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GATE CSE Computer Networks — practice questions

Explore 14 free Computer Networks questions in GATE CSE Computer Science. Open each question or exercise to read its content, reference answers and available explanation.

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Computer Networks questions and exercises with answers

Showing questions 1–14 of 14.

The TCP/IP protocol suite is typically organised into how many layers?Read the answer and worked solution →An IPv4 address consists ofRead the answer and worked solution →ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is used toRead the answer and worked solution →Which protocol provides RELIABLE, CONNECTION-ORIENTED byte-stream service?Read the answer and worked solution →The MINIMUM size of the TCP HEADER (without options) isRead the answer and worked solution →TCP establishes a connection via the THREE-WAY HANDSHAKE. The sequence of segments isRead the answer and worked solution →The PORT NUMBER range isRead the answer and worked solution →Which port number is conventionally used by HTTP (cleartext)?Read the answer and worked solution →UDP is preferred over TCP for applications that needRead the answer and worked solution →An IP datagram larger than the network MTU (Maximum Transmission Unit) isRead the answer and worked solution →What is the function of the SUBNET MASK in IPv4?Read the answer and worked solution →The role of a ROUTER (in the IP layer) is toRead the answer and worked solution →How many bits are in an ETHERNET MAC address?Read the answer and worked solution →What does DNS do?Read the answer and worked solution →

Worked practice questions

The TCP/IP protocol suite is typically organised into how many layers?

  1. 2 layers (Link, Application)
  2. 4 layers (Link, IP, Transport, App)
  3. 7 layers (OSI model)
  4. 10 layers, modern stack
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Correct answer: B. 4 layers (Link, IP, Transport, App)

1. RFC 1180 describes the TCP/IP suite as a 4-LAYER stack: - Application (HTTP, SMTP, DNS, FTP) - Transport (TCP, UDP) - Internet (IP, ICMP, ARP) - Network Interface / Link (Ethernet, Wi-Fi) 2. CONTRAST with the OSI 7-layer model (option C): TCP/IP collapses several OSI layers. 3. The simplicity of the 4-layer model is partly why TCP/IP won out over OSI in practice. 4. Options A and D are not standard models. _Source: RFC 1180 "A TCP/IP Tutorial", §2 (TCP/IP Overview)._

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An IPv4 address consists of

  1. 32 bits, four octets (e.g. 192.168.1.1)
  2. 16 bits, two octets
  3. 64 bits, eight octets
  4. 128 bits (the IPv6 length)
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Correct answer: A. 32 bits, four octets (e.g. 192.168.1.1)

1. IPv4 addresses are 32 BITS long, conventionally written as four DECIMAL octets separated by dots (e.g. 192.168.1.1). 2. Each octet is 8 bits (0-255 in decimal). 3. Total address space: $2^{32} \approx 4.3$ billion addresses — exhausted around 2011, prompting IPv6 transition. 4. Option D refers to IPv6 (128 bits). Options B, C are non-standard. _Source: RFC 1180 "A TCP/IP Tutorial", §5 (Internet Protocol — Addressing)._

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ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) is used to

  1. translate domain names to IP addresses
  2. translate IP addresses to MAC (Ethernet) addresses
  3. establish a TCP connection
  4. encrypt traffic
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Correct answer: B. translate IP addresses to MAC (Ethernet) addresses

1. RFC 1180 §4 explains ARP: when host A wants to send to IP B on the same LAN, it needs B's HARDWARE (MAC/Ethernet) address. 2. ARP request: A broadcasts 'who has IP $X$?' to all on the LAN. 3. ARP reply: host $X$ responds with its MAC. 4. The mapping is cached in the ARP table for efficiency. 5. Option A describes DNS, not ARP. Option C is the 3-way handshake. Option D is unrelated. _Source: RFC 1180 "A TCP/IP Tutorial", §4 (ARP)._

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