III B.

Tech I Semester – Descriptive Examination-I

COMPUTER NETWORKS
(Common to CSE, IT, AIDS, AIML, CSIT, IOT)
(CSE)
Subject Code: P21CST09 Academic Year: 2024-25 R21 Regulation
Time: 90 Minutes Date of Exam: 23-09-24 Max Marks: 15
UNIT – 1 Key

QNO Questions Marks KL CO

1 (a) Describe the types of data flow in a communication system. 3M L2 1

Ans: Communication between two devices can be simplex, half-duplex, or full-duplex as shown in
Figure.

Simplex In simplex mode, the communication is unidirectional, as on a one- way street. Only one of
the two devices on a link can transmit; the other can only receive (Figure a). Keyboards and
traditional monitors are examples of simplex devices.
Half-Duplex
In half-duplex mode, each station can both transmit and receive, but not at the same time. When one
device is sending, the other can only receive, and vice versa (Figure b). Walkie- talkies and CB
(citizens band) radios are both half- duplex systems.
Full-Duplex
In full-duplex, both stations can transmit and receive simultaneously (Figure c). One common
example of full-duplex communication is the telephone network. When two people are
communicating by a telephone line, both can talk and listen at the same time. The full-duplex mode is
used when communication in both directions is required all the time.

1 (b) Explain the differences between the OSI model and the TCP/IP model. 3M L2 1
Ans:
 Differentiate between LAN, MAN, and WAN in terms of size, purpose, and
2 (a) 3M L3 1
technologies used
Ans: The types of network are classified based upon the size, the area it covers and its physical
architecture. The three primary network categories are LAN, WAN and MAN. Each network differs
in their characteristics such as distance, transmission speed, cables and cost.
Basic types
LAN (Local Area Network)
Group of interconnected computers within a small area. (room, building, campus)
Two or more pc's can from a LAN to share files, folders, printers, applications and other devices.
Coaxial or CAT 5 cables are normally used for connections. Due to short distances, errors and
noise are minimum.Data transfer rate is 10 to 100 mbps.
Example: A computer lab in a school.
MAN (Metropolitan Area Network) Design to extend over a large area.
Connecting number of LAN's to form larger network, so that resources can be shared.Networks
can be up to 5 to 50 km. Owned by organization or individual. Data transfer rate is low compare
to LAN.
Example: Organization with different branches located in the city.
WAN (Wide Area Network)
Are country and worldwide network Contains multiple LAN's and MAN's.
Distinguished in terms of geographical range. Uses satellites and microwave relays.
Data transfer rate depends upon the ISP provider and varies over the location. Best example is
the internet.

2 (b)What are the key components of data communication? Explain. 3M L2 1

Ans: A data communications system has five components
1. Message. The message is the information (data) to be communicated. Popular forms of
information include text, numbers, pictures, audio, and video.
2. Sender. The sender is the device that sends the data message. It can be a computer,
workstation, telephone handset, video camera, and so on.
3. Receiver. The receiver is the device that receives the message. It can be a computer,
workstation, telephone handset, television, and so on.
4. Transmission medium. The transmission medium is the physical path by which a message
 travels from sender to receiver. Some examples of transmission media include twisted-pair
wire, coaxial cable, fiber-optic cable, and radio waves.
5. Protocol. A protocol is a set of rules that govern data communications. It represents an
agreement between the communicating devices. Without a protocol, two devices may be
connected but not communicating, just as a person speaking French cannot be understood by a
person who speaks only Japanese.

3 Discuss about ISO- OSI reference model with neat sketch. 6M L2 1

Ans:
 OSI stands for Open Systems Interconnection
 Created by International Standards Organization (ISO)
 Was created as a framework and reference model to explain how different networking
technologies work together and interact
It is not a standard that networking protocols must follow Each layer has specific functions it is
responsible for.
All layers work together in the correct order to move data around a network
Physical Layer
 Deals with all aspects of physically moving data from one computer to the next Converts data from
the upper layers into 1s and 0s for transmission over media Defines how data is encoded onto the
media to transmit the data
 Defined on this layer: Cable standards, wireless standards, and fiber optic standards.
 Copper wiring, fiber optic cable, radio frequencies, anything that can be used to transmit data is
defined on the Physical layer of the OSI Model
 Device example: Hub Used to transmit data
Data Link Layer
 Is responsible for moving frames from node to node or computer to computer
 Can move frames from one adjacent computer to another, cannot move frames across routers
 Encapsulation = frame
 Requires MAC address or physical address
 Protocols defined include Ethernet Protocol and Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
Device example: Switch
 Two sublayers: Logical Link Control (LLC) and the Media Access Control (MAC)
 Logical Link Control (LLC)
 –Data Link layer addressing, flow control, address notification, error control
 Media Access Control (MAC)
 –Determines which computer has access to the network media at any given time
 –Determines where one frame ends and the next one starts, called frame
synchronization
Network Layer
Responsible for moving packets (data) from one end of the network to the other,
TCP &UDP
 called end-to-end communications
 Requires logical addresses such as IP addresses
Device example: Router
  –Routing is the ability of various network devices and their related software to move data packets
from source to destination
Transport Layer
 Takes data from higher levels of OSI Model and breaks it into segments that can be sent to
lower-level layers for data transmission
 Conversely, reassembles data segments into data that higher-level protocols and applications can
use
 Also puts segments in correct order (called sequencing ) so they can be reassembled in correct
order at destination
 Concerned with the reliability of the transport of sent data
 May use a connection-oriented protocol such as TCP to ensure destination received
segments
 May use a connectionless protocol such as UDP to send segments without assurance
of delivery
 Uses port addressing
Session Layer
 Responsible for managing the dialog between networked devices Establishes, manages, and
terminates connections
 Provides duplex, half-duplex, or simplex communications between devices
 Provides procedures for establishing checkpoints, adjournment, termination, and restart or recovery
procedures
Presentation Layer
 Concerned with how data is presented to the network
 Handles three primary tasks: –Translation , –Compression , –Encryption

