Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani –K.K.

Birla Goa Campus

II Semester 2017-2018
EEE F346- Data Communication Networks
MID-SEM Examination, Regular (Closed Book)
Date:-05-03-18 Max Time: 90 mins Max. Marks: 60

1. Name the four basic network topologies. Cite the advantages and disadvantages of each type. 8M

2. A) Compare the Circuit switching technique with Packet switching technique.

B) What are the similarities and differences in Virtual circuit switching compared to circuit switching
and packet switching techniques? 3+3M

3. Assume that we want to connect two isolated hosts together to let each host communicate with the
other. Do we need a link-layer switch between the two? Do we need router? Explain. 4M

4. What are various factors/characteristics to measure performance of a network? Explain briefly. 4M

5. Consider a communication channel having a bandwidth of 2 MHz and SNR of 25 dB. Calculate the
theoretical maximum bit-rate on this channel. If the channel is to be used for 92% of this maximum
capacity, find out the number of signal levels required. 6M

6. Draw the signaling waveform for the bit stream “10110000000011” using the following line
coding schemes. A) Unipolar NRZ, B) AMI, C) AMI with B8ZS, D) AMI with HDB3, E) 2B1Q. Assume
that no bit or pulse has been sent before this bit stream. (For complete marks, clearly specify the
basic signaling patterns used in the each line coding schemes. Figures should be clearly drawn. Bit
and corresponding symbols should be clearly specified in the figures.) 10M

7.
A) An analog signal v(t) = 18 cos (2π 100 t)V is to be converted into digital bit stream using PCM.
For that the signal is sampled at three times the Nyquist rate. Number of quantization levels is
decided to limit the quantization error E as, -1.125 V ≤ E ≤ 1.125 V. Calculate the bit rate of the
digitized signal.
B) If such 6 signals are multiplexed using digital TDM technique, calculate the frame size, frame
rate, and bit-rate on the multiplexed line. Assume that multiplexing unit is 1 encoded sample
value of each source. 10M
8. Hamming code (7,4) is being used on a link between Node A and Node B. Assume that the bits in
dataword are represented by letters a,b,c,and d, wherein a is MSB and d is LSB. The 7 bit codeword
formed using the following equations are represented as ‘a b c d e f g’.

= + +

= + +

= + +

Three different datawords transmitted by Node A are tabulated in following table. Provide the
corresponding codewords on transmitter side. Assume that the first codeword has been received at
receiver without error. Second codeword had error in bit d. Third codeword had errors in two bits a
and b. Bits in error were flipped. Explain the decoding process using the table. Provide the
interpretation of the decoding at receiver. Provide the syndrome table. Represent the syndrome as
S1 S2 S3, wherein S1 is the MSB. 12M

Sr. No Dataword to be Transmitted Codeword Received codeword Received/recovered

transmitted abcdefg abcdefg dataword
abcd abcd
1 0101
2 1111
3 1011