NETWORK

Short Answer Questions ( Sent as Part1)

1. What is meant by a communication system? Name all the elements of a

communication system.
Ans.
● A communication system is a collection of individual communication networks
which interconnect and inter-operate to form an integrated communication
environment.
● The elements of a communication system are as follows:
▪ Network components
▪ Transmission media
▪ Transmission signals
▪ Communication protocol

2. What is Network component? Explain with reference to a communication system.

Ans.
The network components help in transferring data from one point to another by using
resources. In any communication process, three elements are essentially needed. They
are:
o Sender: It creates the messages to be transmitted.
o Medium: It carries the transmitted messages to the destination.
o Receiver: It receives the messages from the source.
In a computer, the data transfer communication system, the sender and receiver are
normally machines. The transmission medium may be telephone lines, satellite links,
microwave links etc.

3. Explain the term ‘Network Topology’. Name the different types of topologies.
Ans.
● Network Topology is the arrangement of various elements (links, nodes etc) of a
computer on a logical network.
● Network topology may be depicted physically or logically. Physical topology refers to
the placement of computers or nodes including device location and cable installation.
Logical topology defines how the data flows within a network, irrespective of the
physical topology.
● The different types of topology are:
o Star
o Ring
o Complete
o Hybrid
o Multipoint (Bus)
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II. Give two differences between the following: ( Sent as Part2)

1. Local Area Network and Wide Area Network

Ans.
Local Area Network (LAN) Wide Area Network (WAN)
1. A LAN is restricted to a limited 1. A WAN may operate on a worldwide or
geographical area. nationwide basis.
2. In a LAN, the computers, the terminals 2. In a WAN, there may not be physical
and the peripheral devices are connected to connections between various computers.
each other through wires and coaxial cables.

2. Analog signal and Digital signal

Ans.
Analog signal Digital Signal
1. There is a continuous representation of 1. Instead of a continuous representation,
signals in this type of signal. (The wave is digital signals work on discrete data which
continuously varying in nature) states only two conditions. (true/false,
one/zero, high/low, present/absent)
2. Data is transmitted through telephone 2. Computer generated data are digital
lines as Analog signals. signals.

3. Star Topology and Ring Topology

Ans. [write any two of the points given below]
Star Topology Ring Topology
1. The local computers are not directly 1. The local computers are linked to each
linked to each other. They communicate via other in a ring arrangement. Each computer
the ‘host computer’ through multiple in the ring communicates with the other
communication lines. computers without the aid of the
‘controlling computer’ or ‘host computer’.
2. The addition of new terminals in the 2. The addition of new terminals in the
network do not delay the transmission network delays the communication.
speed.
3. If one of the local computers fail, the 3. Since the local computers are connected
transmission of the network is unaffected. to each other in a ring arrangement, a failure
of one of the local computers affects the
entire network.

4. Intranet and Internet

Ans.
Intranet Internet
1. An intranet is a computer network that 1. Internet is a system through which we can
uses the Internet Protocol technology to communicate with people or access
 share information, operational systems or information from any part of the world.
computing services within an organisation.

2. The intranet is designed for a specific 2. The internet is not designed for a specific
group of users and hence there are limited group of users and hence the numbers of
users in an intranet. users in an internet are not limited.

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Short Answer Questions (continued) ( Sent as Part3)

4. What are the advantages of a USB modem over an External modem? Explain.
Ans.
USB modems are much smaller and portable when compared to external modems. The USB
modem does not require any power source like the external modem since it gets charged
through any USB port of the computer.

5. What is a computer network? Explain different types of computer networks.

Ans.
A computer network is a group of interconnected computers. Computer networks can be
classified based on their geographical spread as follows:
● Personal Area Network (PAN) – Used for devices within 20 t0 30 feet.
● Local Area Network (LAN) – Used to interconnect large number of computers
(approximately within a radius of half a kilometre)
● Campus Area Network (CAN) – Connects 2 or more LANs but is limited to specific
geographical areas like college campus, office buildings etc.
● Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) – Connects two or more LANs or CANs but does not
extend beyond the boundaries of the immediate town/city.
● Wide Area Network (WAN) – This type of communication network can operate
worldwide and uses telephone lines, satellite links etc.

