Theory Assignment 1

Subject: Mobile Computing

Subject Code: OEC-CS-701

Name: Dravesh Jaluka

Class Roll No- 18

Stream: CSBS

Batch: 2024

Enrollment Number: 12020002018021

Question 1: Explain GSM technology with diagram. Explain its advantage & disadvantages

Answer:

In the intricate architecture of a GSM system, three vital subsystems coalesce to ensure seamless mobile
communication: the Radio Subsystem (RSS), the Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS), and the Operation
Subsystem (OSS).

Network and Switching Subsystem (NSS):

Within NSS, an array of functional units orchestrates call processing and subscriber management.
- Home Location Register (HLR): HLR acts as a repository for permanent subscriber data, storing service profiles,
locations, and activity statuses.

- Visitor Location Register (VLR): VLR maintains temporary information about visiting subscribers, essential for call
servicing and seamless handovers.

- Authentication Center (AUC): AUC ensures user identity verification and call confidentiality through authentication
and encryption parameters.

- Equipment Identity Register (EIR): EIR safeguards against unauthorized usage by storing mobile equipment
identities, preventing calls from stolen or defective devices.

- Mobile Switching Center (MSC): MSC, the core of telephony switching, manages calls between GSM networks and
other communication systems.

Radio Subsystem (RSS):

RSS encompasses mobile stations (MS) and the Base Station Subsystem (BSS), constituting the wireless
communication backbone.

- Base Station Subsystem (BSS): BSS, controlled by Base Station Controllers (BSC), maintains radio connections,
voice coding, and rate adaptation, ensuring efficient communication.

- Base Station Controllers (BSC): BSC provides control functions, managing handovers, cell configurations, and radio
frequency power levels in Base Transceiver Stations (BTS).

- Base Transceiver Station (BTS): BTS handles radio interfaces with MS, forming radio cells and facilitating wireless
transmissions through TDMA and FDMA technologies.

Operation and Support System (OSS):

The Operations and Maintenance Center (OMC) connects with all switching equipment and BSC, constituting the
OSS. OSS empowers network operators by offering centralized, regional, and local operational support, enabling
monitoring, diagnosis, and troubleshooting of the GSM network.

Mobile Station (MS): The MS, comprising mobile equipment and a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), ensures
personal mobility and service access.

- International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI): IMEI uniquely identifies mobile equipment.

- International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI): IMSI, stored in the SIM card, identifies subscribers within the
system, ensuring personal mobility.

- SIM Card Security: The SIM card may be protected via passwords or personal identity numbers, safeguarding
against unauthorized usage.

In essence, the harmonious interplay of these subsystems forms the backbone of GSM technology, facilitating secure
and efficient mobile communication worldwide.

Advantages of GSM Technology

•Global coverage: GSM is the most widely used mobile network technology in the world, with coverage in over 200
countries.

•Affordable devices: GSM devices are generally more affordable than devices that use other mobile network
technologies.

•Good voice quality: GSM networks offer good voice quality, comparable to landline phones.

•Security: GSM networks are secure and offer a variety of security features, such as encryption and authentication.

•Reliability: GSM networks are reliable and provide consistent performance.

Disadvantages of GSM Technology

•Slower data speeds: GSM networks offer slower data speeds than newer mobile network technologies, such as 3G
and 4G.

•Limited capacity: GSM networks have a limited capacity for handling large volumes of data.

•Security vulnerabilities: GSM networks are still vulnerable to certain types of attacks, such as eavesdropping and
spoofing.

Question 2. Explain the characteristics and design goals of WLAN. Also write down “Limitations of Mobile
Computing”.

Characteristics of WLAN

 Wireless: WLANs use radio waves to transmit data, which eliminates the need for physical cables.
This makes them ideal for mobile computing and for connecting devices in locations where it is
difficult or impractical to install cables.
 Flexible: WLANs can be deployed in a variety of ways, from small home networks to large
enterprise networks. They can also be easily scaled up or down to meet changing needs.
 Reliable: WLANs have become increasingly reliable over the years, thanks to advances in
technology and the development of new standards. Most WLANs now offer performance and
reliability that are comparable to wired networks.
 Secure: WLANs can be secured using a variety of methods, including encryption, authentication, and
access control. This helps to protect data from unauthorized access.

