Computer Network and Security

Oral Question Bank

Unit 1-Introduction To computer network

1. How many types of Networks? Give their names.
Ans- a. Personal Area Network (PAN)
The smallest and most basic type of network
b. Local Area Network(LAN)
LANS connect groups of computers and low-voltage devices together across short
distances (within a building or between a group of two or three buildings in close
proximity
c. Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN)
Functioning like a LAN, WLANs make use of wireless network technology, such as Wi-
Fi
d. Campus Area Network (CAN)
Larger than LANs, but smaller than metropolitan area networks these types of networks
are typically seen in universities
e. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
These types of networks are larger than LANs but smaller than WANs – and incorporate
elements from both types of networks.
f. Wide Area Network (WAN)
Slightly more complex than a LAN, a WAN connects computers together across longer
physical distances

2. What is network Architectures?

Ans- Network architecture is the design of a computer network. It is a framework for
the specification of a network's physical components and their functional organization
and configuration, its operational principles and procedures, as well as communication
protocols used.
3. What are different Network Devices?
Ans- 1. Repeater – A repeater operates at the physical layer. Its job is to regenerate the
signal over the same network before the signal becomes too weak
2. Hub – A hub is basically a multiport repeater. A hub connects multiple wires coming
from different branches
3. Bridge – A bridge operates at the data link layer. A bridge is a repeater, with add on
the functionality of filtering content by reading the MAC addresses of source and
destination.
4. Switch – A switch is a multiport bridge with a buffer and a design that can boost its
efficiency(a large number of ports imply less traffic) and performance.
5. Routers – A router is a device like a switch that routes data packets based on their IP
addresses. The router is mainly a Network Layer device.
 6. Gateway – A gateway, as the name suggests, is a passage to connect two networks
together that may work upon different networking models.
7. Brouter – It is also known as the bridging router is a device that combines features of
both bridge and router.
8. NIC – NIC or network interface card is a network adapter that is used to connect the
computer to the network.

4. Explain OSI reference model.

Ans- The OSI Model (Open Systems Interconnection Model) is a conceptual framework
used to describe the functions of a networking system. The OSI model characterizes
computing functions into a universal set of rules and requirements in order to support
interoperability between different products and software. In the OSI reference model, the
communications between a computing system are split into seven different abstraction
layers: Physical, Data Link, Network, Transport, Session, Presentation, and Application

5. Explain types of transmission medium.

Ans- 1. Guided Media:
It is also referred to as Wired or Bounded transmission media. Signals being transmitted
are directed and confined in a narrow pathway by using physical links.
2.Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
UTP consists of two insulated copper wires twisted around one another. This type of
cable has the ability to block interference and does not depend on a physical shield for
this purpose.
3.Shielded Twisted Pair (STP):
This type of cable consists of a special jacket (a copper braid covering or a foil shield) to
block external interference. It is used in fast-data-rate Ethernet and in voice and data
channels of telephone lines.
4.Coaxial Cable –
It has an outer plastic covering containing an insulation layer made of PVC or Teflon and
2 parallel conductors each having a separate insulated protection cover.
5.Optical Fiber Cable –
It uses the concept of reflection of light through a core made up of glass or plastic. The
core is surrounded by a less dense glass or plastic covering called the cladding.
6.Unguided Media:
It is also referred to as Wireless or Unbounded transmission media. No physical medium
is required for the transmission of electromagnetic signals.
6. Difference Between LAN and MAN.
Ans-

But MAN’s ownership can be private

LAN’s ownership is private. or public.
 The speed of LAN is
high(more than MAN). While the speed of MAN is average.

The propagation delay is

short in LAN(less than Whereas the propagation delay in
MAN). MAN is average or moderate.

There is less congestion in While there is more congestion in

LAN(local area network). MAN(Metropolitan Area Network).

Unit 2- Data Link Layer

1. What are the responsibilities of data link layer?
Ans- The data link layer is responsible for multiplexing data streams, data frame
detection, medium access, and error control. It ensures reliable point-to-point and
point-to-multipoint connections in a communication network

2. State the difference between Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet.

Ans-

While Gigabit Ethernet is more

Fast Ethernet is simple
complicated than Fast Ethernet.
configured.

Gigabit Ethernet generate less delay

Fast Ethernet generate more
than Fast Ethernet.
delay comparatively.

While the coverage limit of Gigabit

The coverage limit of Fast
Ethernet is up to 70 km.
Ethernet is up to 10 km.

