NAME: NAIRUKO SAMSON

ADM: ED11/00681/24
DEPARTMENT: SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN
RESOURCE

ASSIGNMENT 3 ANSWERS

1. Types of Computer Networks: LAN, WAN, MAN, and PAN

a) Local Area Network (LAN)

- Definition: A LAN is a network that connects computers within a small geographical area, such as a
single building, office, or campus.

- Use Case: Typically used in homes, schools, or small businesses for sharing resources (printers, files,
etc.).

- Example: A school network connecting classrooms and staff offices.

- Key Features: High data transfer rates (up to 1 Gbps or more), limited coverage area, low latency.

b) Wide Area Network (WAN):

- Definition: A WAN connects computers and networks over large geographical distances, often using
leased telecommunication lines.

- Use Case: Used by large organizations or ISPs to connect geographically dispersed networks, such as
offices in different cities or countries.

- Example: The internet itself, or a corporate WAN connecting offices across continents.

- Key Features: Slower data transfer rates compared to LANs, higher latency due to distance, broader
coverage.

c) Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):

- Definition: A MAN spans a city or a large campus, larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN.

- Use Case: Used to connect various LANs within a city or campus area to provide internet access or
shared services.

- Example: City-wide networks used by local governments or universities.- Key Features: Covers a larger
area than LAN, can leverage fiber optics for high speeds, suitable for city-level networking.
d) Personal Area Network (PAN):

- Definition: A PAN is a network used for communication between personal devices within a range of a
few meters.

- Use Case: Commonly used for connecting devices like smartphones, tablets, laptops, or wearable
devices.

- Example: Bluetooth connections between a smartphone and wireless headphones.

- Key Features: Small coverage area (up to 10 meters), wireless (Bluetooth, Infrared) or wired (USB)
connectivity.

2. OSI Model and Its Seven Layers

The OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) model standardizes networking functions by dividing them into
seven distinct layers. Each layer serves a specific function in ensuring data is transmitted correctly from
one device to another.

1. Physical Layer:

- Role: Responsible for the transmission of raw data (bits) over a physical medium like cables or
wireless signals.

- Functionality: Defines hardware components like cables, switches, and network interface cards
(NICs).

2. Data Link Layer:

- Role: Handles node-to-node data transfer and manages error detection and correction.

- Functionality: Organizes data into frames for transmission. Protocols like Ethernet and MAC
addressing operate here.

3. Network Layer:

- Role: Manages data routing between devices across different networks.

- Functionality: Handles logical addressing (IP addressing) and routing. Key protocols: IP (Internet
Protocol), ICMP.

4. Transport Layer:

- Role: Ensures reliable data transmission between two devices, providing error detection and flow
control.

- Functionality: Manages segmentation, acknowledgment, and re-transmission. TCP (Transmission

Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) work at this layer.

5. Session Layer:

- Role: Establishes, manages, and terminates sessions between applications on different devices.
 - Functionality: Provides synchronization and dialog control. Useful in maintaining long sessions, like
video calls.

6. Presentation Layer:

- Role: Translates data between application formats and network formats (data encryption,
compression, etc.).

- Functionality: Responsible for data encoding, encryption, and formatting, ensuring that the data is
readable by the application layer.

7. Application Layer:

- Role: Provides services directly to user applications like web browsers or email clients.

- Functionality: Handles high-level protocols like HTTP, FTP, and SMTP, allowing user interaction with
the network.

3. Wired vs. Wireless Networking Technologies

Wired Networking:

- Advantages:

 Reliability: Provides stable and consistent connections.

 Speed: Can support very high data transfer rates (up to 100 Gbps with fiber optics).
 Security: More secure as physical access to the cable is required.

- Disadvantage:

 Limited mobility: Devices are confined to locations near the network cables.
 Installation: More complex and costly due to the need for physical cabling and infrastructure.

Wireless Networking:

- Advantages:

 Mobility: Provides flexibility and convenience, allowing devices to connect without cables.
 Ease of installation: Simple to set up and configure.
 Scalability: Easy to add more devices without worrying about physical connections.

- Disadvantages:

 Interference and Range: Wireless signals can be affected by physical obstructions, interference,
and range limitations.
 Security Risks: More vulnerable to attacks like eavesdropping unless proper encryption (e.g.,
WPA3) is used.

- Speed: Generally slower than wired networks, although Wi-Fi standards like Wi-Fi 6 offer high
speeds.
Applications:

- Wired: Used in environments requiring high-speed, secure, and reliable connections (e.g., data
centers, office networks).

- Wireless: Commonly used in homes, public spaces, and businesses that require mobility (e.g., Wi-Fi in
cafes, or cellular networks).

4. Role of Network Protocols (TCP/IP)

TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol)

is the fundamental suite of protocols that govern the internet and most private networks.

- TCP (Transmission Control Protocol): Ensures reliable, ordered delivery of data packets. It establishes a
connection between sender and receiver before transmitting data (connection-oriented protocol). It
handles:

 Error detection: Ensures data integrity by checking for errors.

 Acknowledgment: Confirms receipt of data packets.
 Flow control: Manages the data flow between sender and receiver to avoid congestion.

- IP (Internet Protocol): Responsible for logical addressing and routing of packets across different
networks. It handles:

- Addressing: Assigns unique IP addresses to devices on the network.

- Routing: Ensures packets reach their destination by traversing routers and networks.

TCP/IP enables reliable communication by combining TCP’s error handling with IP’s routing capabilities,
forming the backbone of internet communication.

5. Network Security and Common Threats

Common Network Security Threats:

a) DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) Attacks:

- Description: Attackers flood a network or service with excessive traffic, overwhelming resources and
causing it to crash.

- Mitigation: Use traffic filtering, load balancers, and cloud-based DDoS mitigation services.
b) Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks:

- Description: An attacker intercepts communication between two parties to eavesdrop or alter the
transmitted data.

- Mitigation: Use encryption protocols like TLS/SSL to secure communication channels, employ strong
authentication methods.

c) Packet Sniffing:

- Description: Attackers capture data packets traveling through the network to gather sensitive
information like passwords.

- Mitigation: Use encrypted protocols (e.g., HTTPS, SSH), implement network segmentation, and
monitor for suspicious activities.

Mitigation Strategies:

- Encryption: Secure data in transit using protocols like TLS (Transport Layer Security) and VPNs
(Virtual Private Networks).

- Firewalls: Control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.

- Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS: Monitor network activity to detect and block
malicious traffic.

- Regular Software Updates: Keep software and hardware systems up-to-date to protect against
vulnerabilities

These points highlight the core concepts of computer networks, networking technologies, and security
practices essential in modern networking systems.