SECTION A: This Section is Mandatory (40 Marks)

1. The distortion of transmitted messages from signals carried in adjacent wires is called:

o Crosstalk.

2. Two characteristics of fibre-optic cable include:

o High bandwidth and Immunity to electromagnetic interference.

3. List any 2 communication protocol functions:

o Error detection and correction.

o Data segmentation and reassembly.

4. The Ping signal is used to determine:

o Network connectivity.

5. You are given this IP address 192.1.1.47. Can you identify the version and also the class?

o Version: IPv4

o Class: Class C

6. If the default Gateway address is incorrectly configured on a host, the host cannot:

o Access external networks and Communicate outside its local network.

7. The two most effective ways to defend against malware are:

o Using up-to-date antivirus software and Regularly updating the operating system.

8. The purpose of the TCP sliding window is to:

o Control the flow of data and manage congestion.

9. The command that can be used on a Windows PC to see the IP configuration of that
computer is:

o c) ipconfig.

10. The difference between a virus and a worm is:

o A virus requires user action to spread, whereas a worm can self-replicate and
spread without user intervention.

11. The Packet Tracer is used for:

o Simulating network configurations and troubleshooting.

12. What information is used by TCP to reassemble and reorder received segments?

o Sequence numbers and Acknowledgements.

13. The two functions of NVRAM in a Router include:

o Storing the router's startup configuration file.

o Maintaining data when the router is powered off.

o 127.0.0.1 (Loopback address).

o 192.168.0.0/16 (Private network).

15. In a data communication network which layer determines the path:

o Network Layer.

o Drawback: Can become a bottleneck due to routing overhead.

16. One advantage of Wi-Fi is:

o Wireless connectivity.

o Drawback: Susceptible to interference.

17. The use of Encapsulation and Fragmentation in Packet switching:

o Encapsulation: Wrapping data in a header with addressing information for

o Fragmentation: Breaking down large data packets into smaller pieces for
transmission.

18. The difference between static IP address and dynamic IP address is:

o Static IP address: Manually assigned and remains constant.

o Dynamic IP address: Automatically assigned and can change periodically.

19. TCP and UDP are connection-oriented and reliable. a) True b) False:

o a) True for TCP.

o b) False for UDP (UDP is connectionless and unreliable).

20. Traceroute is used for:

o Identifying the path that packets take to reach a destination and diagnosing
network issues.

SECTION B

B1a. Briefly describe Switches and Routers and how they are used in networking (6 Marks):

 Switch: A network device that connects multiple devices within the same network (LAN) and
uses MAC addresses to forward data to the correct device.

 Router: A network device that connects different networks (e.g., LAN to WAN) and routes
data packets based on IP addresses, often providing access to the internet.

B1b. With appropriate illustrations, explain any two LAN topologies and give the corresponding
standards for the topologies. (6 Marks)

 Star Topology:
 o Description: All devices are connected to a central hub or switch. If one device fails,
the rest of the network remains unaffected.

o Standard: Ethernet (IEEE 802.3).

 Bus Topology:

o Description: All devices share a single communication line (bus). Data travels in both
directions along the bus.

o Standard: Ethernet (IEEE 802.3).

B2a. With an appropriate diagram, briefly explain TCP/IP layers and its role in Data
Communication. (6 Marks)

 Diagram: Typically shows four layers—Application, Transport, Internet, and Network Access.

 Role:

o Application Layer: Provides protocols for specific data communication functions

o Transport Layer: Manages end-to-end communication and error checking (e.g., TCP,
UDP).

o Internet Layer: Routes packets across networks using IP addresses (e.g., IP).

o Network Access Layer: Deals with the physical transmission of data (e.g., Ethernet).

B2b. Illustrate the 3-way handshake of TCP then state the difference between TCP and UDP. (6
Marks)

 3-Way Handshake:

1. SYN: Client sends a synchronization request to the server.

2. SYN-ACK: Server responds with an acknowledgment and synchronization request.

3. ACK: Client acknowledges the server's request, and the connection is established.

 Difference:

o TCP: Connection-oriented, reliable, ensures data is received in order.

o UDP: Connectionless, unreliable, no guarantee of data order or delivery.

SECTION C

4. (a) (i) Explain how the data link control achieves the following: framing, flow control, and error
control in data link layer. (ii) Using three distinctive sentences, differentiate between an ideal and
a real channel. (8 Marks)

 Framing: Divides the data stream into manageable frames with headers and trailers.

 Flow Control: Regulates the data flow between sender and receiver to prevent buffer
overflow.
  Error Control: Detects and corrects errors using techniques like checksums or CRC.

 Ideal Channel: Has no noise, infinite bandwidth, and perfect synchronization.

 Real Channel: Subject to noise, limited bandwidth, and possible synchronization issues.

4(b) Describe the mechanisms of stop and wait protocol including the flow diagram. (5 Marks)

 Stop and Wait Protocol: A sender transmits a frame and waits for an acknowledgment
before sending the next frame. If an acknowledgment is not received within a certain time
frame, the sender retransmits the frame.

 Flow Diagram:

o Sender: Send frame -> Wait for ACK -> If ACK received, send next frame; else,
resend.

o Receiver: Receive frame -> Send ACK -> Wait for next frame.