Questions

(Please note that each question can have more than one correct answer.)

Q1. Why will mobile computing revolutionize the way we use computers?

1. Because they allow networked communication even while the user is mobile.
2. Because you can communicate and access information regardless of current
time and position.

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Q2. What problems are associated with mobile computers and wireless
networks?

1. People find mobile computers too heavy to carry.

2. Network failure is a problem because wireless communication is more affected
by disconnection than wired communication.
3. Low power is a problem since hand-held computers need to be small and light
and small batteries must be used.
4. Wireless networks deliver higher bandwidth than wired networks

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Q3. What is a palmtop?

1. It is a portable PC which has a high speed CPU and can run a range of
applications.
2. It is a hand held computer with high speed CPU and limited memory.
3. It is a hand held computer with low speed CPU and limited memory.
4. It is a portable PC which is heavy and cannot be carried all the time.

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Q4. How can the network capacity of a wireless network be improved?

This can be done by :-

1. Increasing the number of cells.

2. Decreasing the number of cells.
 3. Increasing the size of the cells.
4. Increasing the number of mobile users in a cell.

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Q5. How can a mobile user reduce the power consumption in personal
communicators?

1. Avoid transmission. This is possible if servers periodically broadcast frequently

requested data.
2. Avoid transmission and "listen" to a channel for as long as possible, because
"listening" to a channel does not consume energy.
3. Transmitting and receiving data does not consume a lot of energy compared
with the energy consumed by the CPU. Therefore the user should reduce the
CPU operations.
4. The best way to save energy is by transmitting data on a "on-demand" basis,
i.e. the user requests information from servers whenever it is needed.

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Q6. Why cannot mobile computing exist without a good strategy for location
management?

1. Because a mobile computer is able to change location while connected to the

network.
2. Because a mobile computer has to manage to be in the same location for a long
time.
3. Because the mobile computer is often disconnected to the network.
4. Because while people move, their mobile computer will change network
address.

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Q7. In WLAN products, there are two methods used with spread spectrum
transmission. Which of the following statement(s) concerning direct sequence
modulation is/are correct?

1. With this method the transmitter and receiver units need to be aligned.
2. A unique code is transmitted with each signal.
 3. The signal power should be considerably high, and therefore no code is needed
with the transmitted signal.
4. Signals are transmitted on a frequency band known as the ISM band.

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Q8. According to the IEEE Project 802.11, there are two types of wireless LAN.
In an infrastructured-based network, what is a BSA (Basic Service Area)?

1. A BSA is a wireless station.

2. A BSA is a gateway which connects a wireless station to a network.
3. A BSA is simply a cell.
4. A BSA is another word for server.

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Q9. What is a mobile intelligent agent?

1. A mobile agent is needed for a computer to communicate with another

computer over a network
2. A mobile intelligent agent is an intelligent program that contains the client's
requests, messages and references.
3. A mobile intelligent agent is an intelligent robot used for communication.

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Q10. Would wired or wireless network benefit most from mobile agents?

1. Wired, because wireless networks are affected more by disconnection than the
wired network and therefore the wired network will be able to send and receive
agents more often.
2. Wireless, because they are often affected by disconnection and an agent-based
network works well on connectionless infrastructure.
3. They will both benefit the same from using agents because an agent based
network will reduce the time to send a message by only require two trips across
the network.

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answer.
Answers
A1. Why will mobile computers revolutionize the way we use computers?
Number 1 and 2 are correct:
Mobile computing will revolutionize the way we use computing because these
wireless computers can communicate with other computers even though the
user is changing location. This means that if you are carrying a mobile
computer you will be able to communicate and access information from any
position at any time.

Number 3 is wrong:
You can type your report with your mobile computer while you are traveling
but that is not something new and special. The special about mobile computers
is that they provide wireless networking and, for example, that you are able to
access information from your office while you are traveling. You do not need
to be connected to the network to just type a report.

Number 4 is wrong:
You cannot (yet) access information faster with a mobile computer than with a
stationary computer. This is actually one of the problems associated with
mobile computing and wireless networks.

