Activity 5 (2%)

Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking

Professor: Andres Lombo

Generating and Analyzing Client-Server Traffic

Student Name: _____________________________________________ [Ten marks]

Methodology:

Activity 5 uses the same topology you build on Activity 4. Open it and continue below. It is also
expected that students work more independently at home and/or collaboratively with
classmates. Pay attention to the instructions given in class. This time not every step of the
procedure is explicitly written in this guide.

Continuing Activity 4, you have made up to the “Part 3: Clients Settings and Network Traffic
Generation”. Now continue with the following:

Part 4: Run the Simulation Mode: Examine Functionality of the TCP and UDP Protocols

Insert here the screenshot of your Packet Tracer network in Simulation Mode. Be sure that you
show the Simulation Panel and traffic is interchanged among the clients and the server. See the
example below: [One mark]

Step 1: Verify multiplexing as all the traffic goes across the network. [One mark]
You will now use the Capture/Forward button and the Back button in the Simulation Panel.
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 Activity 5 (2%)
Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking
Professor: Andres Lombo

a. Repeat the Part 3 Step 1 from Activity 4. Click Capture/Forward once. All the PDUs
are transferred to or from the switch.
b. Click Capture/Forward again. Some of the PDUs disappear. What do you think
happened to them? _________________________________________________________

c. Click Capture/Forward six times. All clients should have received a reply. Note that
only one PDU can cross an interface in each direction at any given time. What does it mean?
_________

d. A variety of PDUs appears in the event list in the Simulation Panel. Why are they so
many different colors? ___________________________________

e. Reset the simulation using the button on the bottom left side of the screen. Select
“Yes” to the popup message.

This action initializes all the counters and procedures on the network. Switch back to
Realtime mode, wait for all your interfaces to have green lights and return to the Simulation
mode using the buttons on the bottom right side of the screen.
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 Activity 5 (2%)
Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking
Professor: Andres Lombo

Step 2: Examine HTTP traffic as the HTTP client communicates with the server.

a. Now, you need to repeat the five (5) steps of the Part 3 on Activity 4. Be sure that all the
services work properly, and answer the following questions: [One mark]
b. Click Edit Filters and uncheck all the protocols. Then select HTTP and TCP only.

c. Use the HTTP Client to browse the multiserver.ca website. Click Capture/Forward.

d. Find one PDU that was originated at the HTTP Client. Open it.

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 Activity 5 (2%)
Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking
Professor: Andres Lombo

e. Click the Inbound PDU Details tab and scroll down to the last section. What is the label of this
section? ______________________________________________________________
f. Are these communications considered reliable? (Yes/No) _________ Why? _____________
g. Record the SRC PORT, DEST PORT, SEQUENCE NUM, and ACK NUM values. ________
____________________________________________________________________________
h. What is value of the WINDOW field? ____________ What does it mean?
__________________
i. Close that PDU and click Capture/Forward until a PDU returns to the HTTP Client with a
checkmark. Open it.
j. See the Inbound PDU Details. How are the port and sequence numbers different from
before? _______________________________________
k. Open the next PDU of a different color originated at the HTTP Client. See the Outbound PDU
Details. Insert here the screenshot including both PDUs. [One mark]
l. What information is now listed in the TCP section? ___________________________How are
the port and sequence numbers different from the previous two PDUs?
_______________________________

Step 3: Examine FTP traffic as the client communicates with the server. [One mark]
a. In the Simulation Panel, change Edit Filters to display only FTP and TCP. Use the FTP Client to
download the same file you did in the Activity 4.
b. Find one PDU originated at the FTP Client. Open it and see the Inbound PDU Details Scroll
down to the last section. What is the label of this section?
____________________________________________________________. Are these
communications considered reliable (Yes/No)? _____ Why?
____________________________.
c. Record the SRC PORT, DEST PORT, SEQUENCE NUM, and ACK NUM values. _______
____________________________________________________________________________
d. What is the value of the WINDOW field? _______ What does it mean?
________________________
e. Close that PDU and find a new one that returns to the FTP Client. Open it and see the
Inbound PDU Details. How are the port and sequence numbers different from before?
_______________________________________
f. Click the Outbound PDU Details tab. How are the port and sequence numbers different from
the previous two results? ___________________________________________________

