Information System

IS 410 — Business Data Communications

Team Homework 1: Due on January 17, 2012 (Hand in at the start of the class).

Note: You do NOT have to submit answers to review and thought questions.

1. (Review question): Why are network layers important? Describe the five network layers of the Internet model (the 5-layer model) and what they do.

2. (Review question): What is a protocol? What are some of the common protocols for Layers 2, 3, 4, and 5?

3. Consider the following network of networks. Router 1 routes traffic from network X to Y, and Router 2 from Y to Z. For simplicity, I have drawn the actual networks X, Y, and Z as rectangles.

a. As the packet travels from the source host to the destination host, how many times will it get “framed?”

As the packet travels from the source host to the destination, it will be framed 3 times. It will be framed at the host, then one time at router 1 and another time at router 2.

b. Do you expect all the frames to look alike?

No, each type of frame will be unique depending on which type medium is used, wireless or wired.

4. Check the IP configuration of your personal computer using the ipconfig command. What is your MAC address? What is your IP address? What is the address of your default gateway?

a. Do the exercise above when you are connected to the Foster Wireless network.

At - FOSTER

MAC address: F0-DE-F1-9F-54-11

IP address: 69.91.175.130

Default gateway:69.91.174.

b. Repeat the exercise when you are at home.

At - HOME

MAC address: F0-DE-F1-9F-54-11

IP address: 10.0.0.5

Default gateway: 10.0.0.1

c. Do you see the same MAC and IP addresses? Explain.

Only the MAC address is the same in both HOME and FOSTER. The IP addresses are different. Since we are using the same computer to access the Internet, the physical address of the wireless card in the laptop will not change, despite the location change. For the IP address, since DHCP assigns...