Explain how it is possible for a sequence of packets transmitted through a wide area network to
arrive at their destination in an order that differs from that in which they were sent. Why can’t this
happen in a local network?

What will be an ideal response?


Packets transmitted through a store-and-forward network travels by a route that is determined dynamically for
each packet. Some routes will have more hops or slower switches than others. Thus packets may overtake each
other. Connection-oriented protocols such as TCP overcome this by adding sequence numbers to the packets
and re-ordering them at the receiving host.
It can’t happen in local networks because the medium provides only a single channel connecting all of
the hosts on the network. Packets are therefore transmitted and received in strict sequence.

Computer Science & Information Technology

You might also like to view...

The middle tier represents the application’s ________.

a) interface b) functionality c) database d) information e) None of the above.

Computer Science & Information Technology

Web ________ are small pieces of code hidden in an e-mail message

Fill in the blank(s) with correct word

Computer Science & Information Technology

A(n) ________ is the area of blank space that displays to the left, right, top, and bottom of a document.

A. margin B. indent C. tab D. border

Computer Science & Information Technology

The Selected art icon is the same color on every layer.

Answer the following statement true (T) or false (F)

Computer Science & Information Technology