COLLEGE OF COMPUTER APPLICATION (04)

Program Name: Bachelor of Computer Application

Department Name: BCA Department Code: 023

Subject Name: Computer Network Subject Code: 2040233212
Semester: IV
Academic Year: 2023-24

QUESTION BANK
1. What is a computer network? Provide a concise definition and explain its significance in modern computing.
2. How do computer networks facilitate communication and resource sharing among connected devices?
3. Differentiate between a local area network (LAN) and a wide area network (WAN) with examples.
4. Define network topology and discuss the characteristics of the following topologies: bus, ring, star, and mesh.
5. Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of a star topology and a mesh topology.
6. In what scenarios would a ring topology be more suitable than a star topology?
7. Explain the distinction between peer-to-peer (P2P) and client-server network architectures.
8. Discuss the characteristics of a wireless network and its advantages over wired networks.
9. What is the purpose of a metropolitan area network (MAN)? Provide examples of its applications.
10. Define a network protocol. How do protocols ensure effective communication between devices?
11. Compare and contrast TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol). When would you
use one over the other?
12. What role does the Internet Protocol (IP) play in computer networking?
13. Describe the concept of layered network architecture. What are the advantages of using a layered approach?
14. Provide an overview of the OSI model. Explain the functions of each of its seven layers.
15. How does the OSI model aid in troubleshooting and designing networks?
16. What is the TCP/IP protocol suite? How does it differ from the OSI model?
17. Explain the functions of the following TCP/IP protocols: HTTP, FTP, and SMTP.
18. Discuss the role of IP addresses in the TCP/IP protocol suite.
19. Differentiate between a hub and a switch in a network. When would you use one over the other?
20. What are the key features of a managed switch, and how does it differ from an unmanaged switch?
21. Explain the primary functions of routers in a computer network.
22. Define analog signal and digital signal. What are the key differences between them?
23. Explain the concept of bandwidth and its relationship to analog signals.
24. Discuss the advantages of using digital signals over analog signals in data communication.
25. What factors determine the data-rate limits of a communication channel?
26. Explain the Nyquist theorem and the Shannon-Hartley theorem in the context of data communication.
27. How does noise affect the achievable data rate in a communication system?
28. Describe different line encoding schemes used in digital communication, such as NRZ, NRZI, and Manchester
encoding.
29. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of polar and bipolar encoding schemes.
30. How does differential Manchester encoding differ from standard Manchester encoding?
31. Define Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) and explain its role in digitizing analog signals.
32. Discuss the quantization process in PCM and its impact on signal quality.
33. What is the purpose of companding in PCM, and how does it work?
34. Differentiate between parallel and serial transmission. When is each method more suitable?
35. Explain the concept of parallel-to-serial conversion and vice versa.
36. What are the challenges associated with synchronization in serial transmission?
37. Define modulation and its role in data communication.
38. Explain the process of digital-to-analog modulation. Provide examples of modulation techniques.
39. How does amplitude modulation differ from frequency modulation?
40. Define multiplexing. What are the primary advantages of multiplexing in communication systems?
41. Explain FDM and TDM. Compare their applications.
42. Discuss the differences between synchronous TDM and statistical TDM.
43. Describe different types of transmission media (guided and unguided) used in data communication.
44. What are the factors influencing the choice of transmission media in a communication system?
45. Explain the advantages and limitations of optical fiber as a transmission medium.
46. Define circuit switching and explain how it works in a network.
47. What are the key characteristics of circuit-switched networks? Provide an example of a circuit-switched network.
48. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of circuit switching compared to other switching techniques.
49. Define packet switching and explain the concept of connectionless datagram switching.
50. Compare and contrast connectionless datagram switching with circuit switching.
51. Provide examples of network protocols that use connectionless datagram switching.
52. Explain the concept of connection-oriented virtual circuit switching.
53. How does virtual circuit switching differ from circuit switching and connectionless datagram switching?
54. Discuss the advantages of using virtual circuits in a packet-switched network.
55. Describe hybrid switching techniques that combine circuit switching and packet switching. What are the benefits of
such hybrid approaches?
56. Provide examples of scenarios where a hybrid switching approach might be advantageous.
57. Define access mechanisms in the context of networking.
58. Explain the differences between centralized and decentralized access control mechanisms.
59. What is contention-based access? Discuss its advantages and challenges.
60. Define reservation-based access mechanisms and their role in network communication.
61. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of reservation-based access compared to contention-based access.
62. Provide examples of network protocols or technologies that use reservation-based access.
63. What is Quality of Service (QoS) in the context of network switching?
64. How can QoS be achieved in packet-switched networks in case of connection-oriented virtual circuit switching?
65. Discuss the importance of QoS in real-time applications.
66. Explain the importance of error detection in data communication. Provide examples of common errors.
67. Compare and contrast error detection and error correction techniques. Discuss the role of checksums in error
detection. How do they work, and what types of errors can they detect?
68. Define the Data Link Layer and its functions in the OSI model.
69. What is framing in the context of Data Link Control? Describe different framing techniques.
70. Explain the purpose of flow control in data communication. What are the methods used for flow control at the DLL?
71. Provide an overview of the Network Layer and its responsibilities in the OSI model.
72. Define the Internet Protocol (IP). What is its role in the network layer of the TCP/IP protocol suite?
73. Differentiate between IPv4 and IPv6. What problems does IPv6 address compared to IPv4?
74. Explain the concept of IP addressing. What is the purpose of an IP address, and how is it structured?
75. Discuss the need for subnetting in IP networks. How does subnetting contribute to efficient address allocation?
76. Define routing in the context of network communication. How does it differ from forwarding?
77. What is a routing table, and how does it assist in the routing process?
78. Compare static routing and dynamic routing. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
79. Describe the error handling mechanisms in the IP protocol. How are errors detected and reported?
80. What is ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol), and how does it support error handling in IP networks?
81. Explain the purpose of the TTL (Time-to-Live) field in the IP header.
82. What is Network Address Translation (NAT), and why is it used in IP networks?
83. Discuss the advantages and potential drawbacks of using NAT in a network.
84. How does NAT impact the global addressing scheme of the Internet?
85. Define the Transport Layer and explain its role in the OSI model.
86. What are the key services provided by the Transport Layer? Discuss the importance of error detection and
correction.
87. Explain the concept of flow control in the Transport Layer. How does it contribute to reliable data transfer?
88. Compare and contrast the features of TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol).
89. Discuss the reliability mechanisms implemented in TCP. How does TCP ensure data integrity and delivery?
90. Explain the scenarios where UDP might be preferred over TCP and vice versa.
91. Define the Application Layer and outline its functions in the OSI model.
92. Explain the purpose of the Domain Name System (DNS) protocol in the Application Layer.
93. How does DNS resolve domain names to IP addresses? Discuss the steps involved in a DNS query.
94. Provide an overview of the World Wide Web (WWW) and its components.
95. Define the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and its role in web communication.
96. Explain the basic structure of an HTTP request and response.
97. Discuss the process of web browsing, including the role of browsers, URLs, and hyperlinks.
98. What are cookies in the context of web applications? How do they contribute to user sessions and personalization?
99. What security concerns are associated with cookies, and how can they be mitigated?
100. Define HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) and explain its significance in secure web communication.
101. How does HTTPS use encryption to ensure the confidentiality of data during transmission?
102. Discuss the role of digital certificates in establishing secure connections with HTTPS.