CS 421 HW#1, due Oct.

11, 2004
1. The Internet is made up of a large number of networks. The arrangement of these networks
determines the topology of the Internet. You can find a considerable amount of information
in the Internet about the topology of the Internet. Use a search engine to find out about the
topology of the Internet and write a short report (~2 pages) summarizing your findings.
2. Consider the following two-hop communication where S denotes the source node, D denotes
the destination node and R denotes the intermediate router. Suppose that both links (S-R) and
(R-D) are error-prone, and the probability that a transmitted packet is received with errors is
p, for both links. Consider the following two schemes:

Router R performs no error checking and forwards the packet it receives to D. When D
receives a packet, it performs error checking and asks a retransmission of a corrupted
packet directly from S.

Router R performs error checking. If the received packet from S contains errors, R asks
for a retransmission of the packet from S. Otherwise, it forwards the packet to D. If node
D receives a damaged packet from R, D asks for a retransmission from R.
We assume that acknowledgement messages are never corrupted.
Calculate the average number of link transmissions for both schemes until a given packet is
successfully transmitted from S to D (a packet transmission from S to R counts as one link
transmission, and a packet transmission from S to R and then from R to D count as two link
transmissions). Plot the average number of link transmissions for both schemes as a function
of p, 0 p <1. Comment on the results.
S

3. Suppose a file is transferred between two computers after segmenting the file into packets.
The channel between the computers is not reliable, so some packets may be received with
errors. We consider two acknowledgement strategies: In the first one, each packet is
individually acknowledged by the receiver, i.e., when the receiver receives a packet without
errors it sends back an acknowledgement message. The sender retransmits a packet if it has
not been acknowledged within a specified timeout period. In the second strategy, the packets
are not acknowledged individually, instead the entire file is acknowledged when all packets
are received correctly. If the sender does not receive the acknowledgement within a specified
timeout period, it retransmits all packets. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using
these two strategies.
4. We will transfer of a file of size M Bytes from S to D in the network shown above. Node S
segments the file into packets of size P Bytes and adds a 60 Byte header to each packet, i.e.,
each packet contains P+60 Bytes. Assume that both links (S-R) and (R-D) have transmission
rates of R bits/sec, and both links have propagation delays of seconds. Also assume that
there is a fixed processing delay of seconds at R and all queuing delays are negligible.
Determine the value of P that minimizes the total delay of transferring the file from S to D.
5. Suppose a 100 Mbits/sec link is set up between the earth and moon, which covers a distance
of 385,000 km. Assume that signals propagate over the link at the speed of light. A digital
camera at the moon takes pictures of the earth and saves them. Suppose that an operator at
the earth wants to download the most recent picture. What is the minimum delay that will
elapse between the time operator makes the request and the transfer is finished?