3. What are the functions of MAC?

Ans- Functions performed in the MAC sublayer
• Frame delimiting and recognition.
• Addressing of destination stations (both as individual stations and as groups of stations)
• Conveyance of source-station addressing information.
• Transparent data transfer of LLC PDUs, or of equivalent information in the Ethernet
sublayer.
 4. What is the purpose of Network Interface Card?
Ans- A network interface card (NIC or network adapter) is an important hardware
component used to provide network connections for devices like computers, servers,
etc. With its wide applications, there are various types of network interface cards
emerging in the market like PCIe card and server network card.

5. Define Bluetooth.
Ans- Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging
data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances using UHF radio waves in
the ISM bands, from 2.402 GHz to 2.48 GHz, and building personal area networks.

6. What is a buffer?
Ans- Buffer is a region of memory used to temporarily hold data while it is being
moved from one place to another. A buffer is used when moving data between
processes within a computer.

Unit 3- Network Layer

1. What is Network Layer?

Ans- The "network layer" is the part of the Internet communications process where
these connections occur, by sending packets of data back and forth between different
networks.

2. What is the basic design issue of a Network Layer?

Ans- Network layer is majorly focused on getting packets from the source to the
destination, routing error handling and congestion control

3. Difference Between IPv4 and IPv6.

Ans-

IPv4 IPv6

IPv4 has a 32-bit address length IPv6 has a 128-bit address length

It Supports Manual and DHCP address It supports Auto and renumbering

configuration address configuration
IPv4 IPv6

In IPv4 end to end, connection integrity In IPv6 end to end, connection integrity
is Unachievable is Achievable

4. What do you mean by Internet Working?

Ans- Internetworking is the practice of interconnecting multiple computer networks,
such that any pair of hosts in the connected networks can exchange messages irrespective
of their hardware-level networking technology.

5. What is Congestion?
Ans- Network congestion in data networking and queueing theory is the reduced quality
of service that occurs when a network node or link is carrying more data than it can
handle. Typical effects include queueing delay, packet loss or the blocking of new
connections.

6. What is unicast?
Ans- Unicast is the term used to describe communication where a piece of information
is sent from one point to another point. ... Unicast transmission, in which a packet is
sent from a single source to a specified destination, is still the predominant form of
transmission on LANs and within the Internet.
Unit 4- Transport Layer

1. What is Transport Layer?

Ans- The transport layer is a conceptual division of methods in the layered
architecture of protocols in the network stack in the Internet protocol suite and the
OSI model. The protocols of this layer provide host-to-host communication services
for applications.

2. What is difference Between TCP and UDP?

Ans-

The delivery of data to the

TCP is reliable as it guarantees the
destination cannot be
delivery of data to the destination
guaranteed in UDP.
router.
 TCP provides extensive error checking
UDP has only the basic
mechanisms. It is because it provides
error checking mechanism
flow control and acknowledgement of
using checksums.
data.

No acknowledgement
segment.
Acknowledgement segment is present.

3. What is Session Layer?

Ans- The Session Layer is the 5th layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI)
model. This layer allows users on different machines to establish active
communications sessions between them. It is responsible for establishing,
maintaining, synchronizing, terminating sessions between end-user applications

4. What is Presentation Layer?

Ans- Presentation Layer is the 6th layer in the Open System Interconnection (OSI)
model. This layer is also known as Translation layer, as this layer serves as a data
translator for the network.

5. Explain three way Handshaking?

Ans- Three-Way HandShake or a TCP 3-way handshake is a process which is used
in a TCP/IP network to make a connection between the server and client. It is a
three-step process that requires both the client and server to exchange synchronization
and acknowledgment packets before the real data communication process starts.

6. What is RSA Technique?

Ans- In a public-key cryptosystem, the encryption key is public and distinct from the
decryption key, which is kept secret (private). An RSA user creates and publishes a
public key based on two large prime numbers, along with an auxiliary value.

Unit 5- Application Layer

1. What is Application Layer?

Ans- An application layer is an abstraction layer that specifies the shared
communications protocols and interface methods used by hosts in a communications
network. An application layer abstraction is specified in both the Internet Protocol Suite
(TCP/IP) and the OSI model.

