IT377 Homework #1 Answer Sheet

Name: ANSWER
Part I. Multiple choice - 40%, 1. MC 28%

1. _A__ 10. _C__

2. _B__ 11. _B__
3. _A__ 12. _D__
4. _C__ 13. -D—
5. _C__ 14. -C---
6. _C__
7. _B__
8. _A__ .
9. _A__

2. T/F (12%)
1. T
2. F
3. T
4. T
5. F
6. F

Part II. Questions - 36%

1. When multiple stations use the shared medium to send the data at the same time.
A collision will occur. The collision itself is a signal with evidently increased
amplitude (almost doubled). When a collision is detected, the sender will stop
sending data immediately and send a jam signal. The jam signal is designed to be
placed in the field of CRC (or FCS) of an Ethernet frame to prevent a receiver
from receiving a corrupted data frame (jam signal uses a fixed signal pattern,
which has only 1/(2^32) chance to be a correct CRC for the received frame).

2. A collision domain is a section of network that allows (layer-1) signal to be sent

across it. A consequence is if two stations on the same collision domain send
signals at the same time, a collision will occur.

- Each port on a hub is in the same collision domain.

- By contrast, each port on a bridge, a switch or a router is in a separate
collision domain.

IT377-HW#1 Answer Page 1 of 3

 A broadcast domain is a network that allows (layer-2) broadcast messages to be
sent across it. A consequence is if a station A wants to talk to another station B
(knowing B’s IP address) on the same broadcast domain, station A can broadcast
a query (using ARP) to all stations on the same broadcast domain and find B’s
MAC address, then station A can send data (Ethernet frames) to B via layer-1 or
layer-2 devices.
- All ports on a hub or a switch are by default in the same broadcast
domain.
- All ports on a router are in the different broadcast domains

3. Compute the probability of collision at 2nd try.

2nd try: K = 1, using k=k+1

2nd try: K = 1 + 1 = 2
Random back-off window = P= 2k – 1 = 3
=> R= [0, P] = [0, 1, 2, 3]

A 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3
B 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3

The chance that two stations choose Window 0 at the same time is: 1/4 x 1/4; the
same chance if two stations choose Window 1, 2 or 3.
Thus, the probability of choosing the same back-off window = 4 x (1/4) x (1/4 )=25%

4. What is the mechanism in CSMA/CD to guarantee a sender can always detection

any potential collision? Please explain your answer.

- One condition needs be satisfied: slot time (frame size) >= round trip delay for
collision signal
- Min Ethernet frame size is used to meet this requirement which is 64 Bytes.

Part III Populate the MAC Forwarding Table (24%)

Ethernet Switch 1 (SW1) Ethernet Switch 2 (SW2)

Port Mac Address Port MAC Address
P11 99-88-77-01-01-01 P21 99-88-77-02-02-02

P12 33-22-11-11-11-11 P22 33-22-11-44-44-44

P12 33-22-11-22-22-22 P23 33-22-11-55-55-55

P13 33-22-11-33-33-33 P23 33-22-11-66-66-66

IT377-HW#1 Answer Page 2 of 3

 Ethernet Switch 1 (SW3)
Port Mac Address
P31 99-88-77-02-02-02
P31 33-22-11-44-44-44
P32 33-22-11-55-55-55

P33 33-22-11-66-66-66

The MAC address of the switch is not needed on the MAC forwarding table. However,
one may argue about the bridge control protocol (such as STP). In this case, the MAC
address of Ethernet switch will also be seen on the MAC forwarding table of neighboring
switches.

- There are 2 broadcast domains; 8 collision domains.

IT377-HW#1 Answer Page 3 of 3