Design goals of WLAN

 Performance: WLANs should provide high-speed data transfer rates to support a variety of
applications, including streaming video and VoIP.
 Reliability: WLANs should be reliable and provide consistent performance even in challenging
environments.
 Security: WLANs should be secure and protect data from unauthorized access.
 Scalability: WLANs should be scalable to support a large number of users and devices.
 Cost-effectiveness: WLANs should be cost-effective to deploy and maintain.
Limitations of Mobile Computing

 Limited battery life: Mobile devices typically have limited battery life, which can restrict their use.
 Limited bandwidth: Mobile networks often have limited bandwidth, which can impact performance.
 Security concerns: Mobile devices are more vulnerable to security threats than desktop computers.
 Compatibility issues: Mobile devices may not be compatible with all applications and services.
In addition to the limitations listed above, mobile computing can also be affected by environmental factors
such as weather and terrain

Question 3: Write short notes on:

a. Snooping TCP b. Mobile TCP

Answer:
Snooping TCP

Overview

Snooping TCP (S-TCP) is a mobile TCP improvement approach that aims to improve the performance of
TCP over wireless networks. S-TCP works by monitoring the TCP traffic between a mobile device and the
internet, and retransmitting lost packets locally without having to wait for a timeout from the sender. This
can significantly improve performance, especially in environments with high packet loss rates.

Working

S-TCP works by deploying a snooping agent at the edge of the wireless network. The snooping agent
intercepts all TCP packets flowing between the mobile device and the internet. It then buffers all packets
sent from the mobile device, and acknowledges them to the sender immediately.

If the snooping agent does not receive an acknowledgment from the mobile device for a packet within a
certain timeout period, it assumes that the packet has been lost. The snooping agent then retransmits the
packet from its buffer.

Benefits

Snooping TCP can provide a number of benefits, including:

 Improved performance: S-TCP can significantly improve the performance of TCP over wireless
networks, especially in environments with high packet loss rates.
 Reduced latency: S-TCP can also reduce the latency of TCP connections, as it does not have to wait
for a timeout from the sender before retransmitting lost packets.
  Increased reliability: S-TCP can also improve the reliability of TCP connections by reducing the
number of lost packets.

Drawbacks

One of the main drawbacks of S-TCP is that it can increase the overhead on the wireless network. The
snooping agent needs to buffer all packets sent from the mobile device, and this can consume a significant
amount of memory and processing power.

Another drawback of S-TCP is that it can reduce the security of TCP connections. The snooping agent is
able to monitor and modify all TCP traffic flowing between the mobile device and the internet. This could
potentially be exploited by an attacker to gain access to sensitive data.

Overall, S-TCP is a promising approach to improving the performance of TCP over wireless networks.
However, it is important to be aware of the overhead and security implications before deploying S-TCP in a
production environment.

Mobile TCP

Overview

Mobile TCP (M-TCP) is a set of extensions to the TCP protocol that are designed to improve its
performance over wireless networks. M-TCP addresses a number of challenges that TCP faces in wireless
environments, such as high packet loss rates, variable bandwidth, and handoffs.

Working

M-TCP works by making a number of changes to the TCP protocol, including:

 Fast retransmission: M-TCP reduces the timeout period for retransmitting lost packets. This helps to
improve performance in environments with high packet loss rates.
 Selective acknowledgments (SACKs): M-TCP supports SACKs, which allow the receiver to inform
the sender about which packets have been successfully received. This helps the sender to avoid
retransmitting packets that have already been received.
 ECN support: M-TCP supports Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN), which is a mechanism that
allows the network to notify the sender of congestion. This helps the sender to reduce its
transmission rate and avoid congestion collapse.

Benefits

M-TCP can provide a number of benefits, including:

  Improved performance: M-TCP can significantly improve the performance of TCP over wireless
networks, especially in environments with high packet loss rates, variable bandwidth, and handoffs.
 Reduced latency: M-TCP can also reduce the latency of TCP connections, as it does not have to wait
for a timeout from the sender before retransmitting lost packets.
 Increased reliability: M-TCP can also improve the reliability of TCP connections by reducing the
number of lost packets.

Drawbacks

One of the main drawbacks of M-TCP is that it is not compatible with all existing TCP implementations.
This is because M-TCP requires both the sender and the receiver to support the M-TCP extensions.

Another drawback of M-TCP is that it can increase the complexity of TCP connections. This is because the
M-TCP extensions add additional state and processing requirements to the TCP protocol.

Overall, M-TCP is a promising approach to improving the performance of TCP over wireless networks.
However, it is important to be aware of the compatibility and complexity implications before deploying M-
TCP in a production environment.

Conclusion

Snooping TCP and Mobile TCP are two different approaches to improving the performance of TCP over
wireless networks. Snooping TCP is a more transparent approach, but it can increase the overhead on the
wireless network. Mobile TCP is a more complex approach, but it can provide better performance in
environments with high packet loss rates, variable bandwidth, and handoffs.