Answer Key for April 2023 Examinations

Common To
Subject Code 19EC412 Subject Name COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
Dr.M.Vanitha NIL
Faculty Name Dr.R.Vinod Kumar Department ECE
Dr.R.Renuga Devi

(PART A – 2 Marks)
UNIT - I
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Analyze how the HDLC frame types differ from each other.
I-frames are used to transport user data and control information relating to user data
QA101 CO1 K4 2
(piggybacking). S-frames are used only to transport control information. V-frames are reserved
for system management.
Generalize the term Checksum.
A checksum is a value that represents the number of bits in a transmission message and is used
QA102 CO1 K4 2
to detect high-level errors within data transmissions. Prior to transmission, every piece of data
or file can be assigned a checksum value after running a cryptographic hash function.
Mention the criteria necessary for an effective and efficient network.
QA103 Performance, reliability and security CO1 K2 2

Analyze the drawback of the stop and wait protocol.

The receiver is patiently awaiting the data packet. The receiver does not send an
QA104 CO1 K2 2
acknowledgment because it does not receive the data. The sender won't send the subsequent
packet because it has not received any acknowledgment. The lost data is the root cause of this
issue.
 Explain the effect of Jitter in context to communication networks.
It is the variation in the packet arrival time. Uneven Jitter may affect the timeliness of data
QA105* CO1 K2 2
being transmitted

UNIT - II
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Summarize the effect of Hidden node and exposed node problem in networks.
NODE B TO NODE A TO NODE C

B and C can’t hear each other, A can hear both

• B and C sense a clear channel, transmit, and collide at A
QA201 • B is a hidden terminal to C, and C is a hidden terminal to B. This is hidden node problem. CO2 K2 2
B-------A---------C----------D
A transmits to B
• C hears the transmission, backs off, even if it wants to transmit to D
• C is an exposed terminal to A’s transmission. This is exposed node problem.

Infer the significance of DHCP.

This protocol provides dynamic configuration. Also needed when a host moves from one
QA202 CO2 K2 2
network to another or it is disconnected from a network.

Discuss the goals of Fast Ethernet.

• Upgrade the data rate to 100 Mbps.

• Make it compatible with Standard Ethernet.

QA203 • Keep the same 48-bit address. CO2 K2 2

• Keep the same frame format.

• Keep the same minimum and maximum frame lengths.

Indicate the concept of piggybacking.

In two-way communication, whenever a frame is received, the receiver waits and does not send
QA204* the control frame back to the sender immediately. The receiver waits until its network layer passes CO2 K2 2
in the next data packet. The delayed acknowledgment is then attached to this outgoing data frame.
This concept is known as piggybacking.
 List the types of error reporting messages in ICMP.

• Type 0 -- Echo reply.

QA205 • Type 3 -- Destination unreachable. CO2 K2 2
• Type 8 -- Echo.
• Type 5 -- Redirect.

UNIT - III
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)

Interpret on the Count to infinity and Split Horizon issues that occur in Distance vector routing.

The Count to Infinity problem arises from the routing loop in this Distance Vector Routing (DVR)
network. Such Routing Loops usually occurs when 2 routers send an update together at the same
QA301 time or when an interface goes down. CO3 K3 2

In computer networking, split-horizon route advertisement is a method of preventing routing loops

in distance-vector routing protocols by prohibiting a router from advertising a route back onto the
interface from which it was learned.

An organization is assigned the block 2000:1456:2474/48. Manipulate the IPV6 address of an

interface in the third subnet if the IEEE physical address of the computer is (F5-A9-23-14-7A-
QA302* D2)16? CO3 K3 3
2000:1456:2474:0003:F7A9:23FF:FE14:7AD2:128

A packet has arrived in which the offset value is 100, the value of HLEN is 5 and the value of the
total length field is 100. Calculate the numbers of the first and the last bytes.

QA303 The first byte number is 100 X 8 = 800. The total length is 100 bytes and the header length is 20 CO3 K3 3
bytes (5X4), which means there are 80 bytes in this datagram. If the first byte number is 800, the
last byte number must be 879.
 Why is IPV6 preferred over IPV4?

IPv6 (Internet Protocol version 6) is the next version after IPv4. Instead of the 32 bits used by IPv4
QA304 for addressing, IPv6 uses 128 bits for the same purpose - which theoretically makes it possible to CO3 K3 3
assign 2 128 addresses - hence, it offers long term solutions to most of the problems that emerged
while using IPv4.

Identify the class of the given addresses: i) 102.168. 212.226 and ii) 192.168. 123.132
QA305 CO3 K3 2
i) Class A and ii) Class C

UNIT - IV
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Distinguish the Flow control and Congestion control mechanisms.
Flow Control is a mechanism that controls the traffic in a computer network. Traffic represents
QA401 4 K4 2
the flow of data from the sender to the receiver. Congestion Control too is a traffic controlling
mechanism. Data link and Transport layers handle flow control.
Draw the TCP header format.

QA402 4 K4 2

QA403* Construct the three-way handshaking with an example. 4 K4 3

 Discuss about RED.

Random Early Detection

QA404 4 K4 2
The main goal of RED is to provide congestion avoidance by controlling the average queue size.

Explain the functionality of UDP and TCP.

The User Datagram Protocol, or UDP, is a communication protocol used across the Internet for
especially time-sensitive transmissions such as video playback or DNS lookups. It speeds up
communications by not formally establishing a connection before data is transferred.
QA405 4 K4 2
TCP is used for organizing data in a way that ensures the secure transmission between the server
and client. It guarantees the integrity of data sent over the network, regardless of the amount. For
this reason, it is used to transmit data from other higher-level protocols that require all
transmitted data to arrive.
UNIT - V
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
 Categorize the user agents in the electronic mail system.
QA501* User Agent Types: There are two types of user agents: command-driven and GUI- based. CO5 K4 3

Point out the security goals in network security.

