LANs & WANs Exam Questions

• A LAN (1)
• The only correct answer is A. The correct answer is LAN (Local Area Network).
• B is not correct because a PAN connects devices around one person over a short range
• C is not correct because a VPN is a secure private connection made over a public network, not a network covering one building
• D is not correct because a WAN connects networks over a large geographical area

• C WAN (1)
• The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is WAN, which connects networks over a large geographical area.
• A is not correct because a LAN covers a limited area such as one building or site
• B is not correct because a PAN connects devices around one person
• D is not correct because a WLAN is a LAN that uses wireless connections and is still local

• D WAN (1)
• The only correct answer is D. The correct answer is WAN (wide area network).
• A is not correct because a LAN covers a small geographical area, such as one building
• B is not correct because a MAN covers a city or large town
• C is not correct because a PAN connects devices around one person, such as with Bluetooth

• C It is owned by the organisation that uses it (1)
• The only correct answer is C. The correct answer is that a LAN is owned by the organisation that uses it.
• A is not correct because connecting devices in different countries is a characteristic of a WAN
• B is not correct because a LAN covers a small geographical area
• D is not correct because a LAN can use wired or wireless connections

Award one mark for:

• WAN/Wide Area Network (1)

Allow wide area network, WAN network, and minor spelling errors where the meaning is clear, e.g. 'wide area netowrk'.

Do not accept LAN/local area network.

Do not accept a description such as 'covers a large area' without naming WAN.

Do not accept 'the internet' or 'world wide web'.

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• A network that covers a small geographical area / is on a single site / is within one building (1)
• (Two or more) computers/devices connected together (1)
• So that the connected devices can share data/files/resources such as printers or an internet connection (1)
• Uses cabling/infrastructure owned by the organisation (1)

Do not accept a network that covers a large geographical area / connects networks in different countries, as this describes a WAN.

Do not accept 'a network in a school' on its own, as this repeats the stem without a LAN feature such as a single site or connected devices.

Do not accept 'a network that connects to the internet' without a LAN feature such as a single site or connected devices.

Do not accept 'owned by one organisation' on its own, as a WAN can also be owned by one organisation.

Do not accept 'local' on its own without saying what it means.

The share mark needs the sharing to be linked to the connected devices/network, e.g. 'share files' or 'share printers'.

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• A home network (1)
• A school network / a network within a school (1)
• An office network / a network within one business building (1)
• A hospital network (1)
• A hotel network (1)

Allow a named organisation on a single site/premises, e.g. one shop, one café (1)

Do not accept the internet.

Do not accept an organisation with offices/branches in different countries / a university with campuses in different cities.

Do not accept 'LAN' / 'local area network' on its own.

Do not accept 'a network' with no context.

Award one mark for any of the following up to a maximum of two marks:

• A network that covers a large geographical area / connects locations in different cities/countries (1)
• Two or more LANs/local area networks connected together (1)
• Uses infrastructure owned by a third party / rented from a telecoms provider (1)
• Uses leased lines (1)

Allow 'two or more networks connected together' only if the answer says they are in different/remote locations.

Do not accept a network that covers a small area / is on one site, as this describes a LAN.

Do not accept 'wide' on its own without saying what it means.

Do not accept that devices can share data/resources over a long distance on its own, as this is a purpose of a WAN and not a defining feature.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• Covers a small geographical area/one building/site (1) so all the computers can be connected on the same network (1)
• The devices are close together (1) so short cables can be used to connect them (1)
• Uses the practice's own cabling/equipment (1) so no leased lines/third-party provider are needed (1)

A feature on its own (e.g. 'A LAN covers a small area') earns the first mark only.

Award the second mark only where the feature is linked to why it suits the dental practice.

Do not accept 'A LAN is cheap' or 'A LAN is quick to set up' unless linked to the single site/close devices.

Do not accept a response that says a LAN is fast/secure without a linked statement about the site or the distance between devices.

Do not accept responses that only describe sharing printers/files without linking this to the single site.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• The WAN connects the LAN in each store (1) so that data/files can be transferred between stores (1)
• The WAN connects networks/LANs that are a large distance apart (1) so that they can communicate/share resources (1)
• Each store's LAN is connected to the WAN (1) to allow staff to access files/systems held at another store (1)
• The WAN links the store networks (1) so the stores can use shared systems/files (1)

Do not accept responses that say a WAN is the internet.

Do not accept responses about how computers/devices within one store are connected, as this describes the store's LAN.

Do not award responses that only state a WAN is bigger/larger than a LAN, or covers a larger area, without describing how the networks are connected or what the WAN allows.

Do not award a response that only says data can be shared between stores without saying the WAN connects the store networks.

Do not accept responses about Wi-Fi/wireless access points, as these do not describe how a WAN connects networks.

Award up to two marks for a linked description such as:

• It connects many separate networks/LANs together (1) that are located all over the world (1)
• It covers a large geographical area/is worldwide (1) so networks/devices in different countries can be connected together (1)
• It uses infrastructure/leased lines provided by many different companies (1) so no single organisation owns/controls it (1)

Allow a statement that the internet is worldwide/covers a large geographical area (1), but the second mark needs the link to networks/devices being connected across that distance (1).

Do not accept a bare 'it is very big/large' with no reference to the area covered, the distance or networks.

Do not accept answers that describe a LAN instead of the internet/WAN, such as 'it covers one building'.

Do not accept descriptions of what the internet is used for, such as sending emails or viewing websites.

Do not accept descriptions of the internet's hardware/structure (cables, routers, servers) unless they refer to the wide area covered.