2. Explain about Email architecture and Service.

 Ans- Email Architecture :- Email architecture consists of three components:
-User Agent (UA) :- (A user agent is a Package “or in simple words a program” of a
software that composes, Reads, Responds to, and forward messages. It also handles user
computers with local mailboxes.)
-Message Transfer Agent (MTA):- (The actual mail transmission is done through MTAs.
A system must have the client MTA for sending mail, and a system must have a server
MTA for receiving mail. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol “SMTP” is the formal protocol
that defines the MTA client and server within the internet.)
-Message Access Agent (MAA):- (The MAA protocols like POP3/IMAP are used in the
last hop of an email for retrieving incoming mails by the end user from his/her local mail
server.)

Services provided by E-mail system :-

Composition – The composition refer to process that creates messages and answers. For
composition any kind of text editor can be used.
Transfer –Transfer means sending procedure of mail i.e. from the sender to recipient.
Reporting –Reporting refers to confirmation for delivery of mail. It help user to check
whether their mail is delivered, lost or rejected.
Displaying –It refers to present mail in form that is understand by the user.
Disposition –This step concern with recipient that what will recipient do after receiving
mail i.e save mail, delete before reading or delete after reading

3. What is FTP?
Ans- The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard communication protocol used for
the transfer of computer files from a server to a client on a computer network. FTP is
built on a client–server model architecture using separate control and data connections
between the client and the server

4. Compare TCP and RTP?

Ans-
TCP RTP

It cannot tolerate packet loss. It can tolerate packet loss.

TCP is not generally used for real-time RTP is used for real-time
streaming. streaming.

TCP is more reliable. RTP is less reliable.

5. What is Digital signature?

 Ans- A digital signature is a mathematical technique used to validate the authenticity
and integrity of a message, software or digital document. ... Digital signatures can
provide evidence of origin, identity and status of electronic documents, transactions or
digital messages.

6. What is Telnet?
Ans- Telnet is an application protocol used on the Internet or local area network to
provide a bidirectional interactive text-oriented communication facility using a virtual
terminal connection

Unit 6- Security

1. What are security services?

Ans- Message confidentiality :- (It means that the content of a message when
transmitted across a network must remain confidential, i.e. only the intended receiver
should be able to read the message.)
-Message integrity:- (It means the data must reach the destination without any
adulteration i.e. exactly as it was sent. There must be no changes during transmission)
-Message authentication :- (In message authentication the receiver needs to be .sure of
the sender’s identity i.e. the receiver has to make sure that the actual sender is the same as
claimed to be.)
-Message non-repudiation:- (Non-repudiation means that a sender must not be able to
deny sending a message that it actually sent.)
-Entity Authentication:- (In entity authentication the entity or user is verified prior to
access to the system resources.)

2. What are the Types of Attacks?

Ans- Distributed denial of service
- Man in middle
-Unauthorized Access
-Insider Threats
-Virus
-Malware
-Phishing
- SQL Injection Attacks
-Computer worms

3. What is the key principles of security?

Ans- Confidentiality:- (Confidentiality measures are designed to protect against
unauthorized disclosure of information. The objective of the confidentiality principle is to
 ensure that private information remains private and that it can only be viewed or accessed
by the intended users.)
-Integrity :-( Integrity involves protection from unauthorized modifications (e.g., add,
delete, or change) of data. The principle of integrity is designed to ensure that data can be
trusted to be accurate and that it has not been inappropriately modified.)
-Availability:- (The principle of availability states that the resources will be available to
authorize party at all times. Information will not be useful if it is not available to be
accessed. Systems should have sufficient availability of information to satisfy the user
request.)

4. Explain security policy?

Ans- security policy is a formal document that outlines the principles, procedures and
guidelines to enforce, manage, monitor and maintain security on a computer network. It
is designed to ensure that the computer network is protected from any act or process that
can breach its security.

5. What is cryptography? Explain its types.

Ans- Cryptography is a method of protecting information and communications through
the use of codes, so that only those for whom the information is intended can read and
process it.
Types of Cryptography:- There are three types of cryptography –
-Symmetric cryptography or Secret key cryptography :- symmetric cryptography,
uses a single key to encrypt data. Both encryption and decryption in symmetric
cryptography use the same key . Examples – AES,DES
-Asymmertic Cryptography or public key Cryptography:- Public Key Cryptography,
or asymmetric cryptography, uses two keys to encrypt data. One is used for encryption,
while the other key can decrypts the message. Examples –RSA,DSA
-Hash function:- Hash function is an algorithm that takes an arbitrary amount of data
input and produces a fixed size output of ciphered text called a hash value.

6. What is firewalls?
Ans- A firewall is a network security device that monitors incoming and outgoing
network traffic and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on a defined
set of security rules.