Communication technologies Exam Questions

Award one mark for each correct way of setting up an ad hoc network, up to a maximum of two marks from:

• Personal hotspot/tethering (on a smartphone)
• Bluetooth/pairing the two devices over Bluetooth
• Personal area network (PAN)/piconet

Do not allow mix and match: a personal hotspot and tethering are the same way, so both together only earn one mark.

Do not accept: open Wi-Fi – this is the example given in the question.

Accept any other appropriate response.

Award one mark for each correct security issue, up to a maximum of two marks from:

• Hackers/unauthorised access
• Man-in-the-middle attacks
• Data can be intercepted/eavesdropped on
• Malware can be spread to connected devices
• Anyone can connect/join the network because no password is needed
• Other users can access files/the device on the network

Do not accept: no encryption – this is the example given in the question.

Allow: anyone can connect/join the network as a separate issue from the example.

Accept any other appropriate response.

Award one mark for each correct performance issue, up to a maximum of two marks from:

• Slow data transfer/slow speeds
• Poor/intermittent signal/the signal comes and goes
• Limited range: devices going out of range
• Interference from other devices/signals crossing
• Interrupted or incomplete data transfers
• The connection drops/is lost
• Network congestion/too many devices sharing the connection

Award each different issue once; rewordings of the same issue earn one mark only.

Do not accept: security issues such as hackers or malware – these are not performance issues.

Accept any other appropriate response.

Award one mark for a correct security issue and one mark for a justification for that issue, up to a maximum of two marks.

• The network is not encrypted/unencrypted/not password protected (1) so data sent over it, such as card details or passwords, can be read by others (1)
• Hackers/unauthorised users can join the network (1) as there is no password, so they can access or steal visitors' data/use their devices (1)
• A man-in-the-middle attack (1) as an attacker can eavesdrop on/intercept the data being sent between a visitor's device and the theatre's network (1)
• Malware (1) which someone on the same open network could pass onto a visitor's device, corrupting it or stealing data (1)

Allow: passwords, card details, personal details or similar for the data in the first point, the data does not need to be named specifically

'The second mark needs what the attacker can then do; 'there is no password'/'anyone can join' on its own repeats the question

Do not accept: performance issues such as slow speeds or a weak signal, as these are not security issues

Allow mix and match if it makes sense

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for a correct reason and one mark for a justification for that reason, up to a maximum of two marks.

• Poor mobile network coverage (1) because there are fewer masts/base stations in developing countries (1)
• Less developed infrastructure (1) as there has been less investment in the mobile network (1)
• The signal is blocked by hills, valleys or buildings (blackspots) (1) so the tablet cannot connect to the network (1)
• The staff are working in a remote/rural area (1) where the masts are far apart/there are fewer masts (1)
• Only a weak signal is available (1) which means the connection drops out/the tablet cannot send the repair details (1)
• The network is busy/bandwidth is limited (1) as there is not enough infrastructure for the number of users (1)

Do not accept: a flat battery or a damaged tablet, as these are device problems and not reasons for losing network availability.

Allow mix and match if the whole response makes sense

The justification must say why this affects network availability, e.g. by giving the effect on the connection.

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for a correct reason and one mark for a justification for that reason, up to a maximum of two marks.

• There are fewer masts/cell towers (1) as the area is rural with few residents, so coverage is poor (1)
• Blackspots (1) as hills/valleys/mountains block the signal (1)
• Poor infrastructure (1) because there is little or no investment in remote infrastructure (1)
• Buildings/tunnels (1) which block the wireless signal (1)

Do not accept: a flat battery, as this is not a network availability issue

Allow: 'blackspots' as a correct reason, but the justification must say what blocks the signal

Allow mix and match if it makes sense

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for a correct reason, one mark for a justification for that reason, and one mark for an expansion of the justification, up to a maximum of three marks.