Back to question 1.

A2. What problems are associated with mobile computers?

Number 2 and 3 are correct:

In wireless communication the surrounding environment interacts with the
signal, blocking signal paths and introducing more noise than in wired
networks. This results in that wireless networks are more likely affected by
disconnection, have lower bandwidth (i.e. number 4 is wrong) and have higher
error rates.
Manufactures make hand-held, portable computers small and light so they are
possible to carry around. (i.e. number 1 is wrong.) Batteries are the largest
single source to weight in a portable computer. Reducing battery weight
reduces the power as well, and users have to recharge frequently, carry spare
batteries, or use their mobile computers less.
Back to question 2.
A3. What is a palmtop?

Number 3 is correct:
Palmtops are hand held computers with low speed CPU and limited memory.
They provide applications such as schedule, calendar and spread sheets. To
improve their protability, manufacturers design palmtops such that they are
powered by small light batteries.
Back to question 3.

A4. How can the network capacity of a wireless network be improved?

Number 1 is correct:
The capacity of a wireless network is measured by its bandwidth per unit cubic
meter. The network bandwidth is divided among the users sharing a cell.
Therefore increasing the number of mobile users in a cell decreases the network
capacity.
Back to question 4.

A5. How can a mobile user reduce the power consumption in personal
communicators?

Number 1 is correct:
Power usage can be reduced if the mobile user avoids transmission and only
wakes up when it is necessary. This is possible if servers broadcast frequently
requested data. Answer 2 is wrong because tuning in to a channel for a long
time consumes energy. This is why a directory containing channel information
is provided to the clients.
Back to question 5.

A6. Why cannot mobile computing exist without a good strategy for location
management?

Number 1 and 4 are correct:

Since mobile wireless computers can change location while connected to the
network their network address will change as well. New mechanisms must be
introduced to determine a mobile computers current location and network
address.
 Number 3 is wrong:
Disconnection is an important concept in mobile computing but this problem is
not solved in a location management scheme.
Number 2 is obviously not correct!!

Back to question 6.

A7. In WLAN products, there are two methods used with spread spectrum
transmission. Which of the following statement(s) concerning direct sequence
modulation is/are correct?

Number 2 and 4 are correct:

Answer 4 is right because with direct sequence modulation, signals are
transmitted on the ISM band. This frequency band is used by industrial
scientific and medical devices.
Answer 2 is right because a unique code is needed with transmitted signals so
that the receiver can identify the appropriate signal.
Answer 3 is wrong because the WLAN products are low powered, and
therefore the signal power is very low (just above background noise).
Answer 1 is wrong because alignment of the receiver and transmitter units is
needed with directed point-to point infrared transmission only.

Back to question 7.

A8. According to the IEEE Project 802.11, there are two types of wireless LAN.
In an infrastructured-based network, what is a BSA (Basic Service Area)?

Number 3 is correct:
In an infrastructured network, a cell is known as a BSA. It is the area
containing a number of mobile hosts supported by a base station.

Back to question 8.

A9. What is a mobile agent

Number 2 is correct:
Instead of sending a request to directly the destination computer, a client "give"
the request to an intelligent agents which is then sent across the network. The
 agent get the answers to the clients requires from the destination computer and
then returns to the client.

Number 1 and 3 are wrong:

A mobile agent is not needed to communicate with another computer over a
network. Most of today's networks is not agent-based and we are still able to
communicate.

Back to question 9.

A10. Would wired or wireless networks benefit most from mobile agents?

Number 2 is correct:
A problem in wireless networks is that they work with low bandwidth and are
often affected by disconnection. An agent-based network works well on a low
bandwidth, connectionless infrastructure. As once you have send the agent to
the destination computer you do not need to be connected to the network. So a
wireless network will benefit more from agents than a wired network.
Both in wireless and wired network the time to send and receive a message
over the network will improve. However, wireless network will overall benefit
more.

Back to question 10.