Computer Networks

Questions
 Part A
Explain the role of a router in a computer network.

A router connects multiple networks and directs data packets between

them. It determines the best path for data to travel using routing
tables, assigns IP addresses to devices on a network, and manages
network traffic. Routers also perform Network Address Translation
(NAT) to share a single public IP address among multiple devices and
provide security features such as firewalls to protect the network.
 Part A
erentiate between a LAN and a WAN in terms of their characteristics.
Whereas WAN stands for Wide Area
1. LAN stands for Local Area Network.
Network.

But WAN’s ownership can be private or

2. LAN’s ownership is private.
public.

While the speed of WAN is slower than

3. The speed of LAN is high(more than WAN).
LAN.

Whereas the propagation delay in WAN is

4. The propagation delay is short in LAN.
long(longer than LAN).

There is less congestion in LAN(local area While there is more congestion in

5.
network). WAN(Wide Area Network).

6. There is more fault tolerance in LAN. While there is less fault tolerance in WAN.

While it’s design and maintenance is

7. LAN’s design and maintenance is easy.
difficult than WAN.

LAN covers small area i.e. within the While WAN covers large geographical
8.
building. area.
Part A
*Scenario*: A multinational company has offices in several countries
and wants to ensure secure communication between its offices over
the public internet. Each office has its local network that needs to be
integrated into a single, secure network accessible to employees
worldwide.

*Question*: How would you configure the company's network to

achieve this, and which types of networks would you utilize? Explain
the rationale for your choices.
Part A

1. Answer: To achieve secure communication between the company's

offices over the public internet, I would configure a **Virtual Private
Network (VPN). A VPN would encrypt data transmission over the
public internet, ensuring secure access to the company's
resources. Additionally, for the local networks within each office, I
would set up **Local Area Networks (LANs)* to manage internal
communications and resources efficiently.
Part A
*Scenario*: An organization has several departments with distinct
network needs. The IT department wants to create a secure network
environment where each department's traffic is isolated, but all share
the same physical infrastructure.

*Question*: Which network configuration would you implement to

meet these requirements, and how would it benefit the organization?
Part A

Virtual LANs (VLANs)* to meet the organization's requirements. VLANs

allow the creation of separate logical networks on the same physical
infrastructure, isolating the traffic of each department while reducing
the need for additional hardware. This configuration benefits the
organization by enhancing security, reducing broadcast traffic, and
improving network management efficiency.
 Part B
Describe the OSI model and its significance in computer networks.
Significance of the OSI Model:

1.Standardization: The OSI model provides a universal set of guidelines that

different manufacturers and developers can follow, ensuring interoperability between
different systems and devices.

2.Troubleshooting: By breaking down the networking process into layers, the OSI
model allows network administrators to isolate and troubleshoot issues more
effectively. Problems can be identified and addressed at the specific layer where they
occur.

3.Modular Design: The OSI model's layered approach allows for modular design
and development. Each layer can be developed independently, and new technologies
can be integrated without affecting the entire system.
Part B
OSI Model Layers and Their PDUs

Layer 1: Physical Layer

PDU: Bits
Function: Transmits raw binary data over physical media (e.g., cables, radio
waves).

Layer 2: Data Link Layer

PDU: Frames
Function: Provides reliable link between devices, handles error
detection/correction, and manages MAC addresses.

Layer 3: Network Layer

PDU: Packets
Function: Routes data across different networks, handles logical addressing
(e.g., IP addresses).

Layer 4: Transport Layer

PDU: Segments (TCP) / Datagrams (UDP)
Function: Ensures reliable data transfer, manages flow control, and error
 Part B
Layer 5: Session Layer
PDU: Data
Function: Manages and controls sessions between applications.

Layer 6: Presentation Layer

PDU: Data
Function: Translates, encrypts, and compresses data for the application layer.

