Data Communication

1. What is the difference between a store-and forward switch and a cut-through switch?

2. List four common LAN topologies and briefly describe their methods of operation.

3. List some basic functions performed at the MAC layer.

4. Consider a baseband bus with a number of equally spaced stations with a data rate of
10 Mbps and a bus length of 1 km.
a. What is the mean time to send a frame of 1000 bits to another station, measured
from the beginning of transmission to the end of reception? Assume a propagation speed of
b. If two stations begin to transmit at exactly the same time, their packets will interfere with each other. If each transmitting station monitors the bus during transmission, how long before it notices an interference, in seconds? In bit times?

5. A tree topology is to be provided that spans two buildings. If permission can be obtained to string cable between the two buildings, one continuous tree layout will be
used. Otherwise, each building will have an independent tree topology network and a point-to-point link will connect a special communications station on one network
with a communications station on the other network. What functions must the communications stations perform? Repeat for ring and star.