The primary goal of network security are Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability. These
QA502 CO5 K4 2
three pillars of Network Security are often represented as CIA triangle.

How will you recognize the P2P networks?

In peer-to-peer systems, you start your local program on a networked computer, and you become
connected to other instances of the same program running on lots of other computers. The local CO5
QA503 K4 2
process starts listening on a local port, and finds IP:port pairs for those other processes.

Classify the components of cryptography.

A basic cryptosystem includes the following components:
* Plaintext- This is the data that needs to be protected.
QA504 * Encryption algorithm- This is the mathematical algorithm that takes plaintext as the input and CO5 K4 3
returns ciphertext.
* Ciphertext- This is the encrypted, or unreadable, version of the plaintext.

Illustrate the features of IMAP.

IMAP enables users to organize messages into folders, flag messages for urgency or follow-up,
QA505 and save draft messages on the server. Users can also have multiple email client applications CO5 K4 3
that sync with the email server to consistently show which messages have been read or are still
unread.

(PART B – 13 Marks - Either Or Type)

UNIT - I
Knowledge Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO
Level Level (1-5)
 (Blooms)
Classify the network topologies and analyze the pros and cons of each category with
justification.
• Bus Topology Simple layout and cheap but vulnerable to failure and only suitable
for low traffic volumes. Not used for office networks today, but can still be found
within some consumer products.
• Ring Topology Easy to manage and with a low risk of collision but reliant on all
nodes being powered up and in full working order. Rarely used today.
• Star Topology All devices are connected to a central switch, which makes it easy to
add new nodes without rebooting all currently connected devices. This topology
makes efficient use of cable and is easy to administer. On the other hand, the health
of the switch is vital. This topology requires monitoring and maintenance. However,
it is a commonly encountered topology.
• Tree Topology A hierarchical layout that links together groups of nodes. Creates
parent-child dependencies between root nodes and regular nodes. This layout can be
vulnerable to failure if a root node has a problem. This topology is complicated and
difficult to manage and it uses a lot of cable.
• Mesh Topology Each node is connected to every other mode with a direct link.
This topology creates a very reliable network, but requires a large amount of cable
and is difficult to administer. Wifi networks make this topology more feasible.
QB101 (a) CO1 K4 3
• Hybrid Topology Combines two or more of the standard topologies. This can be a
good solution to create quickly link together different existing networks into a
unified system. Don’t confuse the term “hybrid network topology” with “hybrid
system” – a term that is applied to the combination of onsite and cloud resources.
Bus Topology
Pros:
• Easy installation
• Fewer cables required than Mesh and star topology
• Good for small businesses
• Low cost
• Easy to manage and expand
Cons:
• Backbone performance is critical
• Easily congested on busy periods
• Efficiency decreases rapidly with each added node
• Data can only travel in one direction at any point in time
Ring Topology
Pros:
• Low incidence of collision
 • Low cost
• Suitable for small businesses
• Dual ring option provides continuity through redundancy
Cons:
• One faulty node will bring the entire network down
• Requires extensive preventative maintenance and monitoring
• Performance declines rapidly with each additional node
• Reorganizing the network requires a full system shutdown
Star
Pros:
• Easy to manage from one point – the switch
• Easy to add and remove nodes
• Durable
• Low cable usage
• Good for small businesses
Cons:
• Requires specialist network hardware (the switch)
• Makes the network reliant on the switch’s performance
• A finite number of switch ports limits the network’s size
Tree Topology
Pros:
• Blends bus and star topologies
• Easy to manage
• Easy to expand
• Suitable for middle-sized businesses
Cons:
• The network is dependent on the health of the root node
• Requires networking expertise
• Involves a lot of cable
• Larger implementations require monitoring software
• Can get expensive
Mesh topology
Pros:
• High speeds data transfers
• Durable network that isn’t dependent on any one node
• Very secure
• Suitable for high-value networks for small to middle-sized networks
• Easy to identify faulty equipment
 Cons:
• Requires a very large amount of cable
• Can be difficult to secrete all the cable
• Takes a long time to set up
• Requires meticulous planning
• There is a limit to the number of cables each computer can accommodate
Each category explanation with diagram if necessary and Pros and Cons. 13
marks

(Or)
Survey the following Sliding Window Protocols:

(i) Go Back n-ARQ (7)

In Go-Back-N ARQ, N is the sender's window size. Suppose we say that Go-Back-3, which
means that the three frames can be sent at a time before expecting the acknowledgment from
the receiver.

It uses the principle of protocol pipelining in which the multiple frames can be sent before
receiving the acknowledgment of the first frame. If we have five frames and the concept is
Go-Back-3, which means that the three frames can be sent, i.e., frame no 1, frame no 2, frame
no 3 can be sent before expecting the acknowledgment of frame no 1.
QB101 (b) CO1 K4 3
In Go-Back-N ARQ, the frames are numbered sequentially as Go-Back-N ARQ sends the
multiple frames at a time that requires the numbering approach to distinguish the frame from
another frame, and these numbers are known as the sequential numbers.

(ii) Selective Reject (6)

In Selective Repeat ARQ only the lost or error frames are retransmitted, whereas correct
frames are received and buffered.

The receiver while keeping track of sequence numbers buffers the frames in memory and
sends NACK for only frames which are missing or damaged. The sender will
send/retransmit a packet for which NACK is received.
Express the various layers and functions of the OSI model with neat diagrams.
o OSI stands for Open System Interconnection is a reference model that describes how
QB102 (a)* CO1 K4 3
information from a software application in one computer moves through a physical
medium to the software application in another computer.
 There are seven layers as follows
Physical Layer:
• Synchronization of bits
• Performs modulation – converts a signal from one form to another so that it can be
physically transmitted over a communication channel
• It specifies the transmission rate (number of bits sent per second).
• This layer describes the physical network topologies or how different nodes or
devices are arranged in a network (bus, tree, star, mesh, etc.).
• It specifies the transmission modes or how data flows between the two connected
devices (simplex, half-duplex and full-duplex).
In a nutshell, this layer is “in charge of transmitting raw data which is simply a series of
0s and 1s, using electrical, mechanical or procedural interfaces.”

