MODEL QUESTION PAPER 1

III SEMESTER END EXAMINATION

SUBJECT: COMPUTER NETWORKS

Course Code: QP Code:
Duration: 2 ½ Hours Max marks: 60
Instructions: 1. Answer all the sections.
2. Draw diagrams wherever necessary.

SECTION-A
I. Answer any TEN of the following. Each question carries TWO marks. (10x2=20)
1. Mention the goals of computer networks.
2. What are the services provided by data link layer?
3. Define attention, distortion.
4. Abbreviate FTP and HTTP.
5. Define Internet.
6. Write a note on ALOHA protocol.
7. What are the types of HDLC frames?
8. What are the services provided by PPP.
9. What is random access protocol?
10. Distinguish between data and signals.
11. Explain switching.
12. Compare datagram and virtual circuit.

SECTION-B
II. Answer any FIVE of the following. Each question carries FOUR marks. (5x4=20)
13. Define network topology. Explain BUS and STAR topologies with its Merits and Demerits.
14. Explain the various transmission modes.
15. Derive Shannon channel capacity for noisy channel.
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16. Explain different types multiple access protocol.
17. Define Error. With an example explain Checksum Technique.
18. Explain CRC method of error checking. Give an example.
19. Write short notes on the following:
(a) Congestion control. (b) Flow control.

SECTION-C
III. Answer any TWO of the following. Each question carries TEN marks. (2x10=20)
20. Explain the ISO-OSI model of computer network with a neat diagram.
21. Compare FDMA, TDMA and CDMA.
22. a) What is routing? Explain Link State Routing.
b) Differentiate between TCP and UDP.
23. a) Explain the working of Electronic mail. How SMTP used in Email applications.
b) Explain the importance of Quality of Service (QoS).

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 ANSWERS
1. Mention the goals of computer networks.
ANS: The goal of networking is to achieve security, scalability, reliability, good performance, and
sharing of resources.

2. What are services provided by data link layer?

Ans: Acknowledged connection-oriented service − This layer supports this service to the network
layer by settling a link between the source and destination hosts before any information removal occurs.
 Framing − In this layer, it receives a raw bitstream from the physical layer that cannot be bug-
free. The data link layer divides the bitstreams into frames to provide a frequent change of
bitstreams to the network layer.
 Error Control − It includes sequencing frames and sending control frames for acceptance. A
noisy channel can avoid scanning of bits, falling bits from a frame, introducing specific bits in
the frame, frames final sinking, etc.
 Flow Control − There is another fundamental problem in the data link design to regulate the cost
of data communication between two source and destination hosts.

3. Define attention, distortion.

 Attenuation
The signal weakens as it travels because some of its energy is absorbed by the transmission
medium. This can happen in any type of cable or wireless connection, including copper cables, fiber
cables, satellite, radio signals, and wireless networks. Attenuation is measured in decibels (dB) or
voltage.
 Distortion
The signal can become distorted by external influences as it travels along the communication path.

4. Abbreviate FTP and HTTP.

File Transfer Protocol
Hyper Text Transfer Protocol
5. Define internet.
The internet, sometimes simply called the net, is a worldwide system of interconnected computer
networks and electronic devices that communicate with each other using an established set of protocols.
The internet was conceived by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) of the U.S. government
in 1969.
6. Write a note on ALOHA protocol.
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 ALOHA, an acronym for Advocates of Linux Open-source Hawaii Association, is a multiple access
protocol that allows data to be transmitted over a public network channel. It operates within the Medium
Access Control (MAC) sublayer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model.
7. Mention the different types of HDLC frames?
 Information frames (I-frames)
 Supervisory frames (S-frames)
 Unnumbered frames (U-frames)

8. What are the services provided by PPP.

 Establishing a link: PPP defines the process for establishing a connection between two points and
exchanging data.
 Defining data frame format: PPP defines the format for the data that will be transmitted.
 Authentication rules: PPP specifies the authentication rules for the devices that are communicating.
 Network layer data encapsulation:

9. What is random access protocol?

Random access protocol is a multiple access protocol that allows any station to send data at any time,
depending on the medium's status. Random access protocols have the following characteristics:
 No priority: All stations have equal priority, and no station has control over the others.
 No set timing: There is no set time for data transmission.
 No fixed order: The order in which stations send data is not fixed

10. Distinguish between data and signals.

Data is a collection of raw information, while a signal is the electric or electromagnetic impulse used to
encode and transmit that data.
11. Explain switching.
Switching is a common term in networking that refers to the process of transferring data packets
between two devices or through a network switch.
12. Compare datagram and virtual circuit.