• The connection is shared (1) between all the staff tablets using the hotspot (1) so each tablet gets less bandwidth to send the scanned tickets (1)
• Limited range (1) as the tablets have to stay close to the phone (1) so staff at the far gates lose the connection (1)
• Interference (1) from other wireless devices in the crowd (1) as the signals cross each other (1)
• The signal is blocked (1) by large crowds of spectators (1) which makes the connection drop out (1)
• The signal is unstable (1) because a lot of people are moving around the gates (1) so the scanning of tickets is interrupted (1)

Do not allow mix and match

Do not accept: 'slow' on its own, or any reference to security issues such as hacking

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for a correct reason, one mark for a justification for that reason, and one mark for an expansion of the justification, up to a maximum of three marks.

• Fewer masts/base stations in rural areas (1) so the mobile coverage is poor (1) meaning the tablet cannot connect to the catalogue (1)
• Blackspots (1) caused by hills and valleys (1) which block the mobile signal (1)
• Poor infrastructure (1) as there are not enough masts to cover areas with few residents (1) so coverage is limited (1)
• No mobile network coverage (1) as the villages are in remote areas (1) so there is no service at all (1)
• Signal blocked by buildings (1) as stone walls are thick (1) so the connection drops out inside the village hall (1)

Do not allow mix and match

Do not accept: a flat battery

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for a correct way (an action, eg turning on the hotspot/tethering or turning on Bluetooth and pairing), one mark for a justification for that way, and one mark for an expansion of the justification, up to a maximum of three marks.

• Turn on the personal hotspot/tethering on the smartphone (1) then connect the laptop to it using Wi-Fi (1) so the laptop can use the phone's mobile data to send the reports (1)
• Turn on Bluetooth on the smartphone and the laptop (1) and pair the two devices (1) so the laptop can send data through the phone's connection (1)
• Connect the laptop to the smartphone with a USB cable (1) and turn on USB tethering (1) so the laptop can use the phone's mobile data (1)

Allow mix and match if it makes sense

Do not accept: ways that do not use the smartphone, eg using open Wi-Fi at the site

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

A description of how to set up a personal hotspot. To include three from

• Turn on the personal hotspot/tethering on the smartphone (1)
• Turn on Wi-Fi (or Bluetooth) on the laptop (1)
• Find/select the smartphone's hotspot (in the list of networks) (1)
• Enter the password/PIN to connect/pair the two devices (1)
• The smartphone shares its mobile data (4G/5G) connection with the laptop (1)

Do not accept: connecting to a site's open Wi-Fi or a router

Accept any other appropriate response.

A description of the security issues staff may face when using the open Wi-Fi. To include three from

• The open Wi-Fi is not encrypted (1) so the data the staff send is not scrambled (1) so anyone else on the network can read it (1)
• A hacker/unauthorised user can join the same network (1) and intercept/eavesdrop on the data being sent (1) to steal it/use it for financial gain (1)
• A hacker on the network can infect a staff device with malware (1) which can corrupt the data on the device (1) or take it over/compromise it (1)

Allow mix and match if the whole response makes sense

Do not accept: performance issues such as slow speeds or a weak signal

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing.

A description of performance issues with an ad hoc network. To include three from

• The devices must stay in range of each other (1) as the range of a hotspot/PAN is limited/short (1) so the connection is lost/drops when staff walk away (1)
• The signal can be blocked by obstacles such as buildings/hills (1) which creates a blackspot/no signal (1) so data transfers are interrupted (1)
• Signals from other devices can interfere/cross with each other (1) as staff move around with their tablets (1) so the connection becomes intermittent/keeps dropping (1)

Do not accept: security issues such as hackers.

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing.

Award one mark for each correct reason and one mark for a justification of each reason, up to a maximum of four marks.

• The forests are in rural areas with poor infrastructure (1) as there are fewer masts/base stations/telecom companies do not invest in areas with few residents, so the signal is poor (1)
• Hills/valleys/mountains/terrain block the signal (1) as this creates a blackspot (1)
• Buildings/trees/foliage get in the way (1) as they block the mobile network signal (1)
• The staff move into a blackspot (1) where geographical features block the mobile network signal (1)
• The nearest mast is far away (1) so the signal is weak (1)

Allow mix and match if the response makes sense

Do not accept: device issues such as a flat battery, no data allowance or a damaged tablet

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Award one mark for each correct way and one mark for a justification of each way, up to a maximum of four marks.

