/download.html

4. Sample packet traces can be obtained from https://wiki.wireshark.org/SampleCaptures

or https://gitlab.com/wireshark/wireshark/-/wikis/SampleCaptures. Examples such as
TCP, DHCP, DNS can be viewed.

5. https://gaia.cs.umass.edu/kurose_ross/wireshark.php

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 ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
Assignment 2: (requires Python/Matlab)

1. Programming/Implementation of Dijsktra’s and distance vector algorithm for shortest

path on a graph.

2. Representation of networks in a programming language – Sstudents can use

NetworkX library in Python for this.

3. Generation of random graphs (students can use inbuilt functions of NetworkX – see
for example https://networkx.org/documentation/stable/reference/generators.html)

4. Visualization of the generated graphs can be done using

https://networkx.org/documentation/stable/reference/drawing.html

5. Use inbuilt shortest path functions to obtain a baseline to test self-written code
https://networkx.org/documentation/stable/reference/algorithms/shortest_paths.html)

6. Implementation of Dijsktra’s algorithm (see

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dijkstra%27s_algorithm)

7. Implementation of Bellman Ford’s algorithm (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance-

vector_routing_protocol)

8. Compare your answers with that of the inbuilt functions.

9. Do the assignment following the instructions here:

https://media.pearsoncmg.com/aw/aw_kurose_network_3/labs/lab6/lab6.html

Assignment 3: (understanding TCP)

1. Fully fledged simulation using NS3 can be given as a demonstration by the instructor
https://www.cse.iitb.ac.in/~mythili/teaching/cs224m_autumn2017/tcpsimpa/index.ht
ml

2. Do the assignment following the instructions here:

https://media.pearsoncmg.com/aw/aw_kurose_network_3/labs/lab5/lab5.html

3. Do the assignment following the instructions here:

https://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/esm/ecs_kurose_compnetwork_8/cw/#interactivean
imations

4. Do the assignment following the instructions here:

https://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/esm/ecs_kurose_compnetwork_8/cw/content/intera
ctiveanimations/tcp-congestion/index.html

Assignment 4: (basic queueing model and Little’s law)

1. Assignment 4 in the attached collection is a good to understand Littles law.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CXauy0ehYno1ih6Zwllc_2XFLIe7cH6s/view

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 ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
2. Do the assignment following the instructions here:
https://media.pearsoncmg.com/ph/esm/ecs_kurose_compnetwork_8/cw/content/intera
ctiveanimations/queuing-loss-applet/index.html

Model Question paper

APJ ABDUL KALAM TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

VII SEMESTER B. TECH DEGREE EXAMINATION, (Model Question Paper)
Course Code: ECT423

Course Name: COMPUTER NETWORKS

Max. Marks: 100 Duration: 3 Hours

PART A

Answer all questions, each carries3marks

1 Compare and contrast circuit switching and packet switching. 3
2 Explain the concept of FTTH internet access. 3
3 How does the process-to-process delivery service is achieved in transport layer? 3
4 Describe stop-and-wait protocol for reliable data transfer. 3
5 Give the basic blocks in router architecture. 3
6 What are the different error reporting messages in ICMP? 3
7 Explain the frame structure of Ethernet. 3
8 Compare and contrast different random-access protocols. 3
9 Customers arrive in a restaurant at a rate of 5 per minute, and wait to receive their 3
order for an average of 5 minutes. Customers eat in the restaurant with a probability
of 0.5, and carry their order out without eating with probability 0.5. What is the
average number of customers in the restaurant?
10 Define M/G/1 queue. 3
PART B

Answer any one full question from each module carries14marks.

MODULE 1
11(a) How layered architecture helps in the efficient communication between hosts? 4
11(b) Explain the functions performed by the layers in the internet protocol stack. 10
OR

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 ELECTRONICS & COMMUNICATION ENGINEERING
12(a) Two hosts A and B separated by a distance of m meters, connected by a single link 8
of rate R bps. The speed of propagation along the link is s m/s and host A is to send
a packet of size L bits to host B.
i) Express the propagation delay (𝑑𝑑𝑝𝑝 ) in terms of m and s.
ii) Express the transmission delay 𝑑𝑑𝑡𝑡 ) in terms of L and R.
iii) If m=1000meters, s=2.9 × 108 m/s, L=100bits. Find the transmission rate
of the link. (Assuming 𝑑𝑑𝑝𝑝 = 𝑑𝑑𝑡𝑡 )
12(b) Describe any one of the mail access protocols. 6
MODULE II
13(a) Explain how TCP provides a flow control service to its applications. 5
13(b) Compare and contrast TCP and UDP. Also explain the TCP segment structure. 9
OR
14(a) Host A and B are communicating over a TCP connection, and Host B has already 7
received from A all bytes up through byte 248. Suppose Host A then sends two
segments to Host B back-to-back. The first and second segments contain 40 and 60
bytes respectively. In the first segment, the sequence number is 249, the source port
number is 503, and the destination port number is 80. Host B sends an
acknowledgement whenever it receives a segment from Host A.
i) In the second segment, sent from Host A to B, what are the sequence
number, source port number, and destination port number?
ii) If the second segment arrives before the first segment, in the
acknowledgement of the first arriving segment. What is the
acknowledgement number?
iii) If the first segment arrives before the second segment, in the
acknowledgement of the first arriving segment, what is the
acknowledgement number, the source port number, and the destination
port number?
14(b) With the help of a neat diagram explain the operation of selective repeat ARQ. 7
MODULE III
15(a) Explain the datagram format in IPv4 7
15(b) Describe the Internet’s address assignment strategy using classless interdomain 7
routing.
OR
16(a) Describe the process of assigning IP address to a host in an organization using 5
DHCP protocol.
16(b) Consider the following network. Compute the shortest-path from the node D to all 9
other nodes using Dijkstra’s shortest path algorithm. (Numbers indicated shows the
link costs).

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MODULE IV
17(a) Explain the multiple access protocol used in IEEE 802.3. 7
17(b) Explain the error detection mechanism using CRC with an example. 7
OR
18(a) Derive the efficiency of slotted ALOHA. 7
18(b) Explain how the physical address of a host is being mapped from its IP address 7
using address resolution protocol.
MODULE V
19(a) State and prove Littles theorem. 7
19(b) Explain the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol. 7
OR
20(a) Derive an expression for the average packet delay in a Go-Back-N ARQ system. 7
20(b) Describe how a wireless station associates with an access point (AP) as per IEEE 7
802.11 protocol.

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