Do not accept responses that say the internet is wireless or has no cables.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• A LAN covers a small geographical area (1) because all the charity's computers are in one building/on one site (1)
• The charity can use its own cabling/equipment (1) so it does not need to rent leased lines from a telecoms provider (1)
• The charity owns the infrastructure (1) so it avoids the cost of leased lines/external connections that a WAN needs (1)
• The devices are close together (1) so the LAN can use short, high-speed cabling (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Do not accept 'it is faster/better/cheaper' on its own without a linked reason (e.g. short distance, own cabling, no leased lines).

Allow 'the LAN is private/secure' only with a linked reason such as the charity controls its own equipment.

Do not accept 'a LAN is local' or 'a WAN is too far/expensive' without a linked reason about the small area or leased lines.

Do not accept 'the computers are in one building/on one site' on its own because it repeats the stem; it must be linked to a reason such as a LAN covering a small geographical area.

Do not accept 'stronger Wi-Fi/signal' as a reason.

Do not accept 'can share files/printers' on its own because this is a reason for any network, not for choosing a LAN over a WAN.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• The offices are a large distance apart/in different countries (1) so a WAN connects the separate networks over a large geographical area (1)
• A WAN connects two or more LANs together (1) so the separate office networks can communicate (1)
• A WAN can use leased lines rented from telecommunications companies (1) because the company does not own the long-distance cabling between countries (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Allow 'a WAN covers a large geographical area' as the WAN feature (1) when linked to the company's offices being in different countries/cities (1).

Allow leased lines rented from telecommunications companies as the WAN feature (1) if linked to the company not owning the long-distance cabling (1).

Do not accept 'a WAN is bigger/faster' without saying that it connects networks over a large distance.

Do not accept 'the offices are in different countries' on its own as a linked explanation, because it does not state a WAN feature.

Do not accept 'WAN covers a large area' on its own without linking it to the company's offices.

Do not accept 'the internet is a WAN' on its own.

Do not accept 'more secure/safer' on its own because this does not explain the need to connect distant offices.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• The WAN uses leased lines rented from telecommunications companies (1) so the company pays ongoing rental charges for the connections between its offices (1)
• The WAN covers a large geographical area (1) so more cabling/equipment must be paid for to connect the sites (1)
• The WAN connects networks in different locations (1) so more hardware, such as routers, is needed at each site, which adds to purchase and maintenance costs (1)
• The WAN connects more devices/networks (1) so more money is spent on hardware and management (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

The answer must relate to cost, e.g. paying rental/charges, buying more equipment or paying for maintenance.

Do not accept 'it is bigger' without saying that it covers a larger distance or that more equipment must be paid for.

Do not accept 'it is slower' as a reason for higher cost.

Do not accept 'the WAN is more complex' without expansion as to why this costs more.

Do not accept 'it uses satellites/wireless' unless linked to paying for long-distance infrastructure.

Award up to two marks for a linked explanation such as:

• The devices are close together/on the same site (1) so the data travels a short distance (1)
• The LAN is used by fewer devices/users than a WAN (1) so less traffic is competing for the same links (1)
• The organisation owns/controls the cabling and hardware in the LAN (1) so fast links can be installed between its own devices (1)
• The data does not have to travel between distant sites (1) so it does not pass through the extra links/networks a WAN needs (1)

For both marks, the expansion must follow/associate with the statement.

Do not accept 'it is faster/quicker' or 'high bandwidth' on its own without saying why (e.g. short distance, fewer devices sharing the link).

Do not accept 'it has a better/faster internet connection' or any reason based on an ISP, because the file is on the same LAN and does not travel over the internet.

Indicative content

Characteristics of a WAN

• A WAN covers a large geographical area, as the hotels are in different countries.
• A WAN is formed by connecting two or more networks together, so the hotels' separate networks are joined to make the company's WAN.
• A WAN uses infrastructure that is owned by a third party, such as a telecommunications company, rather than by the company itself.
• The internet is the largest and best known WAN.

How the hotels' networks are connected

• Each hotel's own network is connected to the WAN so that its computers can reach the central booking database.
• Data between the hotels travels over links provided by the telecommunications company, not over cabling laid by the hotel company.
• A WAN can join sites in different countries, which a network in one hotel could never do on its own.

Benefits

• Every hotel reads and updates the same central booking database, so a room booked in one hotel is immediately shown as unavailable in all the others.
• Head office can send price changes and other updates to all 40 hotels at once.
• Staff in different hotels can communicate, for example by email or video conferencing.
• The company does not have to install and maintain its own cabling between the countries.

Drawbacks

• The company depends on the telecommunications company, so if a link fails that hotel loses access to the booking database.
• Renting the links across countries is expensive and is an ongoing cost for the company.
• Data travelling over links the company does not own is at more risk of interception.
• A WAN link is usually slower than the hotel's own network, so large files take longer to transfer.
• Managing one network spread across different countries is more complicated than managing one hotel's network.

Levels

• Level 0 (0 marks): No rewardable content.
• Level 1 (1–2 marks): Basic, independent points are made, showing elements of understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion will contain basic information with little linkage between points made or application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 2 (3–4 marks): Demonstrates adequate understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science. (AO1) The discussion shows some linkages and lines of reasoning with some structure and application to the context. (AO2)
• Level 3 (5–6 marks): Demonstrates comprehensive understanding of key concepts/principles of computer science to support the discussion being presented. (AO1) The discussion is well developed, with sustained lines of reasoning that are coherent and logically structured, and which clearly apply to the context. (AO2)

Level 3 answers must cover the characteristics of a WAN, how the hotels are connected, and at least one benefit and one drawback.

Do not accept 'a WAN is just a bigger LAN' without reference to connecting networks over a large distance.