• Turn on the personal hotspot/tethering on the smartphone (1) so the laptop can connect to its mobile data connection (1)
• Turn on mobile data/the mobile data connection on the smartphone (1) so there is a connection for the laptop to share (1)
• Turn on Wi-Fi on the laptop (1) so it can find/connect to the smartphone's hotspot (1)
• Select the smartphone's hotspot/network on the laptop (1) so the laptop connects to it (1)
• Use a USB cable to tether the smartphone to the laptop (1) so the laptop can use the smartphone's mobile data (1)
• Turn on Bluetooth on the smartphone and laptop and pair them (1) so the laptop can use the smartphone's data connection (1)

Allow mix and match if the whole response makes sense.

For Bluetooth, only accept a justification linked to the laptop using the smartphone's data connection, not sharing files.

Do not accept: connecting the laptop to a router or the company's fixed network.

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing.

Award one mark for each correct issue and one mark for a justification of each issue, up to a maximum of four marks.

• The network is not encrypted (1) so passwords/card details can be read by others (1)
• Hackers/unauthorised users can get on the network (1) as anyone can join it without a password (1)
• A man-in-the-middle attack (1) as an attacker can intercept/eavesdrop on the data being sent (1)
• Malware can be spread (1) as an infected device on the network can pass it on to other devices/corrupt data (1)

Allow mix and match if the response makes sense

Do not accept: the connection is slow, the signal drops out

Accept any other appropriate wording/phrasing

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Discussion may consider

Company impacts

• Delayed boat checks – staff cannot upload records from rural stretches, so the office does not know which boats are ready
• Failed payments – card machines need a signal at remote moorings, so the company may have to chase payment later
• Double bookings – staff cannot check availability on the move, so two customers may be given the same boat
• Reputation – late handovers and missed bookings may lead to poor reviews and fewer bookings

Customer impacts

• App unusable – customers cannot check moorings or routes, so they may get lost or moor in the wrong place
• Payment problems – card payments fail at remote moorings, so customers may need cash or pay later
• Delayed handover – customers wait for their boat, so their holiday starts late
• No help in an emergency – customers cannot contact the company when a boat breaks down, so they wait longer for help

Accept any other relevant response

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited discussion which contains generic assertions rather than considering different aspects and the relationship between them
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed discussion which considers some different aspects and some consideration of how they interrelate, but not always in a sustained way
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical discussion which clearly considers a range of different aspects and considers how they interrelate, in a sustained way

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Discussion may consider

• Shared connection – all the cameras and laptops use the same connection, so large footage files transfer slowly.
• Limited range – devices must be close together, so a crew member who moves away loses the connection.
• Intermittent signal – the signal may come and go as the crew move around the location, interrupting transfers.
• Interference – other wireless equipment on location can cross signals and make the network unreliable.
• Many devices – adding more cameras and laptops can overload the ad hoc network, so transfers take longer or fail.
• Obstacles – rocks or trees between devices can weaken the signal and reduce transfer speed.
• Incomplete transfers – if the connection drops during a large file, the transfer may stop and have to restart.
• Location changes – setting up in a new position can break the connections between devices, so the crew must reconnect before sending footage.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited discussion which contains generic assertions rather than considering different aspects and the relationship between them
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed discussion which considers some different aspects and some consideration of how they interrelate, but not always in a sustained way
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical discussion which clearly considers a range of different aspects and considers how they interrelate, in a sustained way

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Discussion may consider

Location

• Rural areas – there are fewer masts, so drivers on remote routes may have weak or no signal.
• City centres – tall buildings and many users can block or congest the network, making the app unavailable.
• Blackspots – hills, valleys and tunnels can block mobile signals, so updates fail even on covered routes.

