Computer Networks

Module 9

Read Chapter 26 in the Text

35 points (5 points for each question)

1. Email applications typically use TCP as a transport protocol. Why is this?

2. In SMTP:
a. A non-ASCII message of 1000 bytes is encoded using base-64.
i. How many bytes are in the encoded message?

Non-ASCII bits = 1000*8 = 8000

No. of 24-bit blocks = 8000/24 =334
Bytes in encoded message = 334*4 = 1336

ii. How many bytes are redundant?

No. of redundant bytes = 1336 – 1000 =336

iii. What is the ratio of redundant bytes to the total message?

1:4

b. A message of 1000 bytes is encoded using quoted-printable.

i. The message consists of 90% ASCII and 10% non-ASCII
characters.

ASCII bytes 90% of 1000 = 900 bytes ->Keep ASCII as it is

Non-ASCII bytes 10% of 1000 = 100 bytes->sent 3 characters for
1. So, 300 bytes.

1. How many bytes are in the encoded message?

Bytes in encoded message = 1200

2. How many bytes are redundant?

No. of redundant bytes = 1200 – 1000 =200

3. What is the ratio of redundant bytes to the total

message?
1:6
 c. Compare the results of the two previous cases.
i. How much is the efficiency improved if the message is a
combination of ASCII and non-ASCII characters?
Efficiency in (a)=1000/1336 =74.8%
Efficiency in (b)=1000/1200 =83.3%
The efficiency improved =8.5%

Look up the RFC 1939 (Post Office Protocol). RFC Documents are used to define
Internet protocols of all kinds and new protocols are added, each with its own
RFC numbered document.

3. Using the RFC 1939 document find and provide the meaning of the
following commands:
a. STAT (Get drop listing):
It is used to show the number of messages in the maildrop and its size
in octets.
These are shown in a line called “drop listing”.
The line contains the positive response “+OK” followed by a single
space, the number of messages in the maildrop, and the size of the
maildrop in octets.
Example:
C: STAT
S: +OK 2 320

b. LIST (Get a scan listing of one or all messages.):

It is used to display the summary of messages. The response may be
negative or a positive response. A positive response will contain a line
that serves as the “scan listing” for a particular message. A scan listing
contains the message-number of the message, followed by a single
space and the exact size of the message in octets.
Example:
C: LIST
S: +OK 2 messages (320 octets)
S: 1 120
S: 2 200

c. USER:
It is used in authorization state for authorization. The command is
executed as USER name, then the POP3 server responds with indicator
"+OK" after which client will enter password command.
Example:
C: USER guhan
S: +OK
 C: PASS secret
S: -ERR invalid password

d. TOP 1 10(Get the top 10 lines):

It is used to display the header of the messages and it displays the
first 10 lines of the body.
Example:
C: TOP 1 10
S: +OK (the POP3 server then sends the headers of the message, a blank
line, and the first 10 lines of the message body)

e. RSET (Remove the deletion marking from all messages):

It is used to reset the session to its initial state. This will undelete all
messages deleted using DELE command.