Paper 1 Computer Networks Drills

These are original Paper 1-style practice questions. They use concrete networking scenarios so the answers can be checked exactly.

Detailed answers are in Paper 1 Computer Networks Answers.

Revise the topic hub first:

• Fundamentals of Computer Networks

Questions

Question 1: LAN vs WAN

A school connects 40 computers inside one computer lab. The same school also connects its main campus to another campus 12 km away using a service provider link.

Identify which network is a LAN and which is a WAN, and give one reason for each choice. [4]

Question 2: Intranet

A college has a private website containing staff notices and internal forms. It is accessible only after staff login. Public users can access the college’s main website but not the staff site.

Explain how the staff site is an intranet rather than the internet. [2]

Question 3: IP Address

A laptop sends a packet to a server with IP address 203.0.113.20.

State the purpose of the destination IP address in the packet. [1]

Question 4: DNS

A user enters:

www.example.edu

The web server’s IP address is:

198.51.100.42

Explain how DNS helps the browser connect to the web server. [4]

Question 5: Protocol

Two programs exchange messages in this format:

COMMAND:ID

For example:

GET:42

Explain why both programs need to follow the same protocol. [2]

Question 6: Packet Switching

The message "HELLOWORLD" is split into these packets:

1: HEL
2: LOW
3: ORL
4: D

Describe packet switching using this example, including sequencing and reassembly. [4]

Question 7: Router

A packet must travel from a school LAN to a web server on the internet.

Explain two roles of a router in this communication. [2]

Question 8: Client Server

In a library search system, a browser sends a search term and a web server returns matching book records.

Compare the client and server roles in this example. [2]

Question 9: Socket

A client connects to:

IP address: 127.0.0.1
port: 5000

State the two values that identify this socket endpoint. [2]

Question 10: TCP/IP Layers

Match each responsibility to the most suitable TCP/IP layer.

Responsibility	Layer
HTTP request for a web page
TCP reliable delivery between programs
IP addressing and routing between networks
transmission over the local network medium

[4]

Review Checklist

After attempting these questions, check whether you can:

• distinguish LAN, WAN, intranet, and internet;
• explain DNS, protocols, packet switching, and routers using steps;
• identify client/server and socket endpoint roles;
• map common responsibilities to TCP/IP layers.