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 Activity 5 (2%)
Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking
Professor: Andres Lombo

g. Close the PDU and click Capture/Forward until a second PDU of different color returns to the
FTP Client. Open it and see the Inbound PDU Details. Scroll down past the TCP section. What
type of message is it? _________________________________________________

Step 4: Examine DNS traffic as the client communicates with the server. [One mark]

a. In the Simulation Panel, change Edit Filters to display only DNS and UDP. Use the DNS Client
machine to do the same nslookup multiserver.ca command you did on the Activity 4.
b. Click the PDU envelope to open it. See the Inbound PDU Details and scroll down to the last
section. What is the section labeled?
_____________________________________________________________. Are these
communications considered reliable (Yes/No) ? ______ Why?
_____________________________
c. Record the SRC PORT and DEST PORT values. Why is there no sequence and
acknowledgement number? ___________________________________________________
d. Insert the screenshot of the PDU here. [One mark]
e. Close the PDU and click Capture/Forward until a PDU returns to the DNS Client. Open it and
see the Inbound PDU Details. How are the port and sequence numbers different than before?
_____________________________________
f. What is the last section of the PDU called? __________________________________

Step 5: Examine email traffic as the clients communicate with the server. [Two marks]

a. In the Simulation Panel, change Edit Filters to display only POP3, SMTP and TCP. Use same
two computers you did on Activity 4 to send and receive an email.
b. Click Capture/Forward. Find one PDU originated at the E-mail Client. Open it and see the
Inbound PDU Details; scroll down to the last section. What transport layer protocol does
email traffic use? ____________________________________________. Are these
communications considered reliable (Yes/No)? __________ Why?
___________________________________
c. Record the SRC PORT, DEST PORT, SEQUENCE NUM, and ACK NUM values. __________
____________________________________________________________________________
What is the value of the WINDOW field? ________ What does it mean?
_______________________
d. Close that PDU and open a new one that returns to the E-Mail Client. Open it and see the
Inbound PDU Details. How are the port and sequence numbers different from before?
_______________________________________
e. Click the Outbound PDU Details tab. How are the port and sequence numbers different from
the previous two results? __________________________________________________.
Insert the screenshot of the PDUs here.
f. h. Close that PDU and open a new one of different color originated at the HTTP Client.
Open it and see the Outbound PDU Details.
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 Activity 5 (2%)
Course Code: TELE 13167 Data Communications and Networking
Professor: Andres Lombo

g. How are the port and sequence numbers different from the previous two PDUs?
___________________________________________________________________________
h. What email protocol is associated with TCP port 25? ________________________ What
protocol is associated with TCP port 110?
_______________________________________________________________

Step 6: Examine the use of port numbers from the server. [One mark]

a. Switch to Realtime mode again. Run FTP, Email and HTTP sessions from the corresponding
clients. From the MultiServer click the Desktop tab > Command Prompt. Enter the netstat
command. What port numbers are used by each protocol on the server?
___________________________________
b. What is the state of the transport connections? _____________ What does it mean?
_________________________________
c. Repeat the netstat command several times until you see only one session still ESTABLISHED.
For which service is this connection still open? _________________________
d. Why doesn’t this session close like the other three? (Hint: Check the minimized clients)
__________________________________________________________________________

To submit:

Upload the following:

1. This file with all your answers. Name this file using the following format:
FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_ACTIVITY5.pdf. Do not compress the file. Not following these instructions is
penalized with one mark.
2. The Packet Tracer file. Name this file using the following format:
FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_ACTIVITY5.pkt. Do not compress the file. Not following these instructions is
penalized with one mark.

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