CSE421

Lab 02 Hometask
Summer 2023
1. How would a proxy server check to see if it’s data is up to date with the most updated
data in the Origin Server?

Ans- The proxy server uses the conditional GET mechanism.

2. The HTTP protocol is implemented in the Physical layer. Is this statement true or false?
Ans-False.The HTTP protocol is implemented in the application layer.

3. Can you receive mail using SMTP, why or why not?

Ans- No.SMTP is used to push email that can be used for only sending.

4. Briefly explain how SMTP and POP3 protocol works using a scenario.

Ans- It can be described in a scenario in which agent 1 is sending an email to agent

2 .Here agent 1 uses an email application to send the email. The sent email is first
pushed into the sender's email server from agent 1's device via SMTP.Then email is
again pushed from the server to the receiver's email server also via SMTP. Moreover the
email is pulled from the receiver's email server into Agent 2's device via POP3 given that
agent 2 also uses an application to receive the email.

5. Why does root DNS servers maintain a hierarchical structure rather than a centralized
structure?
Ans- DNS servers do not maintain a centralized structure as there is a single point of
failure.There is a larger traffic volume,the centralized database is distant and
maintenance is also more difficult.

6. Suppose, you have a quiz which will take place at bux but your local DNS server does not
know the IP address of “bux.bracu.ac.bd”. Will you be able to attend your quiz? Please,
provide a brief explanation.

Ans- Yes we can attend a quiz.The root server will be queried to find IP of the .ac.bd DNS
server.Then the .ac.bd DNS server will be queried to get the IP of an authoritative server of
bracu.ac.bd .Then the bracu.ac.bd DNS server will be queried to get IP address for
bux.bracu.ac.bd.So by the end we will get the IP address.

7. Suppose, you recently changed your ISP and the new ISP forgot to set the DNS server’s
IP address when configuring your internet connection. Can you now browse the internet
properly?
Ans-No ,I will not be able to browse without the DNS server's IP address set.
8. What is the size of an ARP request or reply packet (in bytes)?

Ans- 28 bytes .

9. What happens to an ARP request packet when it is received by a host that does not
match the target IP address of the request?
Ans- If ARP request packet received by a host doesn't match the target IP Address of
the request the host ignores the packet.

10. What is the value of the 'operation' field in an ARP reply packet?
Ans- 0x0002.

11. What flags are used during a TCP connection establishment and TCP connection
termination process.

Ans-During TCP connection establishment acknowledgement flag (ACK) is used and for
TCP connection terminal process Finish flag(FIN) is used.

12. A web server sends a TCP packet to a client with sequence number=0 and
acknowledgement number =1. Which stage of the 3 way handshake is this and what
does the sequence and acknowledgement number mean?

Ans- This is the second stage.The sequence number represents the initial sequence
number of the web server's data ,while the acknowledgement number acknowledges
the receipt of the client's previous data up to that sequence number.

13. In an outbound PDU packet, what does source port: 80 and destination port: 1027
means?

Ans-Source port represents HTTP and destination port represents TCP.