Edexcel GCSE Computer Science (1CP2) Exam Questions

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

• Files/data download/upload more quickly (1)
• More employees can use the connection at the same time without it slowing down (1)
• Web pages/streamed video load more quickly with less buffering (1)
• Video calls/conferencing run at a higher quality (1)
• Updates/backups can be completed in less time (1)

Allow 'multiple users' or 'more devices' for the shared-use point

Allow 'video streams more quickly' or 'less buffering' on their own

Do not accept lower latency, as a higher bandwidth does not reduce latency

Do not accept 'more data can be transferred per second' or 'a bigger bandwidth', as these repeat what bandwidth is

Do not accept 'more reliable' on its own, as a higher bandwidth does not make a wired connection more reliable

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

• The bandwidth/capacity of the access point is shared between all the connected devices (1) so each device gets less bandwidth as more devices connect, which reduces the speed of data transfer (1)
• The devices have to take turns to transmit (contention) (1) so each device waits longer before it can send data, which increases latency (1)
• The access point can only support a maximum number of connections (1) so once this limit is reached, further devices cannot connect to the network (1)

Allow 'contention' as an alternative to devices having to take turns to transmit.

Allow 'the network becomes slower' as the second mark only where it is linked to shared bandwidth, to devices taking turns to transmit or to the maximum number of connections.

Do not accept a response that only states the network becomes slower, or that there are more devices/more traffic, without saying how this affects performance.

Do not accept responses about range or interference unless they are linked to the number of connected devices.

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

• Data can avoid a busy/congested link (1) because the router can choose another path (1)
• Data can still arrive if a link fails (1) because the router sends it another way (1)
• Data can take the shortest/fastest path (1) because the router compares the routes and chooses the one with the fewest hops/least traffic (1)

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

Allow other valid benefits with a linked reason, e.g. traffic can be shared across routes/load balanced (1) because the router can send some packets by another path (1)

Do not accept 'the route is always the same' as this is not a benefit of choosing a route.

Do not accept 'routers are fast' or 'packets are sent faster' on its own: the reason must say how the route is chosen, e.g. avoiding congestion or using a routing table.