Issue Virtual – Circuit Networks Datagram Networks

Virtual – circuits are connection

Connectivity Datagram networks are connectionless.
oriented networks.
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 Issue Virtual – Circuit Networks Datagram Networks

Since the datagrams are treated as

In these networks, the path between independent units, no dedicated path is
the source and the destination nodes fixed for data transfer. Each datagram
that is followed by first data packet is routed by the intermediate routers
Path
gets allocated. All other data using dynamically changing routing
packets transmitted between them tables. So two successive packets from
will use the same path. the source may follow completely
separate routes to reach destination.

All the resources like buffers,

No prior resources allocation is done
processors and bandwidth get
for the individual packets before the
reserved before the transmission.
Resource transmission commences. When a
The same resources are consumed
Allocation packet arrives at a router, the resources
by all the data packets and are
are allocated on demand on a First-
released only after the transmission
Come First-Serve (FCFS) basis.
ends.

There are three phases of

Communication
transmission: set up, data transfer No such communication phases exists.
Phases
and teardown.

All the packets belonging to a

The header information is different for
message contain the same header
Header the independent datagram packets, even
information since they belong to the
if they belong to the same message.
same virtual circuit.

The addressing and route is

determined at the setup phase. So, Each datagram packet contains the full
Addressing
each packet contains only the VC source and destination addresses.
number.

Virtual circuits are more expensive

Datagram networks are much cheaper
Cost in terms of installation and
to install and maintain.
maintenance,

They require more complex logic. Also,

They provide greater reliability and
Reliability and they are less reliable than virtual
less complexity owing to fixed
Complexity circuits due to error-prone dynamic
paths and fixed resources.
resource allocation techniques.

Virtual Circuits are implemented in

Datagram communication is generally
networks using Asynchronous
Application Areas guided by User Datagram Protocol
Transfer Mode (ATM)
(UDP). They are applied in IP network.
communications, as in making

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 Issue Virtual – Circuit Networks Datagram Networks

telephone calls.

SECTION-B
II. Answer any FIVE of the following. Each question carries FOUR marks. (5x4=20)
13. Define network topology. Explain BUS and STAR topologies with its Merits and Demerits.
Definition 1 mark, types each 1.5 mark.
Here are some merits and demerits of bus and star topologies:
 Bus topology
Cost-effective and easy to implement, but has some limitations:
 Single point of failure: If the cable fails, the entire network goes down.
 Shared backbone: Less secure than other topologies.
 Data collisions: As more nodes share the cable, the risk of data collisions increases.

Star topology
Easy to operate and add or remove nodes, but has some disadvantages:
 Expensive: Uses a lot of cable and extra hardware like hubs or switches.
 Hub or switch failure: If a hub or switch fails, all connected devices lose network connection.

14. Explain the various transmission modes.

They are classified into three types: Simplex Mode, Half-Duplex Mode, and Full-Duplex Mode.

15. Derive Shannon channel capacity for noisy channel.

In reality, we cannot have a noiseless channel; the channel is always noisy. Shannon capacity is used,
to determine the theoretical highest data rate for a noisy channel:
Capacity = bandwidth * log 2(1 + SNR) bits/sec
In the above equation, bandwidth is the bandwidth of the channel, SNR is the signal-to-noise ratio,
and capacity is the capacity of the channel in bits per second.
Bandwidth is a fixed quantity, so it cannot be changed.

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 Hence, the channel capacity is directly proportional to the power of the signal, as SNR = (Power of
signal) / (power of noise).

16. Explain different types multiple access protocol.

17. Define Error. With an example explain Checksum Technique.

An error in computer data is called Bug. A software bug is an error, flaw, failure or fault in a computer
program or system that causes it to produce an incorrect or unexpected result, or to behave in unintended
ways.
Checksum is the error detection method used by upper-layer protocols.
How Checksum Works?
On the Sender side, the data is divided into equal subunits of n bit length by the checksum generator.
This bit is generally of 16-bit length. These subunits are then added together using one’s
complement method. This sum is of n bits. The resultant bit is then complemented. This
complemented sum which is called checksum is appended to the end of the original data unit and is
then transmitted to the receiver.

18. Explain CRC method of error checking. Give an example.

Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) is a method for detecting errors in data by dividing the data by a
predefined polynomial, called the generator polynomial:
1. Select a generator polynomial: The generator polynomial is a binary string of a fixed length, such as
CRC-16, which is 17 bits long.
2. Treat data as a polynomial: The data is treated as a binary polynomial.
3. Divide the data by the generator polynomial: The data is divided by the generator polynomial using
exclusive or bit-by-bit operation.
4. Append the remainder to the data: The remainder of the division is the CRC checksum, which is
appended to the end of the data.

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5. Repeat at the receiver: The receiver performs the same division operation on the received data.
6. Check the remainder: If the remainder is zero, the data is error-free. If the remainder is non-zero,
errors were detected.