Layer 7: Application Layer

PDU: Message/Data
Function: Interfaces with end-user applications, providing network services like
email, file transfer, and web browsing.
Part B
Explain the role and working of network switches in managing data traffic within a LAN.

Network switches are essential in a LAN for directing data traffic between connected
devices. They ensure that data reaches the correct destination without unnecessary
delays or collisions, enhancing network efficiency.

How Network Switches Work:

Frame Forwarding: Switches receive data frames, inspect their destination MAC
addresses, and forward them to the correct port based on their MAC address table,
ensuring that data reaches the intended device.

Learning MAC Addresses: Switches learn and store MAC addresses of devices
connected to each port. Unknown frames are initially broadcasted to all ports until
the switch learns the correct destination.
Part B

•Collision Reduction: By assigning each port its own collision domain,

switches
•minimize data collisions, allowing multiple devices to communicate
simultaneously without interference.

•Full-Duplex Communication: Switches support full-duplex communication,

enabling devices to send and receive data simultaneously, improving network
performance.

•VLAN Support: Advanced switches allow for VLANs, which segment the
network into logical groups, enhancing security and reducing congestion.
Part B
Your organization is planning to upgrade its network infrastructure
and is considering different network technologies. Ethernet is one of
the options being evaluated. The goal is to choose a technology that
balances performance, cost, and future scalability.

*Question*: What are the advantages and disadvantages of using

Ethernet in your organization's network upgrade? How would these
factors influence your decision, and what considerations would you
need to account for in your final choice?
Part B
*Advantages of Ethernet*:
1. *Cost-Effective*: Ethernet technology is generally less expensive
compared to other networking technologies like fiber optic or
proprietary systems. This can reduce the overall cost of the network
upgrade.
2. *Widely Supported*: Ethernet is a well-established standard with
broad compatibility across various devices and manufacturers,
simplifying integration and support
3. *High Performance*: Modern Ethernet standards (e.g., Gigabit
Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet) provide high data transfer rates
suitable for most business needs.
4. *Scalability*: Ethernet networks can be easily scaled by adding
more switches or upgrading to higher-speed standards as the
organization's needs grow.
Part B
Disadvantages of Ethernet*:
1. *Distance Limitations*: Ethernet over copper cables (e.g., Cat5e,
Cat6) has distance limitations (typically up to 100 meters) which
may necessitate additional equipment like switches or repeaters in
larger environments.
2. 2. *Interference*: Copper-based Ethernet is susceptible to
electromagnetic interference, which can affect performance in
environments with high electrical noise.
3. 3. *Shared Medium*: In older Ethernet networks (e.g., 10/100
Mbps), the network was shared among all devices, which could
lead to congestion and reduced performance. While modern
switches mitigate this issue, it can still be a consideration in legacy
systems.
Part C
Explain the TCP/IP model in detail, including the functions of each layer and how they
interact to facilitate communication in a network. Provide examples to illustrate your
explanation.

The TCP/IP model is a conceptual framework that standardizes

network communication into four layers. It outlines how data should
be packetized, addressed, transmitted, routed, and received over a
network. Unlike the OSI model's seven layers, the TCP/IP model
simplifies this process into four layers, each with specific functions.

1. Network Interface Layer (Link Layer)

Function: This layer handles the physical transmission of data
between devices on the same network. It encompasses the physical
and data link layers of the OSI model, dealing with hardware
addresses (MAC addresses) and the transmission of raw data over a
physical medium, such as Ethernet or Wi-Fi.
Example: When data is transmitted over a LAN using Ethernet, the
Network Interface Layer is responsible for formatting the data into
frames and managing how devices share the physical network.
2. Internet Layer
Function: The Internet Layer is responsible for logical addressing
and routing of data across different networks. It uses IP (Internet
Protocol) to define addresses and route packets from the source to
the destination. It also handles packet fragmentation and reassembly.
Example: When data is sent from one device to another across
different networks, the Internet Layer uses IP addresses to determine
the best route. For instance, when you visit a website, your device’s
IP address and the website’s IP address are used to route the data.