Data link layer:

• It provides an error control mechanism to detect and retransmit damaged or lost
frames.
• The data link layer performs framing. It receives the stream of bits from the network
layer and divides them into manageable data units called frames.
• After creating frames, it adds physical addresses (MAC address) of the sender
and/or receiver in the header of each frame.
• Access control: The MAC sub-layer of the DLL identifies which device has control
over the channel at a time when multiple devices share a single communication
channel.
In a nutshell, this layer is “in charge of establishing and terminating a connection
between two physically connected network nodes.”

Network layer:
• Routing: The protocols in this layer identify the suitable routes from source to
destination.
• Logical Addressing: It describes an addressing scheme to uniquely identify each
device on the network.
In a nutshell, this layer is “in charge of breaking up segments into network packets,
reassembling the packets on the receiving end, and determining the shortest and most
secure path for transmitting data packets across a physical network.”

Transport layer:
• Service-point addressing
• Ensures that each message reaches its destination completely.
 • Maintains error and flow control from the source to destination to ensure proper
data transmission.
• Multiplexing and Demultiplexing
• Segmentation and Reassembly

Session Layer:
• Establishes, maintains, and terminates sessions.
• Dialog Controller: Enables two systems to start communication with each other in
half-duplex or full-duplex.
• Synchronization: It also allows a process to add some checkpoints into a stream of
data.

Presentation layer:
• Translation: Translates data based on the application’s syntax or semantics
• Performs encryption and decryption of sensitive data before they are transmitted
over common channels.
• Compression: Reduces the number of bits contained in the information to be sent.

Application layer:
• User interfaces (UI)
• Provides compatible support for different services such as e-mail, remote file
transfer, etc.

Explanation about each layer with a neat diagram 13 marks

(Or)

Discuss about the connectionless service approach of packet switching.

QB102 (b) Connectionless Protocols CO1 K4 3

In connectionless protocols, users make no effort to establish a dedicated end-to-end

connection. Instead, they simply send the information, ideally ensuring there is adequate
speed and minimal interference. Just like on a citizen band radio or walkie talkie, if the
message is garbled, the only recourse is to ask for a clarification. Advantages of
 connectionless protocols include simpler form, lower overhead, no need for circuit setup, and
ability to multicast.

Connectionless services designate the intended destination of each message or packet of

information

• no authentication necessary
• no guarantees of delivery
• less reliable
• bursts of communication
• packets do not follow same route
• congestion is possible
• low range bandwidth adequate

13 marks if all key points are written

Summarize the following:
i) Principles of protocol layering (5)
The network protocol layering principle partitions the communication functions into a set
of relatively independent layers, so that each of protocol layers can be optimized
separately/independently.

QB103 (a)* ii) TCP/IP network architecture (8) CO1 K4 3

TCP/IP Reference Model is a four-layered suite of communication protocols. It is named
after the two main protocols that are used in the model, namely, TCP and IP. TCP stands
for Transmission Control Protocol and IP stands for Internet Protocol

TCP/IP Network Architecture diagram and explanation

(Or)
Categorize the types of networks in detail.

• LAN - Local Area Network

QB103 (b)* • WLAN - Wireless Local Area Network CO1 K5 3
• WAN - Wide Area Network
• MAN - Metropolitan Area Network
 Each category explanation with diagram

UNIT - II
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
(i)Demonstrate CSMA/CD and its working. (10)

The CSMA method does not specify the procedure following a collision.
Carrier sense multiple access with collision detection (CSMA/CD) augments the algorithm
to handle the collision.
In this method, a station monitors the medium after it sends a frame to see if the transmission
was successful. If so, the station is finished. If, however, there is a collision, the frame is sent
again.
To better understand CSMA/CD, let us look at the first bits transmitted by the two stations
involved in the collision. Although each station continues to send bits in the frame until it
detects the collision, we show what happens as the first bits collide. In below Figure, stations
A and C are involved in the collision.

QB201(a) CO2 K2 3

At time t 1, station A has executed its persistence procedure and starts

sending the bits of its frame. At time t2, station C has not yet sensed the first bit sent by A.
Station C executes its persistence procedure and starts sending the bits in its frame, which
propagate both to the left and to the right. The collision occurs sometime after time t2.Station
C detects a collision at time t3 when it receives the first bit of A's frame. Station C
 immediately (or after a short time, but we assume immediately) aborts transmission. Station
A detects collision at time
t4 when it receives the first bit of C's frame; it also immediately aborts transmission. Looking
at the figure, we see that A transmits for the duration
t4 - tl; C transmits for the duration t3 - t2.
Minimum Frame Size
For CSMAlCD to work, we need a restriction on the frame size. Before sending the last bit
of the frame, the sending station must detect a collision, if any, and abort the transmission.
This is so because the station, once the entire frame is sent, does not keep a copy of the frame
and does not monitor the line for collision detection. Therefore,
the frame transmission time T fr must be at least two times the
maximum propagation time Tp.
If the two stations involved in a collision are the maximum distance
apart, the signal from the first takes time Tp to reach the second,
and the effect of the collision takes another time Tp to reach
the first. So the requirement is that the first station must still be transmitting after 2Tp .

(ii) Identify the various transfer modes in HDLC. (3)

The HDLC protocol offers two modes of transfer that mainly can be used in different
configurations. These are as follows:

• Normal Response Mode (NRM)

In this mode, the configuration of the station is unbalanced. There are one primary
station and multiple secondary stations. Where the primary station can send the
commands and the secondary station can only respond.
• Asynchronous Balance Mode (ABM)
In this mode, the configuration of the station is balanced. In this mode, the link is
point-to-point, and each station can function as a primary and as secondary.