Application Layer
 Contains all services or protocols needed by application software or operating system to
communicate on the network
 Examples
 –Firefox web browser uses HTTP (Hyper-Text Transport Protocol)
 –E-mail program may use POP3 (Post Office Protocol version 3) to read e-mails and
TCP &UDP
 SMTP (Simple Mail Transport Protocol) to send e-mails
The interaction between layers in the OSI model

4 Explain network topologies with its advantages and disadvantages. 6M L2 1

Ans: The term physical topology refers to the way in which a network is laid out physically.
Two or more devices connect to a link; two or more links form a topology. The topology of a
network is the geometric representation of the relationship of all the links and linking devices
(usually called nodes) to one another.
There are four basic topologies possible: mesh, star, bus, and ring

MESH:
A mesh topology is the one where every node is connected to every other node in the network.
A mesh topology can be a full mesh topology or a partially connected mesh topology.
In a full mesh topology, every computer in the network has a connection to each of the other
computers in that network. The number of connections in this
network can be calculated using the following formula (n is the number of computers in the
network): n(n-1)/2
In a partially connected mesh topology, at least two of the computers in the network have
connections to multiple other computers in that network. It is an inexpensive way to
implement redundancy in a network. In the event that one of the primary computers or
connections in the network fails, the rest of the network continues to operate normally.
Advantages of a mesh topology
 Can handle high amounts of traffic, because multiple devices can transmit data simultaneously.
 A failure of one device does not cause a break in the network or transmission of data. Adding
additional devices does not disrupt data transmission between other devices.
Disadvantages of a mesh topology
 The cost to implement is higher than other network topologies, making it a less desirable
option.
 Building and maintaining the topology is difficult and time consuming.
 The chance of redundant connections is high, which adds to the high costs and potential for
reduced efficiency.

STAR:
A star network, star topology is one of the most common network setups. In this configuration,
every node connects to a central network device, like a hub, switch, or computer. The central
network device acts as a server and the peripheral devices act as clients. Depending on the type of
network card used in each computer of the star topology, a coaxial cable or a RJ-45 network cable
is used to connect computers together.
Advantages of star topology
 Centralized management of the network, through the use of the central computer, hub, or switch.
 Easy to add another computer to the network.
 If one computer on the network fails, the rest of the network continues to function normally.
 The star topology is used in local-area networks (LANs), High-speed LANs often use a star
topology with a central hub.
Disadvantages of star topology
 Can have a higher cost to implement, especially when using a switch or router as the central
network device.
 The central network device determines the performance and number of nodes the network
can handle.
 If the central computer, hub, or switch fails, the entire network goes down and all computers are
disconnected from the network
BUS:
a line topology, a bus topology is a network setup in which each computer and network
device are connected to a single cable or backbone.
Advantages of bus topology
 It works well when you have a small network.
 It's the easiest network topology for connecting computers or peripherals in a linear fashion.
 It requires less cable length than a star topology.
Disadvantages of bus topology
 It can be difficult to identify the problems if the whole network goes down.
 It can be hard to troubleshoot individual device issues.
 Bus topology is not great for large networks.
 Terminators are required for both ends of the main cable.
 Additional devices slow the network down.
 If a main cable is damaged, the network fails or splits into two.

RING:
A ring topology is a network configuration in which device connections create a circular data path.
In a ring network, packets of data travel from one device to the next until they reach their
destination.
Most ring topologies allow packets to travel only in one direction, called a unidirectional ring
network. Others permit data to move in either direction, called bidirectional.
The major disadvantage of a ring topology is that if any individual connection in the ring is broken, the
entire network is affected.
Ring topologies may be used in either local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks
(WANs).
Advantages of ring topology
 All data flows in one direction, reducing the chance of packet collisions.
 A network server is not needed to control network connectivity between each workstation.
 Data can transfer between workstations at high speeds.
 Additional workstations can be added without impacting performance of the network.
Disadvantages of ring topology
 All data being transferred over the network must pass through each workstation on the network,
 which can make it slower than a star topology.
 The entire network will be impacted if one workstation shuts down.
 The hardware needed to connect each workstation to the network is more expensive than Ethernet
cards and hubs/switches.

Hybrid Topology A network can be hybrid. For example, we can have a main star topology
with each branch connecting several stations in a bus topology as shown in Figure

Prepared By:
R. Pavan Kumar
Assistant Professor
Department of CSE