TEVETA

Diploma in computer studies

TQF 6 examinations

November/December 2014

Subject: Computer Networks

Time allowed: 3 hours

Total marks: 100%

Pass mark: 50%

Instructions to candidate

1. Write your Examination Number and National Registration Card Number on the Answer
booklet.
2. There are seven (7) questions in this paper.
3. Answer any five (5) questions.
4. All questions carry equal marks.
5. Cell-phones and programmable calculators are not allowed in this examination room.

1
QUESTION ONE

Write brief notes on the following:

(a) An access point (2 marks)

(b) Distinction between CSMA/CD and CSMA/CA (8 marks)

(c) Distinction between guided and unguided transmission (2 marks)

(d) Star-wired ring (4 marks)

(e) Star-wired bus (4 marks)

QUESTION TWO

(a) Distinguish between narrowband and broadband (4 marks)

(b) Distinguish between FHSS and DSSS (4 marks)

(c) Describe the following types of network services:

(i) Print service (3 marks)
(ii) File service (3 marks)
(iii) Access service (3 marks)
(iv) Communication service (3 marks)

QUESTION THREE

(a) State the five (5) functional tasks of a protocol. (10 marks)

(b) What does the initials PDU stand for (2 marks)

(c) Write the PDUs that operate at the following points:

(i) Physical layer (2 marks)
(ii) Network layer (2 marks)
(iii) Data link layer (2 marks)
(iv) Transport layer (2 marks)

2
Question four

(a) Write brief notes on the following satellites:

(i) Geosynchronous orbit satellites (3 marks)
(ii) Low earth orbiting satellites (3 marks)
(iii) Medium earth orbiting (3 marks)

(b) Concisely explain a proxy server (3 marks)

(c) State the layers of the OSI model in which the following are executed:
(i) Converting an EDCDIC – coded text into and out of the XML (2 marks)
(ii) OSPF (2 marks)
(iii) CSMA/CD (2 marks)
(iv) Segmentation/reassembly (2 marks)

Question five

(a) Describe concisely the following topologies:

(i) Mesh (3 marks)
(ii) Bus (3 marks)
(iii) Ring (3 marks)

(b) One of the disadvantages of the mesh topology is the experimental increase in the
number of connections as you add more nodes. State the number of connections if
there are 20 computers (5 marks)

(c) What do you understand by switching? (2 marks)

(d) Distinguish between message switching and packet switching (4 marks)

3
Question six

(a) Distinguish between a WAN and a LAN (4 marks)

(b) Describe a virtual private network (3 marks)

(c) Write brief notes on the VPN tunneling protocol (3 marks)

(d) Distinguish between amplifier and a repeater (4 marks)

(e) State any two (2) advantages and two (2) disadvantages of using a repeater
(4
marks)

(f) Differentiate Multi-mode from single-mode fiber optic cables. (4 marks)

Question seven

(a) With a brief explanation of their function, state the layers of the OSI model in their
descending order. (14 marks)

(b) Cite any three (3) advantages of separating network functions into separate layers
(6
marks)