6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of complete topology?

Ans.
Advantages
● It is the fastest way to transfer data between two computers.
● If any computer breaks down, communication takes place via the other nodes.
Disadvantage
● It is comparatively expensive as the number of terminals/points connected to a computer
are more.

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( Part 4)
Short Answer Questions (continued)

7. What is ‘Cloud Computing’? What are its characteristics?

Ans.
● Cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the internet in a
location other than the hard drive of your system.
● It is a type of computing where services such as servers, storage and applications are
delivered to an organization’s computers through the Internet.
● Some of the characteristics of cloud computing are as follows:
o The data can be accessed at any time from any place through self-service.
o It allows multiple resource sharing and instant monitoring of the resources
accessed by the users.

8. What are the advantages of Cloud Computing? Explain.

Ans.
● It eliminates the difficulty and expense of maintaining and upgrading computer
hardware and software.
● The processing speed, memory capacity, software applications and maintenance
of a computer system are minimized.
● It does not require any software to access or manipulate any information.
● Files of any size or type can be stored. (e.g. word process, games or videos)

III Write short notes on the following

1. Computer Network
Ans. The term ‘network’ means a system of interconnected points or terminals. Thus,
computer network is a system of interconnected computers or terminals. A computer
network enables the transmission of data from one location to another and helps to
share the available resources.

2. Transmission Control Protocol

Ans. TCP works in collaboration with IP (Internet Protocol) to transport the data.
TCP manages the transmission of the message over the network. The messages are
broken into smaller units called packets. These packets are received by the
corresponding TCP layer of the receiver and re-assembled into the original message.

3. Communication Protocol
Ans.
Computer networks cannot exist without communication protocols. They are required
in order to exchange messages in or between computing systems and
telecommunications. They cover authentication, error detection, correction and
signalling. Communication protocols mainly involve broadband, wi-fi system and
Bluetooth.

4. Internet Service Provider

Ans.
It is an organisation that provides the Internet services against a fee. (e.g. BSNL,
Airtel etc)
 It is a link between a computer and the servers on the internet. Thus, an ISP is the
gateway to the internet.
An ISP also includes providers such as
● Internet Cable Service Providers
● Internet Wireless Service Providers and
● Internet Broadband Service Providers.

5. Modem
Ans.
● Computer-generated data is digital whereas the telephone lines used for data
communication in the computer networks usually carry Analog signals.
● A modem is a device which is used to perform modulation and demodulation.
● The process by which a digital signal is converted into its Analog form is
called as modulation and the reverse process (Analog 🡪Digital conversion) is
called as demodulation.

6. Domain Name Server

Ans.
A Domain Name Server is a directory of domain names with their respective IP
addresses. When a website needs to be accessed, its IP address is generated with the
help of DNS. The required computer or network is further approached for
communication based on the generated IP address.

7. Router
Ans.
● Router is a physical networking component that allows communication when a
single computer is linked with multiple computers on the Internet.
● It acts as a traffic controller among the devices connected on the Internet.
● The ‘router’ provides a route or path through which a message travels from a
source to the destination.

8. File Transfer Protocol

Ans.
● FTP is a standard internet protocol and the simplest way to exchange files between
computers on the Internet. An ftp address starts with ftp:// instead of http://.
● FTP is commonly used to download a file from the server using the Internet
(transferring the file from another computer to your computer) or to upload a file to a
server (transferring the file from your computer to another computer)
● FTP works in the same way as HTTP works for transferring webpages from a server
to a user’s browser and the SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) which transfers
email.
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Objective Questions will be sent as Part 5 next week.