CN 121 – INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER NETWORKING TUTORIAL QUESTION ONE

1. What is networking?
2. What is a computer network?
3. What is a communication network?
4. What is the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex transmission modes?
5. What are some of the factors that determine whether a network is a LAN, MAN or WAN?
6. What is the internet? What is the Internet?
7. You have two computers connected by an Ethernet hub at home. Is this a LAN, a MAN, or
a WAN? Explain your reason.
8. Compare the telephone network and the Internet. What are the similarities? What are
the differences?
9. What are the basic types of networks?
10. What is the meaning of the following:
i. Broadcasting
ii. Multicasting
iii. Unicasting
11. What are the advantages of peer-to-peer over client-server-based networks?
12. What are the WAN access methods?
13. Differentiate between classes of networks.
14. Differentiate between LAN, MAN, and WAN.
15. Differentiate between intranet, extranet and internet.
16. Differentiate between private, public and hybrid networks.
17. Differentiate between P2P and CS architecture.
18. What are the main types of computer networks based on the following:
i. geographical spread?
ii. Node functional relationship?
iii. Ownership?
iv. Scope?
v. Layout?
19. What are the different types of networks based on geographical span?
20. Define a Local Area Network (LAN) and give an example.
21. How does a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) differ from a Wide Area Network
(WAN)?
22. Why is the Internet considered the largest WAN?
23. What are the main limitations of using a WAN over a LAN?
24. What role does satellite communication play in global networks (GANs)?
25. How does network latency differ between LAN and WAN?
26. Why is a MAN preferred for city-wide connectivity over a WAN?
27. What is a Client-Server Network, and how does it work?
28. How does a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Network differ from a Client-Server Network?
29. What are the benefits of using a Client-Server Network in an organization?
30. In what scenarios is a P2P Network more advantageous than a Client-Server Network?
31. What is a Hybrid Network, and how does it combine Client-Server and P2P models?
32. What is an Intranet, and how does it differ from an Extranet?
33. Why do organizations implement Extranets instead of making data available on the
Internet?
34. How does an Open Network differ from a Restricted Network?
35. What security risks are associated with public-access networks?
36. What are the primary advantages of using a VPN for secure remote access?
37. What are the different types of networks based on scope of use?
38. What is topology?
39. Categorize the four basic topologies in terms of configuration.
40. Name the four basic network topologies, and cite an advantage of each type.
41. For n devices in a network, what is the number of cable links required for a mesh, ring,
bus, and star topology?
42. Describe:
i. Bus topology with a diagram and state its any two merits and demerits.
ii. Star topology with a diagram and state its two merits and demerits.
iii. Ring topology with a diagram and state its two merits and demerits.
iv. Mesh topology with a diagram and state its any two merits and demerits.
43. Describe network topology. Draw star topology.
44. Assume six devices are arranged in a mesh topology. How many cables are needed? How
many ports are required for each device?
45. For each of the following four networks, discuss the consequences if a connection fails.
i. Five devices arranged in a mesh topology
ii. Five devices arranged in a star topology (not counting the hub)
iii. Five devices arranged in a bus topology
iv. Five devices arranged in a ring topology
46. State whether the bus is an active or passive network. Justify.
47. Compare the bus with ring topology in terms of cable usage and fault tolerance.
48. State four advantages of bus topology.
49. You are considering networking topologies for a telemarketing firm's network. Under
what circumstances would a ring be less appropriate than a star?
50. State any two merits of ring topology. Describe token. State whether ring topology is
broadcast or point-to-point network.
51. Describe network topology. Draw a star, bus, and topology connecting three star
networks; each star network consists of 4 Pc’s.
52. State any two advantages and disadvantages of star topology.
53. State merits of bus topology. Explain the use of the BNC barrel connector in bus
topology.
54. You are installing a new network for a rapidly growing company. The current design
calls for 40 computers, with an expansion to 100 within the next six months, due to the
anticipated rapid growth of the network. You want to ensure that troubleshooting is as
easy as possible. Considering these factors, which topology should be used in the new
network? Justify your answer.
55. State whether the star is an active or passive network. Justify? Give two advantages of
star topology.
56. In the ring topology in Figure 1, what happens if one of the stations is unplugged?

Figure 1: Ring topology

57. In the bus topology in Figure 2, what happens if one of the stations is unplugged?

Figure 2: Bus topology

58. Draw a hybrid topology with a star backbone and three ring networks.
59. Draw a hybrid topology with a ring backbone and two bus networks.
60. What are the considerations for choosing a topology?
61. Name the five main types of network topologies.
62. What is a bus topology, and where is it commonly used?
63. Describe how data is transmitted in a ring topology.
64. What are the advantages of using a star topology?
65. Explain why a mesh topology is highly fault-tolerant.
66. What is a hybrid topology, and why might an organization use it?
67. How does a fully connected mesh topology differ from a partially connected mesh? With
example, explain the reason of using them.
68. What is the main drawback of a bus topology?
69. How does adding more devices affect the performance of a ring topology?
70. Which topology requires a central hub or switch for communication?
71. In which scenario would a tree topology be preferred over a star topology?
72. How does network redundancy improve reliability in mesh topology?
73. Which topology is most commonly used in modern office networks?
74. Why is ring topology no longer used in large-scale networks today?
75. What happens if the central hub fails in a star topology?
76. How does a logical topology differ from a physical topology?
77. What are the main security concerns associated with bus topology?
78. In which topology does data transmission have to pass through multiple devices before
reaching its destination?
79. What type of topology is commonly used in industrial systems?
80. Explain how a hybrid topology can combine star and bus topologies.
81. What are the advantages of star topology over bus topology?
82. What is the impact of using switches in a star topology?
83. Which topology is best for handling a large number of simultaneous users?
84. What type of topology is used in data centers and cloud networking?