ECE:3540, Communication Networks

Fall, 2016
First Homework Assignment
Due: in-class on Thurs., Sept. 1, 2016
1. This problem relates to the comparison of packet switching and circuit switching for bursty
traffic as presented on slide 40 of the first lecture note set. For the conditions presented on
the slide, derive the equation for the probability that the capacity of the packet-switched link
is exceededi.e. the probability that more than 10 out of N users are simultaneously
transmitting. Solve this equation for N = 35. (Hint: It may be easier to compute one minus
the probability that the link capacity is not exceeded.)
2. Consider a packet-switched, 4 Mbps communication link being shared by 5 users. Two of
the users are high-bandwidth users, each of which require a maximum bandwidth of 1.5
Mbps and transmit 25% of the time. The remaining three (low-bandwidth) users each require
a maximum bandwidth of 0.5 Mbps and transmit 10% of the time. All users are independent.
a. Determine all of the combinations of users that can be transmitting simultaneously
without exceeding the capacity of the linke.g.: two high-bandwidth users + two
low-bandwidth users; two high bandwidth users + one low-bandwidth user; etc.
b. Compute the probability that the capacity of the link is not exceeded.
3. Solve Chapter 1, Problem P10 from the sixth edition (green cover) of Kurose and Ross.
4. Solve Chapter 1, Problem P12 from the sixth edition (green cover) of Kurose and Ross.
5. Suppose two hosts, A and B, are separated by 30,000 meters and are connected by a direct
communication link of capacity R = 25 Mbps. Assume that the propagation speed of the link
is 2 x 108 meters/sec.
a. What is the one-way propagation delay of the link?
b. Suppose that a 600,000 bit message is sent from A to B. Beginning from the time
when the first bit of the message is placed on the link by A, how long will it take for
the last bit of the message to reach B?
c. Now suppose that host B is connected to another host C by a link identical to the one
between A and B, and C is connected to yet another host D by an identical link. For a
600,000 bit message transmission from A to D, via B and C, what is the elapsed time
from the point at which the first bit of the message is placed on the link by A until the
last bit of the message reaches D? Assume that the entire message must be received
and buffered by a node before it can be forwarded to the next node.

d. Now assume that the 600,000 bit message is broken up into 200 packets of 3000 bits
each and is sent from A to D, via B and C, using store-and-forward packet-switching.
What is the elapsed time from the point at which the first bit of the message is placed
on the link by A until the last bit of the message reaches D?
6. Solve Chapter 1, Problem P25 from the sixth edition (green cover) of Kurose and Ross.