3rd Edition – Data Communications & Networking by A.

Forouzan

Review Questions:

Chapter 1
1. Identify the five components of a data communications system.
2. What are the advantages of distributed processing?
3. What are the three criteria necessary for an effective and efficient network?
4. What are the advantages of a multipoint connection over a point – to point
connection?
5. What are the two types of line configuration?
6. Categorize the four basic topologies in terms of line configuration.
7. What is the difference between half-duplex and full-duplex transmission modes?
8. Name the four basic network topologies, and give an advantage for each type.
9. For n devices in a network, what is the number of cable links required for a mesh,
ring, bus, and star topology?
10. What are some of the factors that determine whether a communications system is
a LAN, MAN, or WAN?
11. What is an internet? What is the Internet?
12. Why are protocols needed?
13. Why are standards needed?

Chapter 2
1. List the layers of the Internet model.
2. Which layers in the Internet model are the network support layers?
3. Which layer in the Internet model is the user support layer?
4. What is the difference between network layer delivery and transport layer
delivery?
5. What is a peer-to-peer process?
6. How does information get passed from one layer to the next in the Internet
model?
7. What are headers and trailers, and how do they get added and removed?
8. What are the concerns of the physical layer in the Internet model?
9. What are the responsibilities of the data link layer in the Internet model?
10. What are the responsibilities of the network layer in the Internet model?
11. What are the responsibilities of the transport layer in the Internet model?
12. What is the difference between a port address, a logical address, and a physical
address?
13. Name some services provided by the application layer in the Internet model.
14. How do the layers of the Internet model correlate to the layers of the OSI model?

Chapter 5
1. What is digital-to-analog modulation?
2. What is analog-to-analog modulation?
3. Why is frequency modulation superior to amplitude modulation?
4. What is the advantage of QAM over ASK or PSK?
5. What are the methods that convert a digital signal to an analog signal?
6. What is the difference between bit rate and baud rate? Give an example where
both are the same. Give an example where they are different.
7. What is modulation?
8. What is the purpose of a carrier signal in modulation?
9. How is baud rate related to transmission bandwidth in ASK?
10. How is baud rate related to transmission bandwidth in FSK?
11. How is baud rate related to transmission bandwidth in PSK?
12. What kind of information can be obtained from a constellation diagram?
13. How is baud rate related to transmission bandwidth in QAM?
14. How is QAM related to ASK and PSK?
15. What is the major factor that makes makes PSK superior to ASK?
16. What does the term modem stand for?
17. What is the function of a modulator? What is the function of a demodulator?
18. Explain the asymmetry of 56K modems.
19. Why are modems needed for telephone communications?
20. The minimum bandwidth of an ASK signal could be equal to the bit rate. Explain
why this is impossible for FSK.
21. How does AM differ from ASK?
22. How does FM differ from FSK?
23. Compare the FM bandwidth with the AM bandwidth in terms of the modulating
signal.