1. Provide an overview of Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) protocols.
How do
Stop-and-Wait, Go-Back-N, and Selective Repeat ARQ protocols differ in their
approach to error recovery?
Automatic Repeat reQuest (ARQ) is an error control method used in data communications.
It ensures the accurate delivery of data by using acknowledgments and retransmissions. If
the sender does not receive an acknowledgment (ACK) within a certain time or receives a
negative acknowledgment (NACK), it retransmits the data.
There are three main types of ARQ protocols:
1. Stop-and-Wait ARQ:
In this protocol, the sender transmits one frame and waits for its acknowledgment before
sending the next. If the ACK is not received within a specific time, the sender retransmits the
same frame. This method is simple and ensures reliability but is inefficient for long-distance
or high-latency links due to idle time.
2. Go-Back-N ARQ:
Here, the sender can transmit several frames specified by a window size without waiting for
an ACK. However, if an error is detected or a frame is lost, the sender goes back and
retransmits all frames from that point onward. This protocol improves utilization but leads
to more retransmissions.
3. Selective Repeat ARQ:
In this advanced protocol, the sender also transmits multiple frames, but only the erroneous
or lost frames are retransmitted, not all subsequent frames. The receiver must buffer out-of-
order frames and reorder them. It is more efficient than Go-Back-N but more complex to
implement.
Comparison:
- Stop-and-Wait has the lowest efficiency but is simplest.
- Go-Back-N improves throughput but can waste bandwidth on retransmissions.
- Selective Repeat offers high efficiency by minimizing retransmissions but requires
additional complexity in handling out-of-order frames.
In conclusion, the choice of ARQ protocol depends on the requirements of the
communication system — simplicity vs. efficiency.
2. Solve the following example using CRC technique at sender and receiver side.
Data Stream: 10110011 Generator Polynomial: 10011
To solve this using Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC), follow these steps:
Data Stream: 10110011
Generator Polynomial: 10011 (degree = 4)
Step 1: Append 4 zeros (degree of generator) to the data stream:
Data becomes: 101100110000
Step 2: Perform modulo-2 division:
Use binary division (XOR operations) between 101100110000 and 10011. The result
(remainder) is the CRC.
Step-by-step XOR:
Divide 10110 by 10011 → XOR → Remainder = 00101
Continue the process through all bits.
Final CRC Remainder: 1110
Step 3: Append CRC to original data stream:
Transmitted Frame = 101100111110
Receiver Side:
Receiver divides received data (101100111110) by 10011:
If remainder = 0000, then no error is detected.
Since we constructed the data with correct CRC, the division yields 0000, confirming no
error.
Conclusion:
- CRC provides strong error detection by treating data as polynomials.
- Modulo-2 division ensures only specific patterns are accepted.
- It's efficient and commonly used in Ethernet, HDLC, etc.
