UNIVERSITY OF ZIMBABWE

2019 MAY/JUNE examinations

Faculty : Science
Department: Computer Science
Paper code and Title: HCT207 Introduction to Data
communications
Duration: 2 Hours
Examiner: Mr M.Munyaradzi

Authorized Materials: Calculator

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Answer ALL Questions

2. Start each question on a new page

3. This paper comprises Six(6) Printed pages.

NB: DO NOT TURN OVER THE QUESTION PAPER OR COMMENCING WRITING

UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO

SECTION A Theory Exam

Page 1 of 6
Question 1)--------------------------------------------(24 marks)
(a) Give a detailed description, with examples, of the three types of transmission modes.
[9 marks]

(b) Consider an HTTP client that wants to retrieve a Web document at a given URL.
The IP address of the HTTP server is initially unknown. The Web document
at the URL has one embedded GIF image that resides at the same server as the
original document. Describe the other transport and application layer
protocols besides HTTP are needed in this scenario [6 marks]

(c) Discuss the CSMA/CD and CSMA/CA protocols. Also outline why 802.3ae does not
use both protocols [8 marks]

(d) Outline the different network topologies [8 marks]

Question 2)------------------------------------------(26 marks)

(a) Briefly describe a port address, a logical address and a physical address [4 marks]

(b) Outline the difference between baseband and broadband. [4 marks]

(c) Describe the structure, characteristics or limitations of the following communication

medium: [4 marks]
(i) twisted pair;
(ii) coaxial cable;
(iii) fiber optic

(d) Sketch a diagram showing each of the layers in the TCP/IP model. Include the
position of each protocol layer in the diagram which you have studied. [4 marks]

(e) Define the term Connection oriented communication and Connection–less

communication. [4 marks]

(f) In cases where reliability is not of primary importance, UDP would make
a good transport protocol. Explain using examples of specific cases. [6 marks]

Page 2 of 6
Question 3)------------------------------------------(20 marks)

(a) A company is granted a site address 201.70.64.0. The company needs six
subnets. Design the subnets. [6 marks]

(b) Assume that you are the address administrator at an ISP. You have a
128.20.224.0/20 address block. You have two customers with networks
of size 1000 nodes each; two customers whose networks have 500 nodes each;
and three customers whose networks have 250 nodes each.

(i) What are the addresses blocks (first and last address) you will assign
to these customers? Use notation similar to 128.20.224.0/20 to denote the
address blocks you allocate. [10 marks]
(ii) Suppose that all your remaining customers have networks of size 50
nodes
each. For how many customers can you allocate address blocks with the
remaining addresses you have? [4 marks]

Question 4)------------------------------------------(30 marks)

Topology Diagram

Page 3 of 6
Addressing table

Device Interface IP Address Subnet Mask Default Gateway

R1 Fa0/1

Fa0/0

Toronto S0/0

Fa0/0

Fa0/1

Montreal S0/0/

Fa0/0

Host A NIC

Host B NIC

Server 0 NIC

a) Using information on the topology, fill in the addressing table above with appropriate
addresses, subnet mask and gateway. Note: The gateway should be the last host usable
address. [8 marks]

b) Cable the network as shown on the topology. [6 marks]

c) Perform a basic router configurations (All passwords should be test) [8 marks]

Page 4 of 6
 d) Assign ip addresses to all interfaces in the topology. [8 marks]

e) Configure static routing so that PCs in different networks can communicate [5 marks]

-END-

Device Interface IP Address Subnet Mask Default Gateway

R1 Fa0/1

Fa0/0

Page 5 of 6
Toronto S0/0

Fa0/0

Fa0/1

Montreal S0/0/

Fa0/0

Host A NIC

Host B NIC

Server 0 NIC

Page 6 of 6