Networks | Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2)
Networks
- 92 questions
- 6 subtopics
- Paper 1
- Paper 1
Networks is examined in Paper 1, Principles of Computer Science.
It covers LANs, WANs and the structure of the internet, wired and wireless connectivity and network speed, network protocols, the four-layer TCP/IP model, bus, star and mesh topologies and network security and protection.
Sample questions from Networks
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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LANs, WANs and the structure of the internet
Give two examples of a WAN.
Show the answer
The internet is the largest WAN. A bank linking its branches across the country uses a WAN as well. -
LANs, WANs and the structure of the internet
Why was IPv6 introduced to replace IPv4?
Show the answer
A 32-bit IPv4 address allows only about 4.3 billion addresses, which is too few for every connected device. IPv6 uses 128-bit addresses, giving vastly more. -
Wired and wireless connectivity and network speed
Why does a wireless connection usually have higher latency than a wired one?
Show the answer
Wireless devices share the same radio channel and must take turns to transmit. Interference can also force data to be sent again. -
Wired and wireless connectivity and network speed
A 300 megabit file downloads in 6 seconds. What is the transmission rate?
Show the answer
The transmission rate is 50 megabits per second. The rate is found as 300 megabits ÷ 6 seconds = 50 megabits per second. -
Network protocols
What is HTTP used for?
Show the answer
HTTP is the protocol web browsers use to request web pages from web servers. The server sends the page back to the browser using HTTP. -
Network protocols
What does POP3 do?
Show the answer
POP3 downloads email from the mail server to a single device. The messages are usually deleted from the server afterwards. -
The four-layer TCP/IP model
How does the transport layer make sure data arrives complete?
Show the answer
The receiving computer sends back an acknowledgement for each packet that arrives. Any packet that is missing or damaged is sent again. -
The four-layer TCP/IP model
What is a packet?
Show the answer
A packet is a small unit of data sent across a network. Each packet has a header of control information and a payload of the data itself.
The 6 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| LANs, WANs and the structure of the internet | Why computers are networked, LANs and WANs, the internet, IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, and how routers forward packets across networks. | 15 |
| Wired and wireless connectivity and network speed | Bandwidth and latency, wired and wireless connections compared, bits per second, the difference between kilobits and kibibytes, and worked transmission-time calculations. | 16 |
| Network protocols | Why protocols are needed, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, TCP and IP, HTTP and HTTPS, FTP, and how SMTP, POP3 and IMAP handle email. | 15 |
| The four-layer TCP/IP model | The application, transport, internet and link layers, what happens to data going down and up the layers, packets and their headers, and sending an email. | 15 |
| Bus, star and mesh topologies | Bus, star and mesh topologies with their advantages and disadvantages, collisions on a bus, full and partial mesh, and choosing a topology for an office. | 16 |
| Network security and protection | Network vulnerabilities, penetration testing and ethical hacking, access control, physical security, and firewalls, with how each protects a network. | 15 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
Edexcel GCSE Computer Science Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 680 questions with their answers.