Bmit 217 Question Paper
Bmit 217
Course:Bachelor Of Business Management And Information Technology
Institution: Kabarak University question papers
Exam Year:2010
KABARAK UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS
2009/2010 ACADEMIC YEAR
FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
& INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
COURSE CODE: BMIT 217
COURSE TITLE: COMPUTER NETWORKS AND
COMMUNICATIONS
STREAM: Y2S1
DAY: WEDNESDAY
TIME: 3.00 – 6.00 P.M.
DATE: 11/08/2010
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. This question paper has six questions
2. Answer question one and any other three questions
QUESTION ONE (40 MARKS) COMPULSORY
(a) Explain the meaning of following terms
i. Throughput
ii. Bandwidth
iii. Network Interface Card
iv. Waiting time (8mks)
(b) Distinguish between
i. Physical and logical network topology
ii. Message and circuit switching
iii. ISO reference model and network protocols (6mks)
(c) Explain the difference between baud rate and bit rate (4mks)
(d) Explain four advantages of using a fibre optic cable (4mks)
(e) Describe how CSMA/CD contention access method works (5mks)
(f) Explain four functions of a network protocol (4mks)
(g) Describe at least five factors considered when choosing a Network topology (4 mks)
(h) What is communication channel? (2mks)
(i) Define a protocol data Unit(PDU) explaining how it is arrived at (3mks)
QUESTION TWO (20 MARKS) ELECTIVE
(a) What is computer Networks (2mks)
(b) Describe peer-to-peer and client-server networks (4mks)
(c) State three advantages and three disadvantages of peer-to-peer and client-server networks
(6mks)
(d) Each type of transmission media has special characteristics that make it suitable for a specific
type of service. Discuss these characteristics into details with valid examples in each case
(5mks)
e) Explain the need of encoding data before transmission over a channel (3 mks)
QUESTION THREE (20 MARKS) ELECTIVE
(a) Distinguish between intelligent and passive hubs (2mks)
(b) Differentiate between modulation and multiplexing (4mks)
(c) Outline the functions of the following devices and state the OSI reference model
they operate: (6mks)
i. Gateways
ii. Bridges
iii. Switches
(d) What is signal leakage? (1mrk)
(e) State and explain five characteristics of a good password (5mks)
(f) What is a MODEM? (2mks)
QUESTION FOUR (20 MARKS
(a) What is Local Area Network (LAN)? (3mks)
(b) Differentiate between private branch exchange and public exchange systems
(2mks)
(a) Explain the following as in signal transmission
i. Unicast
ii. Broadcast
iii. Multicast (6mks)
(b) Discuss star, ring and bus topologies giving at least one advantage and one disadvantage of
each. (9mks)
QUESTION FIVE (20 MARKS)
(a) Explain the differences between a datagram and virtual circuit (2mks)
(b) Explain the following in details citing the advantages of each:-
i) Circuit switching
ii) Packet switching (6mks)
(c) Define Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA). (1mk)
(d) Discuss the types of CSMA bringing clear differences in each case (6mks)
(e) Explain two functions of TCP protocol (2mks)
(f) Define the following terms:-
i) Internet
ii) Intranet
iii) Extranet
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