Exam-style question
Try this first
Explain CSMA/CA for a wireless network, first without RTS/CTS and then with RTS/CTS. Include what a device does when the channel is busy and how RTS and CTS are used.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Without RTS/CTS, a device first senses the wireless channel.
- If the channel is busy, it waits.
- If the channel is clear, it transmits its data.
- Wireless devices use collision avoidance because a device cannot reliably deal with collisions in the same way as the collision-detection method used in some wired networks.
Explanation
Why this works
The key stages are carrier sensing, waiting when the channel is busy and transmitting when permitted. For the RTS/CTS version, the response must identify both messages and explain their order: RTS from the sender, CTS from the receiver, followed by data transmission.
The answer should describe collision avoidance rather than CSMA/CD, which is outside this requirement.
Common mistake
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