Multiple choice

A and B are the only two stations on an Ethernet. Each has a steady queue of frames to send. Both A and B attempt to transmit a frame, collide, and A wins the first backoff race. At the end of this successful transmission by A, both A and B attempt to transmit and collide. The probability that A wins the second backoff race is

  1. 0.5

  2. 0.625

  3. 0.75

  4. 1.0
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In Ethernet, the binary exponential backoff algorithm is used after collisions. If two stations collide, each chooses a random slot (0 or 1). The probability that one wins is 0.5. The history of the previous win does not affect the probability of the next independent backoff race.

Keep practicing — related questions