BITM Data Communication & Computer Networks Notes – Question Banks & Past Papers

Unit 1:Introduction to Data Communication

A basic Communication model. Data Communication Networking: WAN, MAN, LAN.

Unit 2:Data Communication principles

Basic Concept: Signal, Frequency, Amplitude, Bandwidth, Digital signal, Analog signals, Digital data and analog data, Transmission Impairments, Channel capacity, Overview of analog and digital transmission, Synchronous and asynchronous transmission. Data Encoding: Digital data and digital signals- NRZ-L, NRZI, Manchester; Digital data and analog signals- ASK, FSK, PSK, QPSK. Multiplexing Techniques (FDM, TDM, WDM).

Unit 3:Overview of Digital Communication

Media Concepts and classification of media: Guided Media (Twisted Pair, Coaxial cable, Fiber optics), Unguided Media (description and working principle of VSAT and Satellite). Transmission characteristics (Attenuation, Noise, Signal to Noise ratio, Propagation delay).

Unit 4:Computer Communication Architecture

OSI (Open systems Interconnection) Reference Model. TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) Protocol Suite.

Unit 5:Data Link Layer

Service Provided to Network Layer. Framing. Error Detection methods: Parity, Checksum, CRC. Data Link Protocols: A simplex stop and wait protocol; Sliding window protocols (A One Bit Sliding Window Protocol, A Protocol Using Go Back N, A Protocol Using Selective Repeat).

Unit 6:Medium Access (MAC) Sub-layer

Multiple access Protocols: ALOHA (Pure and Slotted ALOHA); Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA) (CSMA/CD, CSMA/CA). Topologies. Overview of IEEE Standard 802 for LANS and MANS: Brief introduction Ethernet, Brief introduction Token Ring. Introduction to Wireless Communication. Introduction to Bridge, Switch and Router.

Unit 7:Packet Switching

Packet Switching Principles. Switching Techniques: Datagram Approach, Virtual Circuit Approach.

Unit 8:Routing Algorithms

Fixed Path Routing. Shortest Path Routing. Flooding. Distance Vector Routing. Link State Routing.

Unit 9:The Network Layer in the Internet

IP Protocol IP V4. IP Addresses. Subnets. Supernet. VLSM (variable length subnet masking), CIDR (Classless Inter-Domain Routing) and NAT (Network Address Translator). Overview of Internet Control Protocols: ICMP, IGMP. Routing Protocols: Interior Routing Protocol: OSPF; Exterior Routing Protocol: BGP. Introduction to IPv6.

Unit 10:Transport Layer

Transport Services. Addressing. Internet Transport Protocols TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol): Introduction to UDP (Operation of UDP, Characteristics of UDP, Application of UDP); Introduction to TCP (Operation of TCP, Characteristics of TCP, TCP three-way handshake process, Application of TCP); Relationship between TCP & IP; Standard TCP / IP services; Port numbers and socket address. Overview of BSD Socket API.

Unit 11:Application Layer

DNS (ARP and RARP), Mail protocol (SMTP, POP, IMAP), DHCP, Web services (WWW, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP), telnet, DHCP. Client server and P2P application. Relation between Application layer and Transport layer.

Unit 12:Other technologies overview

PSTN, ISDN and its type, Frame relay, DSL and ADSL, VoIP, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Overview of GSM, Wi-Max, 3G and 4G (LTE), Near field Communication (NFC).