(OR)

Indicate the deficiencies in IPv4 and express how ICMPv4 compensates them.
The distinction between the error and informational classes of ICMP messages is important.
An ICMP error message is not to be sent in response to any of the following messages:
• Another ICMP error message,
QB201(b)*
• Datagrams with bad headers (e.g., bad checksum), CO3 K4 3
• IP-layer broadcast/multicast datagrams,
 • Datagrams encapsulated in link-layer broadcast or multicast frames,
• Datagrams with an invalid or network zero source address,
• Any fragment other than the first.
The reason for imposing these restrictions on the generation of ICMP errors is to limit the
creation of so-called broadcast storms, a scenario in which the generation of a small
number of messages creates an unwanted traffic cascade (e.g., by generating error
responses in response to error responses, indefinitely).

ICMP provides feedback about hosts and networks to the sender of an IP packet. The routers
and switches along the network path are not notified about the errors. An example of ICMP
error reporting includes ‘host/network not found’ when the destination endpoint can’t be
reached.

ICMP does not include error correction, so this does not make IP more reliable. However, it
does allow the sender to be able to handle the errors. The actual error handling is done with
a higher layer protocols (such as TCP) or within the application itself.
To avoid creating error loops, ICMP does not send error notifications about other failed
ICMP packets.

Another use for ICMP is to provide a better path for packets to take to a destination. For
example, if a router receives a packet destined for network ‘A’, this router may know of a
router with a better path. In this case, the first router will send an ICMP redirect back to the
sender, suggesting that it use the other router instead.

An ICMPv4 Time Exceeded message is used by a router to indicate that a packet cannot be
forwarded because the Time to Live (TTL) field of the packet was decremented to 0. If a
router receives a packet and decrements the TTL field in the IPv4 packet to zero, it discards
the packet and sends a Time Exceeded message to the source host.
Enumerate the significance of the Ethernet types and explain in detail about the specifications
and frame format of the same.

QB202 (a)* 10Base2 CO2 K2 2

This standard is also known as ThinNet. It uses coaxial cabling. It provides 10Mbps speed.
It supports a maximum length of 200 meters. This standard is not used in modern networks.
10Base5
This standard is also known as ThickNet. It also uses coaxial cabling and provides 10Mbps
speed. It supports a maximum length of 500 meters. This standard is also not used in modern
networks.

10BaseT
10BaseT is one of the most common Ethernet standards used in Ethernet networks. It uses
UTP (Cat3 or higher) cables and Hubs. Hubs use a physical star topology and a logical bus
topology. Hubs repeat and forward signals to all nodes. Because of Hubs, the 10BaseT
networks are slow and susceptible to collisions.

This standard also specifies a rule about how many Hubs you can use in a network. This rule
specifies that a maximum of four hubs can be placed between communicating workstations.
This rule ensures that all stations on the network can detect a collision.

Due to the slow data transmission speed and collision, modern networks do not use the
10BaseT standard.

10BaseF
10BaseF is an implementation of 10BaseT over fiber optic cabling. 10BaseF offers only 10
Mbps, even though the fiber optic media has the capacity for much faster data rates. One of
the implementations of 10BaseF is to connect two hubs as well as connecting hubs to
workstations.

Due to the slow data transmission speed and expensive cabling, the 10BaseT standard is also
not used in modern networks.

100BaseT4
100BaseT4 was created to upgrade 10BaseT networks over Cat3 wiring to 100 Mbps without
having to replace the wiring. Using four pairs of twisted pair wiring, two of the four pairs are
configured for half-duplex transmission (data can move in only one direction at a time). The
other two pairs are configured as simplex transmission, which means data moves only in one
direction on a pair all the time.

100BaseTX
100BaseTX is also known as Fast Ethernet. It transmits data at 100 Mbps. Fast Ethernet
works nearly identically to 10BaseT, including that it has a physical star topology using a
 logical bus. 100BaseTX requires Cat5 or higher UTP cabling. It uses two of the four-wire
pairs: one to transmit data and the other to receive data.

This is mostly used Ethernet standard in modern networks.

Standard IEEE documentation Cable Minimum cable grade Speed Maximum distance
10Base5 802.3 Coxial RG-8 10Mbs 500 meter
10Base2 802.3a Coxial RG-58 10Mbps 200 meter
10Base-T 802.3i UTP Cat 3 10 Mbps 100 meters
100BaseT/TX 802.3u UTP Cat 5 100 Mbps 100 meters
100BaseFX 802.3u MMF or SMF N/A 100 Mbps 2 km over MMF, 10 km over SMF

(Or)
Discuss in detail the architecture of IEEE 802.11.

The 802.11architecture defines two types of services and three different types of stations
802.11 Services
The two types of services are
1. Basic services set (BSS)
2. Extended Service Set (ESS)
1. Basic Services Set (BSS)
• The basic services set contain stationary or mobile wireless stations and a central base
station called access point (AP).
• The use of access point is optional.
QB202 (b)* CO2 K2 2
• If the access point is not present, it is known as stand-alone network. Such a
BSS cannot send data to other BSSs. This type of architecture is known as adhoc
architecture.
2. Extended Service Set (ESS)
• An extended service set is created by joining two or more basic service sets (BSS) having
access points (APs).
These extended networks are created by joining the access points of basic services sets
through a wired LAN known as distribution system.
• The distribution system can be any IEET LAN.
• There are two types of stations in ESS:
(i) Mobile stations: These are normal stations inside a BSS.
 (ii) Stationary stations: These are AP stations that are part of a wired LAN.
802.11 Station Types
IEEE 802.11 defines three types of stations on the basis of their mobility in wireless LAN.
These are:
1. No-transition Mobility
2. BSS-transition Mobility
3. ESS-transition Mobility
1. No-transition Mobility: These types of stations are either stationary i.e. immovable or
move only inside a BSS.
2. BSS-transition mobility: These types of stations can move from one BSS to another but
the movement is limited inside an ESS.
3. ESS-transition mobility: These types of stations can move from one ESS to another. The
communication mayor may not be continuous when a station moves from one ESS to
another ESS.
Physical layer functions
• As we know that physical layer is responsible for converting data stream into signals, the
bits of 802.11 networks can be converted to radio waves or infrared waves.
• These are six different specifications of IEEE 802.11. These implementations, except the
first one, operate in industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) band. These three banks are
unlicensed and their ranges are
1. 902-928 MHz
2. 2.400-4.835 GHz
3. 5.725-5.850 GHz
 Analyze how a DHCP helps the TCP/IP in address assignment at the network layer.

