Topic: Networks
Related Reading: Ch. 15 of Dale/Lewis, as well as our lecture notes.
Due: 8pm Thursday, 1 May 2008

1. (6 points)

   Recall that a Class A network is designated with a common first byte (e.g., 17.x.x.x), a Class B network with two common bytes (e.g., 165.134.x.x), and a Class C network with three common bytes (e.g., 205.221.205.x).

   1. For a given Class A network, how many distinct hosts can be assigned IP addresses at any one time?
   2. If the entire IP space was devoted to Class A networks, how many such networks could exist?
   3. For a given Class B network, how many distinct hosts can be assigned IP addresses at any one time?
   4. If the entire IP space was devoted to Class B networks, how many such networks could exist?
   5. For a given Class C network, how many distinct hosts can be assigned IP addresses at any one time?
   6. If the entire IP space was devoted to Class C networks, how many such networks could exist?

2. (4 points)

   Compare and contrast the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and the User Datagram Protocol. What are the relative advantages and disadvantages of the two?

3. (5 points)

   For each of the following kinds of network activity, would TCP or UDP be the preferred protocol. Give a brief explanation of why.

   1. Email

   2. A query to a Web Server

   3. A radio broadcast

   4. Purchasing a song from the iTunes store

   5. Sending a "Text Message" to a phone

4. (5 points)

   Write a few paragraphs in response to Thought Question 4 on page 503 of our text.

Overall, please type your answers to all of the problems in a single document to be submitted electronically. Please see details about the submission process.