Cambridge International A Level · Information Technology (9626)

Communications technology (A Level only): Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 5 written questions with worked solutions. All on Communications technology (A Level only).

10 questions25 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

In communications technology, which network protocol is specifically designed to assign dynamic IP addresses to devices as they connect to a network?

Question 2

1 mark

In the context of Communications technology, which of the following best describes the fundamental difference between the connection mode and connectionless mode in packet switching?

Question 3

1 mark

An organization is considering its disaster recovery management strategy. Which of the following best distinguishes risk analysis from risk testing in this context?

Question 4

1 mark

In the context of Communications technology and data transmission, which of the following best describes the fundamental difference between the connection mode and connectionless mode when using packet switching?

Question 5

1 mark

In communications technology, the message switching method often employs a "store and forward" mechanism. Which statement correctly distinguishes this from packet switching?

Question 6

2 marks

In the context of network hardware, define the primary function of a network interface card (NIC) and explain how it identifies a specific device on a network.

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Question 7

4 marks

In communications technology, explain how a gateway facilitates communication between two local area networks (LANs) that utilize different network protocols.

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Question 8

5 marks

In network communications, explain the fundamental difference in connection handling between Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and User Datagram Protocol (UDP), and identify the mechanism TCP uses to establish this state.

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Question 9

4 marks

In network architecture and protocols, describe the primary functions of the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) in enabling communication on a Local Area Network (LAN).

(a) Explain how DHCP automates the configuration of a newly connected client device.
(b) Explain why ARP is necessary when a device needs to send an IP packet to another host on the same physical network.

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Question 10

5 marks

Data transmission across networks relies on specific switching techniques and protocol layer models.

(a) Describe two structural differences between circuit switching and packet switching.
(b) Compare the Transport layer of the OSI model with the Transport layer of the TCP/IP model by identifying two key transport protocols used and explaining how their reliability mechanisms differ.

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