Infrastructure and coverage

• Developing countries – mobile networks may be less advanced and cover fewer areas, so drivers cannot connect.
• Available infrastructure – some areas have no masts or reliable power, so the network cannot be used.
• Mobile coverage – a driver's provider may not cover part of the route, so the app shows no connection.
• Network congestion – many drivers and other users on the same network at once can reduce availability.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited discussion which contains generic assertions rather than considering different aspects and the relationship between them
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed discussion which considers some different aspects and some consideration of how they interrelate, but not always in a sustained way
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical discussion which clearly considers a range of different aspects and considers how they interrelate, in a sustained way

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Evaluation may consider

Open Wi-Fi

Benefits

• No cost to staff – tablets connect without using anyone's mobile data allowance.
• Covers the whole site – staff can connect in any plant area without setting anything up.

Drawbacks

• Not secure – open networks are often not encrypted, so stock and customer details could be read by others.
• Slow at busy times – customers and staff share the same connection, so stock and price checks take longer.

Tethering

Benefits

• More secure – the hotspot can be password protected, so only the staff member's tablet can join it.
• Works on mobile coverage – staff can connect even where the site Wi-Fi does not reach.

Drawbacks

• Uses the staff member's data allowance – this may cost them money or run out part way through a shift.
• Setup each time – the staff member must turn on the hotspot and connect the tablet, and the phone's battery may run out.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable material
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited evaluation which contains generic assertions leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed evaluation which considers some different competing points, although not always in detail, leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical evaluation which clearly considers a range of different aspects and competing points, leading to a conclusion that is fully supported

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Evaluation may consider

Issues affecting network availability

• Rural locations – farmland is often far from the nearest mast, so mobile coverage is weak and the laptop may not connect.
• Blackspots – hills, valleys and large buildings block the signal, so the connection drops while staff are on site.
• Mobile network coverage – some sites may have no service at all from the company's network.
• Available infrastructure – sending large survey files uses a lot of bandwidth, which strains a weak connection and slows it further.
• Developing countries – if the company works abroad, mobile networks there may be less advanced because of lower investment.

Impact on the company

• Delays – survey data cannot be sent until staff reach an area with a signal, so reports to clients are late.
• Extra cost – staff may have to travel to find a signal or stay overnight, which adds to the cost of the job.
• Lost work – data not uploaded could be lost if the laptop is damaged before it is sent.
• Planning around it – staff can check coverage before travelling and download what they need, so the effect can be reduced.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable material
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited evaluation which contains generic assertions leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed evaluation which considers some different competing points, although not always in detail, leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical evaluation which clearly considers a range of different aspects and competing points, leading to a conclusion that is fully supported

Responses will be credited according to the learner's demonstration of knowledge and understanding of the material, using the indicative content and level descriptors below.

The indicative content that follows is not prescriptive. Responses may cover some or all indicative content, but learners should be rewarded for other responses.

Evaluation may consider

Benefits

• Quick to set up – staff switch on the personal hotspot on the phone and connect the laptop over Wi-Fi, so no cabling or engineer is needed at the ponds
• No extra hardware – the phone shares its 4G or 5G data connection with the laptop, so the fisheries does not have to buy a router
• Saves a trip back to the office – staff can enter stock and water readings at the pond, so records are not written out twice
• Low cost for a few users – only a small number of staff connect at once, so the phone's data plan is usually enough

Drawbacks

• Rural coverage – the ponds are in the countryside, so the mobile signal may be weak or drop out and staff cannot send their records
• Data allowance – the phone's monthly data can run out, so the laptop loses its connection or the fisheries pays extra charges
• Battery life – sharing data drains the phone quickly and there may be no power point at the ponds
• Security – the hotspot needs a strong password, otherwise people nearby could join it and use the fisheries' data

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable material
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Demonstrates isolated elements of knowledge and understanding; there will be major gaps or omissions; Few of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question; Limited evaluation which contains generic assertions leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates some accurate knowledge and understanding; with only minor gaps or omissions; Some of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, but the link will not always be clear; Displays a partially developed evaluation which considers some different competing points, although not always in detail, leading to a conclusion which is partially supported
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates mostly accurate and thorough/detailed knowledge and understanding; Most of the points made will be relevant to the context in the question, and there will be clear links; Displays a well-developed and logical evaluation which clearly considers a range of different aspects and competing points, leading to a conclusion that is fully supported