1. Compare and contrast the three types of addresses used in a network.
Three different types of addresses used in a network are: application layer address, network layer address, and data link layer address. The data link layer addresses are often part of the hardware. Network and application layer addresses are defined by software. Internet registrars dedicate network and application layer addresses for the Internet. Addresses within a single organization are often with the same first 3 bytes. Subnet masks identify whether the first 2 or 3 bytes (partial bytes) represent the same subnet (Beales, 2013). While some networks dedicate network layer addresses in a configuration file on a client computer, others utilize dynamic addressing where DHCP server assigns a network layer at the first time a computer joins a network.
2. What is a subnet and why do networks need them?
Subnet refers to a group of computers hosted on the same LAN whose IP numbers have same prefix. Subnets are used in creating smaller sub networks in an organization so as to get an overview of the IP distribution (Beales, 2013). They also enable easy maintenance and provide faster transmission rates.
3. What is routing? What is the function of a datagram?
Routing refers to a process of selecting the path or route through the network in which a message will travel from the sender to the receiver.
4. What happens to a packet of data as it travels down each of the layers? That is what happens to its physical make-up.
As the packet of data travels down each of the layers, the protocols at each of the layers either adds (data encapsulation) or removes fields from the basic header (Beales, 2013).
5. Discuss the three broad classes of Mac Protocols.
Three broad classes of MAC protocols are: Fixed assignment (e.g. TDMA, CDMA, and FDMA), Random assignment (e.g. ALOHA and CSMA), and Demand assignment (e.g. Token Ring, GAMA, PRMA). Fixed assignments protocols lack flexibility in assigning resources and have problems in configuring changes. Random assignment protocol are very flexible and commonly used in wireless LAN protocols (Beales, 2013). Demand assignment protocols combine good aspects of the first two, but need special effort to incorporated them in wireless.
6. What is a mechanism for detecting if there is a conflict between two data packets on a transmission channel.
A conflict between two data packets on a transmission channels can be detected through the utility of IPv4 Address Conflict Detection.
7. What is the function of the Data-Link Layer
A Data Link Layer transfer data between adjacent network nodes in a wide area network or between nodes on the same local area network segment.
8. What is the function of the Network Layer?
The network layer does two main functions:
• Routing: it determines the next computer to which a message must be sent tin order o reach its final destination
• Addressing: it locates the address of the next computer.
Reference:
Beales, P. R. (2013). PC Systems, Installation and Maintenance. London: Routledge.