DHCP is an abbreviation for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. It is an application

layer protocol used by hosts for obtaining network setup information. The DHCP is
controlled by a DHCP server that dynamically distributes network configuration
parameters such as IP addresses, subnet masks, and gateway addresses.
DHCP minimizes configuration errors caused by manual IP address configuration, such
as typographical errors, or address conflicts caused by the assignment of an IP address to
more than one computer at the same time.

DHCP server assigns an IP address – STEPS:

1. DHCPDISCOVER: When a new node is connected to the network, it broadcasts
the DHCPDISCOVER message which contains the source address as 0.0.0.0 to
every node on the network including the server. DHCP server on receiving the
message returns the DHCPOFFER message to the requested host which contains
the server address and new IP address to the node.

QB203 (a) 2. DHCPOFFER: If there are multiple servers on the network, the host receives CO2 K2 3
multiple DHCPOFFER messages. It is up to the host to select a particular
message.

3. DHCPREQUEST: The requested host on receiving the offer message, again

broadcasts the DHCPREQUEST message on the network with the address of the
server whose offer message is accepted by the host. The server which pertains to
that server address sent by the host checks whether the address to be assigned to
the node is available in the data storage.
4. DHCPACK: If the address is assigned, it marks the IP address in the storage as
unavailable to ensure consistency. Now, the server sends a DHCPACK packet to
the requested host which contains network information(IP address, subnet mask,
gateway address). In case, if the address is assigned to another machine
meanwhile, then the server sends the packet DHCPNAK to the requested host
indicating that the IP address is assigned to some other machine.

5. DHCPRELEASE: And finally, If the host wants to move to another network or if

it has finished its work, it sends the DHCPRELEASE packet to the server
 indicating that it wants to disconnect. Then the server marks the IP address as
available in the storage so that it can be assigned to other machines.

(Or)
Explain in detail about the architecture of Bluetooth and its layers.

Bluetooth fills the niche of very short-range communication between mobile phones, PDAs,
notebook computers, and other personal or peripheral devices. For example, Bluetooth can
be used to connect a mobile phone to a headset or a notebook computer to a keyboard.
Roughly speaking, Bluetooth is a more convenient alternative to connecting two devices with
a wire. In such applications, it is not necessary to provide much range or bandwidth. This
means that Bluetooth radios can use quite low power transmission since transmission power
is one of the main factors affecting the bandwidth and range of wireless links. This matches
the target applications for Bluetooth-enabled devices—most of them are battery-powered
(such as the ubiquitous phone headset) and hence it is important that they not consume much
power. Bluetooth operates in the license bandwidth of around 1 to 3 Mbps and
QB203 (b)* communicating devices typically belong to one individual or group, Bluetooth is sometimes CO2 K2 2
categorized as a Personal Area Network (PAN).

Bluetooth is specified by an industry consortium called the It specifies an entire suite of

protocols, going beyond the link layer to define application protocols, which it calls profiles,
for a range of applications. For example, there is a profile for synchronizing a PDA with a
personal computer. Another profile gives a mobile computer access to a wired LAN in the
manner of 802.11, although this was not Bluetooth’s original goal. The IEEE 802.15.1
standard is based on Bluetooth but excludes the application of The basic Bluetooth network
configuration, called up to seven slave devices. Any communication is between the master
and a slave; the slaves do not communicate directly with each other. Because slaves have a
simpler role, the software can be simpler and cheaper. Since Bluetooth operates in a license
required to use a spread spectrum technique.
 UNIT - III
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Apply link state routing algorithm for any network and demonstrate the steps for building a
QB301 (a)* routing table for the specified nodes. CO3 K3 4
 (Or)
Relate the context of the following in IPv6 Addressing: (i) Autoconfiguration and
Renumbering and (ii) Transition from IPv4 to IPv6.

Autoconfiguration

QB301 (b)* CO3 K3 3

Renumbering

Transition from IPV4 to IPV6

 Interpret the concept of Multicast Distance Vector (DVMRP) with necessary illustrations.

QB302 (a) CO3 K3 3

(Or)

Sketch and illustrate the concept of path vector routing algorithm.

QB302 (b)* CO3 K3 3
 Diagram: 7 marks
Explanation for the diagram : 6 marks

Demonstrate the function of BGP and Combination of eBGP and IBGP in internet.

QB303 (a) CO3 K3 3

 Diagram: 7 marks
Explanation for the diagram : 6 marks

(Or)

Dramatize the RIP algorithm with a simple example of your choice.

QB303 (b)* CO3 K3 3
 UNIT - IV
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)

QB401 (a)* Explain the TCP connection Management using neat diagrams. 4 K4 3
 Diagram: 7 marks
Explanation for the diagram: 6 marks

(Or)

Analyze the principle of establishment of QoS through Differentiated services.

