Networks and the effects of

4 using them
1 Ken owns a large business. He has purchased 30 computers and three printers to help run his
business more efficiently.

a Identify three items of hardware Ken will need to buy to allow the computers to be
networked and allow access to the internet to process customer orders.

1  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

2  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

3  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

b Ken’s business is expanding. He buys another company in a different location and installs
a second network of computers in the new company.

i Describe what additional hardware Ken needs to buy to enable the two networks to be
linked (both are using the same protocols). Give a reason for your choice of hardware.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

ii Describe two of the features of the additional hardware you named in part b i.

1  
.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

2  
.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition Photocopying prohibited
27

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 27 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

c Ken has asked all his staff to use passwords to protect their computers from illegal
access. His staff has chosen a number of passwords. Indicate in the table below
whether you think the passwords chosen are weak or strong.

Password Weak (✓) Strong (✓)

Pas5word
Ken123
Ab!*56@@
15April2022
TXwm50.

2 a Describe the following terms.

i LAN

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

ii WAN

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

iii WLAN

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

b Identify the items shown in the following diagram using the following terms:
» bridge » router
» switch » server
» internet

28 Photocopying prohibited Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 28 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

Each item can be used once, more than once or not at all.

5
2

1 1 4

LAN

1  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

2  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

3  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

4  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

5  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

c Give one advantage and one disadvantage of using WLANs rather than LANs.

Advantage: .......................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Disadvantage: ..................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

3 a Data is often transmitted using packets. Indicate, by using a tick (✓) which of the
following information forms part of the packet.

Item of information Present (✓)

Size of the packet (in MB)
Date packet sent
Sender’s IP address
Name of recipient
Routing table
Identity number of each packet

Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition Photocopying prohibited
29

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 29 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

b Describe what happens when the packets of data arrive together at their destination.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

c Computer X is connected to a LAN in Sweden. Computer Y is connected to a LAN in Pakistan.

Describe how computer X could send data packets to computer Y.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

4 a Name three items of hardware and/or software needed to carry out video conferencing.

1 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

2 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

3 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

b Describe two potential disadvantages and two clear advantages of using video conferencing
rather than face-to-face meetings.

Disadvantages:

1 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

30 Photocopying prohibited Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 30 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

2 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

Advantages:

1 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

2 .......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

5 Describe the operation of:

i web conferencing (webinars):

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

ii phone conferencing:

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition Photocopying prohibited
31

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 31 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

6 A research company needs to control which personnel are allowed access to secure areas. The
company has issued each member of staff with a magnetic stripe card.

a Describe how the magnetic stripe card can be used to limit access to the secure areas.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

b Describe additional features which can be added to the card to improve security even further.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

32 Photocopying prohibited Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 32 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

7 Asif logs into his bank’s website using his debit card number (1234 5678 9012 3456). The logon
page at this stage is as shown below.

Physical and electronic tokens are used to authenticate the user.

HODDER BANK GROUP

Please enter your full name:

Asif Khan

Please enter the last 5 digits

of your debit card:
23456

Using your physical token device, please

enter the one-time password shown
on the screen:

a Describe what is meant by a physical token.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

b Explain how the physical token can be used to generate the one-time password (OTP)
which Asif needs to complete the login to his bank.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition Photocopying prohibited
33

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 33 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

c Explain the difference between a disconnected physical token and a connected

physical token.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

d Describe what is meant by an electronic token.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

8 a Explain the term authentication.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

b Zero login is one form of authentication.

i Explain what is meant by zero login.

.......................................................................................................................................................................

.......................................................................................................................................................................

ii Give two disadvantages of zero login.

1  
.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

2  
.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................................

34 Photocopying prohibited Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 34 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them

c Some smartphones use biometrics as a security feature to unlock the device.

Name two types of biometric check used by smartphones.

1  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

2  
.......................................................................................................................................................................

9 Eight statements are shown in the table below.

Indicate whether each statement is true or false by putting a tick (✓) in the correct box.
Statement True (✓) False (✓)
A network interface card has a MAC address hard-wired at the
manufacturing stage
Hubs only send data packets to a specific device on the local network
A bridge is used to connect a local area network (LAN) to any
external network
Routers use IP addresses to direct data packets to the correct
network
Bluetooth uses spread-spectrum frequency hopping to allow device
pairing
Cloud computing does not require access to the internet to enable
files to be downloaded or uploaded
Wide area networks (WANs) only work over a very limited distance
geographically
Zero login depends on biometrics and behavioural patterns

10 a One type of LAN is a wireless LAN (WLAN).

Compare LANs with WLANs.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................
Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition Photocopying prohibited
35

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 35 11/02/21 6:57 PM

 4 Networks and the effects of using them .

b Explain the difference between a LAN and a WAN.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

11 a Explain the term cloud computing.

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

b Give three advantages and three disadvantages of cloud computing.

Advantage 1: ...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Advantage 2: ...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Advantage 3: ...................................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Disadvantage 1: ..............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Disadvantage 2: ..............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

Disadvantage 3: ..............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................................................

36 Photocopying prohibited Cambridge IGCSE™ Information and Communication Technology Theory Workbook 2nd Edition

318564_04_CAM_IGCSE_ICT_WB_027-036.indd 36 11/02/21 6:57 PM