19. Write short notes on the following:

(a) Congestion control.
Congestion control is a crucial concept in computer networks. It refers to the methods used to
prevent network overload and ensure smooth data flow.
Congestion in a computer network happens when there is too much data being sent at the same time,
causing the network to slow down. Just like traffic congestion on a busy road, network congestion
leads to delays and sometimes data loss.
(b) Flow control.
Flow control is design issue at Data Link Layer . It is a technique that generally observes the proper
flow of data from sender to receiver. It is very essential because it is possible for sender to transmit
data or information at very fast rate and hence receiver can receive this information and process it.
This can happen only if receiver has very high load of traffic as compared to sender, or if receiver has
power of processing less as compared to sender. Flow control is basically a technique that gives
permission to two of stations that are working and processing at different speeds to just communicate
with one another. Flow control in Data Link Layer simply restricts and coordinates number of frames
or amount of data sender can send just before it waits for an acknowledgement from receiver.

SECTION-C
III. Answer any TWO of the following. Each question carries TEN marks. (2x10=20)
20. Explain the ISO-OSI model of computer network with a neat diagram.
Diagram -2 mark
Explanation of layers – 8 marks
21. Compare FDMA, TDMA and CDMA.
Each comparison 2 marks
22. a) What is routing? Explain Link State Routing.
Routing is the process of selecting a path for data packets to travel from one network device to
another. It's a vital part of network communication, ensuring that data reaches its destination efficiently
and accurately.

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 Link state routing is a dynamic routing algorithm that uses a network's topology to find the best paths
for data packets. It's one of the two main types of routing protocols used in computer networks, along
with distance-vector routing protocols.
The network map is used to calculate the shortest path from one node to another.
Link state routing protocols were developed to address the limitations of distance-vector protocols.
Some examples of link-state routing protocols include Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
Here's how link state routing works:
 Create a network map
Each router generates link-state information for the links it directly connects to and sends it to its
neighbors. This information is directional.
 Build a routing table
Each router independently calculates the best path to every destination in the network. The collection
of best paths forms the router's routing table.
 Find the shortest path

b) Differentiate between TCP and UDP.

Each difference 2 marks

23. a) Explain the working of Electronic mail. How SMTP used in Email applications.

Working of Email:

1. When the sender sends the email using the mail program, then it gets redirected to the simple mail
transfer protocol which checks whether the receiver’s email address is of another domain name or
it belongs to the same domain name as that of the sender (Gmail, Outlook, etc.). Then the email
gets stored on the server for later purposes transfer using POP or IMAP protocols.
2. If the receiver has another domain name address then, the SMTP protocol communicates with the
DNS (domain name server ) of the other address that the receiver uses. Then the SMTP of the
sender communicates with the SMTP of the receiver which then carries out the communication
and the email gets delivered in this way to the SMTP of the receiver.

Simple Mail Transfer mechanism (SMTP) is a mechanism for exchanging email messages between
servers. It is an essential component of the email communication process and operates at the
application layer of the TCP/IP protocol stack. SMTP is a protocol for transmitting and receiving
email messages.
SMTP is an application layer protocol . The client who wants to send the mail opens a TCP connection
to the SMTP server and then sends the mail across the connection. The SMTP server is an always-on
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listening mode. As soon as it listens for a TCP connection from any client, the SMTP process initiates
a connection through port 25. After successfully establishing a TCP connection the client process
sends the mail instantly.
The SMTP model is of two types:
 End-to-End Method
 Store-and-Forward Method
The end-to-end model is used to communicate between different organizations whereas the store and
forward method is used within an organization.

b) Explain the importance of Quality of Service (QoS).

Quality of Service (QoS) is an important concept, particularly when working with multimedia
applications. Multimedia applications, such as video conferencing, streaming services, and VoIP
(Voice over IP), require certain bandwidth, latency, jitter, and packet loss parameters. QoS methods
help ensure that these requirements are satisfied, allowing for seamless and reliable communication.
What is Quality of Service?
Quality-of-service (QoS) refers to traffic control mechanisms that seek to differentiate performance
based on application or network-operator requirements or provide predictable or guaranteed
performance to applications, sessions, or traffic aggregates. The basic phenomenon for QoS is in terms
of packet delay and losses of various kinds.
QoS Specification
 Delay
 Delay Variation(Jitter)
 Throughput
 Error Rate
Types of Quality of Service
 Stateless Solutions – Routers maintain no fine-grained state about traffic, one positive factor of it
is that it is scalable and robust. But it has weak services as there is no guarantee about the kind of
delay or performance in a particular application which we have to encounter.
 Stateful Solutions – Routers maintain a per-flow state as flow is very important in providing the
Quality-of-Service i.e. providing powerful services such as guaranteed services and high resource
utilization, providing protection, and is much less scalable and robust.

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