QB401 (b)* 4 K4 3

Explanation in detail with diagrams - 13 marks

 With neat sketches, infer the retransmission techniques in detail.
i) Retransmission after RTO
An RTO occurs when the sender is missing too many acknowledgments and
decides to take a time out and stop sending altogether. After some amount of
time, usually at least one second, the sender cautiously starts sending again,
testing the waters with just one packet at first, then two packets, and so on.

ii) Retransmission after three duplicate ACK segments -Out of order segments,
Lost segments, Fast retransmission
Retransmission After Receiving 3 Duplicate Acknowledgements- Consider sender receives
QB402 (a) three duplicate acknowledgements for a TCP segment sent by it. Then, sender assumes that 4 K4 3
the corresponding segment is lost. So, sender retransmits the same segment without waiting
for its time out timer to expire.

(Or)
QB402 (b) TCP is a reliable protocol. Justify how the mechanisms adopted by TCP for error control 4 K4 3
makes it reliable.
 Survey the concept of congestion avoidance in TCP.

QB403 (a)* 4 K4 3

Diagram: 8 marks
Explanation: 5 marks
(Or)

QB403 (b)* 4 K4 3
Categorize the various congestion policies adopted by TCP for Congestion Control.
 Explanation for each policy with necessary illustration. (13 marks)

UNIT - V
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Examine the Substitution and Transposition techniques of cryptography with
necessary illustrations. Both Substitution cipher technique and Transposition cipher
technique are the types of Traditional cipher which are used to convert the plain text into
cipher text.

Substitution Cipher Technique :

In Substitution Cipher Technique plain text characters are replaced with other characters,
QB501 (a) numbers and symbols as well as in substitution Cipher Technique, character’s identity is CO5 K4 3
changed while its position remains unchanged.
Transposition Cipher Technique :
Transposition Cipher Technique rearranges the position of the plain text’s characters. In
transposition Cipher Technique, The position of the character is changed but character’s
identity is not changed
.
 In substitution Cipher Technique, plain text characters are replaced with other characters,
numbers and symbols. In transposition Cipher Technique, plain text characters are rearranged
with respect to the position.

Difference between Substitution Cipher Technique and Transposition Cipher

Technique:
S.No Substitution Cipher Technique Transposition Cipher Technique
In substitution Cipher Technique, plain In transposition Cipher Technique, plain
text characters are replaced with other text characters are rearranged with respect to
1. characters, numbers and symbols. the position.
Substitution Cipher’s forms are: Mono Transposition Cipher’s forms are: Key-less
alphabetic substitution cipher and poly transposition cipher and keyed transposition
2. alphabetic substitution cipher. cipher.
While in transposition Cipher
In substitution Cipher Technique, Technique, The position of the character
character’s identity is changed while its is changed but character’s identity is not
3. position remains unchanged. changed.
In substitution Cipher Technique, The While in transposition Cipher Technique,
letter with low frequency can detect plain The Keys which are nearer to correct key
4. text. can disclose plain text.
The example of substitution Cipher is The example of transposition Cipher is Rail
5. Caesar Cipher. Fence Cipher.
(Or)

QB501 (b)* Examine the UDP variables, tables and indices in Simple Network Management Protocol CO5 K4 4
(SNMP).
 SNMP provides a common mechanism for network devices to relay management
information within single and multi-vendor LAN or WAN environments. It is an application
layer protocol in the OSI model framework. Typically, the SNMP protocol is implemented
using the User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

SNMP works by sending messages, called protocol data units (PDUs), to devices within
your network that “speak” SNMP. These messages are called SNMP Get-Requests. Using
these requests, network administrators can track virtually any data values they specify

An SNMP table can be defined as an ordered collection of objects consisting of zero or

more rows. Each row may contain one or more objects. Each object in a table is identified
using the table index. A table can have a single index or multiple indices.

Inspect the concepts of Iterative communication using TCP in Client/ Server Programming.
TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and is a suite of
communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on the internet. TCP/IP is
also used as a communications protocol in a private computer network (an intranet or
extranet).
A TCP server listens on a well-known port (or IP address and port pair) and accepts
connections from TCP clients. A TCP client initiates a connection request to a TCP server in
order to setup a connection with the server. A real TCP server can accept multiple
connections on a socket. The server's code runs first, which opens a port and listens for
incoming connection requests from clients. Once a client connects to the same (server) port,
the client or server may send a message. Once the message is sent, whoever receives it (server
or client) will process it accordingly.
 TCP Server client Implementation

Survey the concept about Firewall.

A Firewall is a network security device that monitors and filters incoming and outgoing
network traffic based on an organization's previously established security policies. At its most
basic, a firewall is essentially the barrier that sits between a private internal network and the
public Internet.
Firewalls provide protection against outside cyber attackers by shielding your computer or
network from malicious or unnecessary network traffic. Firewalls can also prevent malicious
software from accessing a computer or network via the internet.

Classification of firewall:
QB502 (a)* • Packet Filter Firewall CO5 K4 4
• Proxy Firewall
Firewall delivery methods
• Hardware-based firewalls. A hardware-based firewall is an appliance that acts as a
secure gateway between devices inside the network perimeter and those outside it.
• Software-based firewalls. A software-based firewall, or host firewall, runs on a server
or other device.
• Cloud/hosted firewalls.
 (Or)
Examine the various steps involved in the non-persistent connection of HTTP.
Non-persistent and persistent are the two types of HTTP connections used to
connect the client with the webserver. The non-persistent connection has connection type
1.0, while the persistent connection has connection type 1.1

The non-persistent connection takes a total time of 2RTT + file transmission time. It
takes the first RTT (round-trip time) to establish the connection between the server and the
client. The second RTT is taken to request and return the object. This case stands for a single
object transmission.

Need for non-persistent HTTP:

The original HTTP specification always uses non-persistent connections; HTTP/1.1
added persistence because it is more efficient for web pages that embed a lot of external
objects (which were rare when HTTP/1.0 was written).
Modern web browsers like Chrome, Firefox, and Opera use persistent HTTP
connections by default. As such, non-persistent connections are very widely used in modern
network applications.
QB502 (b)* CO5 K4 3
 Appraise on any one protocol that provides security services for e-mail.
SSL, TLS, and STARTTLS refer to standard protocols used to secure email
transmissions. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) and its successor, Transport Layer Security
(TLS), provide a way to encrypt a communication channel between two computers over the
Internet.

