Key term
AQA GCSE Computer Science 8525
Algorithms
Programming
Data Representation
Topic overviewNumber bases and why hexadecimal is usedConverting between binary, decimal and hexadecimalUnits of information: bits, bytes and prefixesBinary addition and binary shiftsCharacter encoding: ASCII and UnicodePixels, bitmaps and colour depthBitmap image file size calculationsDigital sound: sampling rate and sample resolutionData compression: Huffman coding and run-length encoding
Computer Systems
Computer Networks
Cyber Security
Relational Databases and SQL
Ethical, Legal and Environmental Impacts of Digital Technology
Computer Networks
- 5 subtopics
- 15 things to know
- Paper 2
What Computer Networks covers
Computer Networks is examined in Paper 2, Computing concepts. It covers network types and topologies, wired and wireless networks, network protocols, the TCP/IP model and its layers and network security methods.
Where it is assessed
Paper 2
Computing concepts, a 1 hour 45 minute paper worth 50% of the GCSE.
Check the AQA specification ↗The 5 subtopics
Each one has its own page.
- Network types and topologiesThe benefits and drawbacks of networks, PANs, LANs and WANs, star and bus topologies and their strengths and weaknesses, and which suits a given organisation.Open →
- Wired and wireless networksCopper and fibre optic cable, the advantages and disadvantages of wireless networks, why Wi-Fi is less secure, and when a wired connection is the better choice.Open →
- Network protocolsWhat a protocol is, Ethernet and Wi-Fi, TCP, UDP and IP, HTTP and HTTPS, FTP, and how SMTP and IMAP share the job of sending and reading email.Open →
- The TCP/IP model and its layersThe application, transport, internet and link layers, the protocols at each, the network interface card, and how data moves down and up the layers between two computers.Open →
- Network security methodsAuthentication, encryption, firewalls and MAC address filtering, what each protects against, example firewall rules, and why the four methods are used together.Open →
What you need to know
Answer each one before you reveal it.
Your recallNot started
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How do SMTP and IMAP each handle email?
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What happens to data at the internet layer and the link layer of the TCP/IP model?
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What is the difference between a wired and a wireless network?
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Why is network security important?
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What is a computer network?
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What are the two main types of network cable?
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Define the term network protocol.
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Name the four layers of the TCP/IP model, from top to bottom.
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Why does a network need more protection than a standalone computer?
Evaluation
What are the advantages of connecting computers in a network?
Evaluation
What are the advantages of fibre optic cable over copper cable?
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Why are network protocols needed?
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Why is network communication split into layers?
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What is authentication?
Take Computer Networks further
The same content, four other ways.
Commonly confused
Pairs that lose marks when they are blurred together.
LAN vs WAN
LAN: a network covering one site, usually owned by a single organisation. WAN: a network spanning cities or countries, usually with shared ownership.
TCP vs UDP
TCP: a transport protocol that checks every packet arrives and reorders them. UDP: a transport protocol that sends packets without checking they arrive.
HTTP vs HTTPS
HTTP: the rules for requesting and sending web pages without encryption. HTTPS: the rules for sending web pages over an encrypted connection.
Questions from this topic
Each one with the model answer underneath.
- 1
What is a computer network?
Model answer
A computer network is two or more computers or devices connected together so they can communicate. Connected devices can share data and resources.
- 2
What are the advantages of connecting computers in a network?
Model answer
Users can share files, printers and an internet connection. Users can also communicate easily, and data can be backed up centrally.
- 3
What are the disadvantages of computer networks?
Model answer
Malware and hackers can spread through a network more easily than to a standalone computer. Networks cost money to set up and need specialist staff to manage.
- 4
What is a Personal Area Network (PAN)?
Model answer
A PAN connects devices close to one person, usually within a few metres. A phone linked to wireless earbuds by Bluetooth is an example.
- 5
Why is Bluetooth suited to a PAN but not to a LAN?
Model answer
Bluetooth is designed for short distances, typically around ten metres. Bluetooth uses little power, which suits small battery devices such as headphones.
- 6
What is a Local Area Network (LAN)?
Model answer
A LAN connects devices across a small geographical area such as a school, office or home. A LAN is usually owned and managed by one person or organisation.
What is inside Levo
Six ways to work the same material.
Computer Networks revision questions
- What does Computer Networks cover in AQA GCSE Computer Science?
- 5 subtopics: network types and topologies, wired and wireless networks, network protocols, the tcp/ip model and its layers and network security methods. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.
- How is Computer Networks organised?
- By the AQA 8525 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.
Every question in Computer Networks, on a schedule.
Attempt a question from memory, write the correct version, then attempt it again. Levo records the jump between your first attempt and your last, and brings each question back on the day you are due to forget it.
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