3. Transport Layer
Function: The Transport Layer ensures reliable data transfer
between devices. It manages error detection, data flow control, and
retransmission of lost packets. The two main protocols in this layer
are TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram
Protocol).
Example: When sending an email, TCP ensures that all data packets
are delivered accurately and in the correct order. If a packet is lost,
TCP will retransmit it, ensuring that the complete message reaches
its destination. UDP, on the other hand, is used for applications
where speed is more critical than reliability, such as streaming video.
4. Application Layer
Function: The Application Layer provides network services directly to end-user
applications. It includes protocols that support various functions like email
(SMTP), web browsing (HTTP/HTTPS), file transfer (FTP), and more.
Example: When you type a URL into a web browser, the HTTP protocol (within
the Application Layer) handles the request to load the webpage. The browser
then displays the website content, which has been transmitted over the
network.

How Layers Interact:

When data is sent over a network, it starts at the Application Layer, where it is
generated and formatted according to the application protocol (e.g., HTTP for
web traffic).

The data then moves to the Transport Layer, where it is broken into segments
(or datagrams in the case of UDP), and necessary control information (like
sequence numbers for TCP) is added.

Next, the data enters the Internet Layer, where it is encapsulated into packets
and assigned IP addresses for routing across networks.
Finally, the data reaches the Network Interface Layer, where it is converted into
frames and physically transmitted over the network medium.
Part C
A company is experiencing issues with data being transmitted too quickly over the
network, causing packet loss. Describe how you would implement flow control
techniques to manage the rate of data transmission and ensure reliable
communication. Also, explain how error control methods can help detect and correct
any data that is lost or corrupted during transmission.

Flow Control Techniques:

1.Stop-and-Wait Flow Control:

1. Implementation: The sender transmits one data packet and waits for an
acknowledgment from the receiver before sending the next packet. This
method ensures that data is sent at a pace the receiver can handle,
preventing network congestion and packet loss.

2. How It Helps: By waiting for an acknowledgment before sending the next

packet, the sender prevents overwhelming the network with too much data at
once, reducing the chance of packet loss due to congestion.
 Part C
Sliding Window Flow Control:
Implementation: The sender can transmit multiple packets within a "window"
size before requiring an acknowledgment. The window size is dynamically adjusted
based on network conditions. If the receiver is overwhelmed or network congestion
is detected, the window size can be reduced, slowing down the data transmission.

How It Helps: This technique allows for a balance between efficient data transfer
and network stability. By adjusting the window size, the sender can control the rate
of data flow, ensuring that the network remains stable and data is less likely to be
lost.

Error Control Methods:

Acknowledgments (ACKs):

Implementation: After receiving each data packet, the receiver sends an

acknowledgment back to the sender. If the sender does not receive an
acknowledgment within a specific time, it assumes the packet was lost and
retransmits it.

How It Helps: This method ensures that lost packets are detected and resent,
maintaining data integrity even if some packets are lost due to network issues.
 Part C
Checksum:
Implementation: A checksum is added to each packet, representing a
calculated value based on the packet’s contents. Upon receiving a packet, the
receiver calculates its checksum and compares it to the transmitted one. If
they don't match, the packet is considered corrupted, and the receiver
requests a retransmission.
How It Helps: Checksums help detect any corruption that occurs during
transmission, ensuring that only accurate data is received. Corrupted packets
are identified and can be corrected by requesting a retransmission, which is
crucial for reliable communication.

Conclusion:

To address the company's network issues, Stop-and-Wait or Sliding Window

flow control techniques can manage the data transmission rate, preventing packet
loss by avoiding network congestion. Additionally, Acknowledgments and
Checksum error control methods will help detect and correct any data that is lost
or corrupted during transmission, ensuring reliable communication across the
network. These combined approaches are effective in maintaining a stable and
reliable network environment.