Transport Layer Security (TLS) is a security protocol that encrypts email for privacy. TLS
prevents unauthorized access of your email when it's in transit over internet connections. By
default, Gmail always tries to use a secure TLS connection when sending email.

SSL/TLS Protocols

SSL (the Secure Sockets Layer) is the predecessor of TLS (the Transport Layer Security).
Both are application layer protocols that provide the security framework that works with
SMTP to keep your emails safe. From 2015, SSL was officially deprecated but there still
remain an alarming number of websites that support it. TLS provide additional security for
SMTP and even some other communicating computer programmes. Email clients send and
receive messages using TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) to initiate the ‘’handshake’’.
The handshake is a series of actions that the email client and server go through to validate
QB503 (a) security and begin the email transition. CO5 K4 3
 (Or)
Inspect the concepts of Iterative communication using TCP in Client/ Server Programming.
TCP/IP stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and is a suite of
communication protocols used to interconnect network devices on the internet. TCP/IP is
also used as a communications protocol in a private computer network (an intranet or
extranet).
A TCP server listens on a well-known port (or IP address and port pair) and accepts
connections from TCP clients. A TCP client initiates a connection request to a TCP server in
order to setup a connection with the server. A real TCP server can accept multiple
connections on a socket. The server's code runs first, which opens a port and listens for
incoming connection requests from clients. Once a client connects to the same (server) port,
the client or server may send a message. Once the message is sent, whoever receives it (server
or client) will process it accordingly.

QB503 (b)* CO5 K4 4

TCP Server client Implementation

 (PART C – 15 Marks - Either Or Type)

UNIT - I
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Given the data word 1101 and the divisor 1001. Show the generation of CRC code
word at the sender site and verify the code at the receiver.

QC101 (a)* CO1 K3 4

(Or)
 Illustrate the functionality of virtual circuit networks and explain the concept in detail.

A virtual circuit (VC) is a means of transporting data over a packet-switched network in

such a way that it appears as though there is a dedicated physical link between the source
and destination end systems of this data. The term virtual circuit is synonymous with virtual
connection.

Working of Virtual Circuit:

• In the first step a medium is set up between the two end nodes.
QC101 (b)* • Resources are reserved for the transmission of packets. CO1 K4 4
• Then a signal is sent to sender to tell the medium is set up and transmission can be
started.
• It ensures the transmission of all packets.
• A global header is used in the first packet of the connection.
• Whenever data is to be transmitted a new connection is set up.
Congestion Control in Virtual Circuit:
Once the congestion is detected in virtual circuit network, closed-loop techniques is used.
There are different approaches in this technique:
Explanation of the above with neat diagram -15 marks

UNIT - II
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
List the different controlled access methods in CSMA and analyze how the stations
communicate with each other.
In the Controlled access technique, all stations need to consult with one another in order to
find out which station has the right to send the data.
• The controlled access protocols mainly grant permission to send only one node at a
time; thus in order to avoid the collisions among the shared mediums.
• No station can send the data unless it has been authorized by the other stations.
QC201 (a)* CO2 K4 3
The protocols lies under the category of Controlled access are as follows:
• Reservation
• Polling
• Token Passing
1. Reservation
In this method, a station needs to make a reservation before sending the data.
• Time is mainly divided into intervals.
 • Also, in each interval, a reservation frame precedes the data frame that is sent in that
interval.
• Suppose if there are 'N' stations in the system in that case there are
exactly 'N' reservation minislots in the reservation frame; where each minislot
belongs to a station.
• Whenever a station needs to send the data frame, then the station makes a
reservation in its own minislot.
• Then the stations that have made reservations can send their data after the
reservation frame.
Let us take an example of 5 stations and a 5-minislot reservation frame. In the first interval,
the station 2,3 and 5 have made the reservations. While in the second interval only station 2
has made the reservations.

2. Polling
The polling method mainly works with those topologies where one device is designated as
the primary station and the other device is designated as the secondary station.
• All the exchange of data must be made through the primary device even though the
final destination is the secondary device.
• Thus to impose order on a network that is of independent users, and in order to
establish one station in the network that will act as a controller and periodically
polls all other stations is simply referred to as polling.
• The Primary device mainly controls the link while the secondary device follows the
instructions of the primary device.
• The responsibility is on the primary device in order to determine which device is
allowed to use the channel at a given time.
• Therefore the primary device is always an initiator of the session.
3. Token Passing
In the token passing methods, all the stations are organized in the form of a logical ring. We
can also say that for each station there is a predecessor and a successor.
• The predecessor is the station that is logically before the station in the ring; while
the successor is the station that is after the station in the ring. The station that is
accessing the channel now is the current station.
• Basically, a special bit pattern or a small message that circulates from one station to
the next station in some predefined order is commonly known as a token.
 • Possessing the token mainly gives the station the right to access the channel and to
send its data.
• When any station has some data to send, then it waits until it receives a token from
its predecessor. After receiving the token, it holds it and then sends its data. When
any station has no more data in order to send then it releases the token and then
passes the token to the next logical station in the ring.
• Also, the station cannot send the data until it receives the token again in the next
round.
• In Token passing, when a station receives the token and has no data to send then it
just passes the token to the next station.
• The problem that occurs due to the Token passing technique is the duplication of
tokens or loss of tokens. The insertion of the new station, removal of a station, also
needs to be tackled for correct and reliable operation of the token passing technique.

In the diagram below when station-1 posses the token, it starts transmitting all the data-
frames which are in its queue. now after transmission, station-1 passes the token to station-
2 and so on. Station-1 can now transmit data again, only when all the stations in the
network have transmitted their data and passed the token.

(Or)
Interpret the different addressing mechanisms of IPv4. Show the notations and hierarchy to
support each addressing method.
QC201 (b) CO2 K4 3
IPv4 supports three different types of addressing modes. −
Unicast Addressing Mode
In this mode, data is sent only to one destined host. The Destination Address field contains
32- bit IP address of the destination host. Here the client sends data to the targeted server −

Broadcast Addressing Mode

In this mode, the packet is addressed to all the hosts in a network segment. The Destination
Address field contains a special broadcast address, i.e. 255.255.255.255. When a host sees
this packet on the network, it is bound to process it. Here the client sends a packet, which is
entertained by all the Servers −

Multicast Addressing Mode

This mode is a mix of the previous two modes, i.e. the packet sent is neither destined to a
single host nor all the hosts on the segment. In this packet, the Destination Address contains
a special address which starts with 224.x.x.x and can be entertained by more than one host.
Here a server sends packets which are entertained by more than one servers. Every network
has one IP address reserved for the Network Number which represents the network and one
IP address reserved for the Broadcast Address, which represents all the hosts in that network.

Hierarchical Addressing Scheme

IPv4 uses hierarchical addressing scheme. An IP address, which is 32-bits in length, is
divided into two or three parts as depicted −
A single IP address can contain information about the network and its sub-network and
ultimately the host. This scheme enables the IP Address to be hierarchical where a network
can have many sub-networks which in turn can have many hosts.

Subnet Mask
The 32-bit IP address contains information about the host and its network. It is very necessary
to distinguish both. For this, routers use Subnet Mask, which is as long as the size of the
network address in the IP address. Subnet Mask is also 32 bits long. If the IP address in binary
is ANDed with its Subnet Mask, the result yields the Network address. For example, say the
IP Address is 192.168.1.152 and the Subnet Mask is 255.255.255.0 then −

This way the Subnet Mask helps extract the Network ID and the Host from an IP Address.
 It can be identified now that 192.168.1.0 is the Network number and 192.168.1.152 is the
host on that network

UNIT - III
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)

QC301 (a)* CO3 K3 4

 (Or)

Apply Dijkstra’s algorithm and manipulate the shortest path tree and the forwarding table
for node A in the figure.

QC301 (b)* CO3 K3 4

Formation of shortest path tree: 8 Marks

Calculation of routing table from shortest path tree: 7 marks
 UNIT - IV
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
TCP is specified as a Finite State Machine. Appraise the context with an example scenario
and state diagrams

QC401 (a) CO4 K4 4

.
 (Or)
Scheduling-FIFO Queuing, Priority Queuing and Weighted Fair Queuing

QC401 (b)* CO4 K4 3

 Weighted Fair Queuing

Priority Queuing

Traffic Shaping- Leaky Bucket

Token Bucket

Diagrams and Explanation- 15 marks

 UNIT - V
Knowledge
Difficulty
Q. No Questions CO Level
Level (1-5)
(Blooms)
Data Encryption Standard (DES) is the symmetric block cipher which encrypts a 64-
bit plain text in a 64-bit ciphertext.

Data Encryption Standard is a symmetric block cipher which takes the input of 64-bit
plain text along with 64-bit key and process it, to generate the 64-bit ciphertext. The diagram
below illustrates the working of DES.

QC501 (a)* CO5 K4 4

Encryption

Step 1: In the first step the 64-bit plain text undergoes initial permutation which rearranges
the bits to produce two 32-bit permuted block which is called left plain text (LPT 32-bit) and
right plain text (RPT 32-bit).

Step 2: Now, 16 rounds of DES encryption will be performed on this LPT and RPT with
a 56-bit key.
 Step 3: After the 16th round the 32-bit LPT and 32-bit RPT are integrated which forms a 64-
bit block again and then the final permutation is applied to this 64-bit block, to obtain the 64-
bit ciphertext.

Decryption

The same Data Encryption Standard algorithm used for encrypting the plain text is also used
to decrypting the ciphertext. But the algorithm is reversed, such as the initial and final
permutation events are reversed. Even the sequence of the subkeys applied in 16 rounds of
DES are also reversed.

Rounds in Data Encryption Standard

Now, we will discuss the process that takes place during the 16 rounds of DES algorithm.
Each round of DES performs the same function. So, below are the steps of the function
performed in each round of DES algorithm:

1. Key Transformation
2. Expansion Permutation
3. S-box Substitution
4. P-box Permutation

XOR and Swap

(Or)

Examine the principle of the RSA algorithm and show how the public and secret keys are
derived with proper illustration.
The RSA algorithm is a public-key signature algorithm developed by Ron Rivest, Adi
Shamir, and Leonard Adleman. The algorithm uses logarithmic functions to keep the
QC501 (b) working complex enough to withstand brute force and streamlined enough to be fast CO5 K4 4
post-deployment.

Generation of RSA Key Pair

1. Generate the RSA modulus (n) Select two large primes, p and q. ...
2. Find Derived Number (e) Number e must be greater than 1 and less than (p − 1)(q − 1). ...
 3. Form the public key. The pair of numbers (n, e) form the RSA public key and is made
public. ...
4. Generate the private key.

An RSA key pair includes a private and a public key. The RSA private key is used to generate
digital signatures, and the RSA public key is used to verify digital signatures. The RSA public
key is also used for key encryption of DES or AES DATA keys and the RSA private key for
key recovery.

Knowledge Level (Blooms Taxonomy)

Applying
K1 Remembering (Knowledge) K2 Understanding (Comprehension) K3
(Application of Knowledge)

K4 Analysing (Analysis) K5 Evaluating (Evaluation) K6 Creating (Synthesis)

Note: For each Question, mention as follows

(i) K1 or K2 etc. for Knowledge Level

(ii) CO1, CO2 etc. for Course Outcomes

(iii) Any number from 1 to 5 for Difficulty Level (With 1 as Most Easy & 5 as Most Difficult)