2. Communication
Networks (LAN/WAN, client–server, peer-to-peer, thin and thick clients), topologies, cloud computing, wired and wireless media, LAN hardware, Ethernet, bit streaming, the internet's infrastructure, IP addressing, URLs and DNS.
Statometer71CoreNext Paper 176%Everything for this topic — study hub
AS Level · 9618 · Paper 1
Statometer — what 33 real papers say about this topic and each of its 3 syllabus bullets
Core · #8 of 12 in AS Level · recomputed with every new session
A regular, well-paid topic — you cannot afford a gap here.
- Next Paper 1
- 76%
- 8 in 10 chance it is set
- Marks a paper
- 11.5 / 75
- 15% of Paper 1 · fair share 13%
- Appeared in
- 28 / 33
- Paper 1 sittings 2021–2026
- Last set
- May/Jun 2026
- 9618/11 · Q7 · 13 marks · 11-series streak
What the papers say
- Set in 28 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 8 papers in 10.
- Worth about 11.5 marks a paper (15% of Paper 1).
- Last set May/Jun 2026 · 9618/11 · Q7 for 13 marks — in the most recent series.
- Set in each of the last 11 series without a miss.
- Steady at around 11 marks a paper year on year.
- Lives on “Describe” and “Complete” — 87% of its questions: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
- 55% of its questions involve a diagram, table or figure — practise with pen and paper.
- Most of its marks (69%) come in extended questions of 12+ marks — plan the answer before writing.
- Its biggest question so far: 20 marks (May/Jun 2023 · 9618/11 · Q4).
- Inside the topic, §2.1 Networks carries the most marks (44%) and §2.1 The internet the least (19%).
- It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 85%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
- The examiner has commented on 22 of its questions — read “What the examiner said” before you practise.
Command words
Share of questions using the word (a question can use several). What each wants →
Question shapes
- ≤ 6 mk3
- 7–9 mk5
- 10–12 mk6
- 13–15 mk10
- 16+ mk7
Average 12.4 marks a question · 55% with a figure or table · 39% with code · biggest 20 marks
Assessment objectives — how it is examined
Every part of every current-syllabus question filed under Cambridge's AO1 / AO2 / AO3 (from its command word and what it asks you to do), so you know whether this topic pays for definitions, for applying, or for judging and building.
- AO1 Knowledge & understanding
- AO2 Apply & analyse
- AO3 Design, program & evaluate
Paper 1 as a whole
| Paper 1 | Syllabus | Measured |
|---|---|---|
| AO1 Knowledge & understanding | 60% | 68% |
| AO2 Apply & analyse | 40% | 32% |
| AO3 Design, program & evaluate | 0% | 0% |
Syllabus = Cambridge's grid; measured = the bank's current-syllabus papers.
Inside the topic — every syllabus bullet, measured
Each part of each question is filed under the bullet it examines; the numbers are per Paper 1 sitting, exactly like the topic's. Open a bullet for its own Statometer.
2.1Networks#9 of 25 on Paper 1Core · 6763% next paper4 marks24/33 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Core · 6763%
4 · 44% of topic24/33May/Jun 2026latest series · →A regular earner inside the topic — most papers touch it.Syllabus: networking devices; LAN vs WAN; client-server vs peer-to-peer; thin vs thick clients; bus, star, mesh and hybrid topologies; public and private cloud computing
- Next Paper 1
- 63%
- 6 in 10
- Marks a paper
- 4
- 5% of the paper · 44% of the topic
- Asked in
- 24 / 33
- Paper 1 sittings · 27 questions
- Last asked
- May/Jun 2026
- 9618/11 · Q7 · 6 marks · 11-series streak
- Asked in 24 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 7 papers in 10.
- About 4 marks a paper (5% of Paper 1; 44% of the topic's marks across its 3 bullets).
- Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/11 · Q7 (6 marks) — in the most recent series.
- Asked in each of the last 11 series.
- Usually “Describe” or “Complete”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
- Biggest chunk of marks so far: 12 in May/Jun 2025 · 9618/12 · Q6.
- It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 88%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings→ SteadyAssessment objectives
AO1 88%- AO1 Knowledge & understanding
- AO2 Apply & analyse
- AO3 Design, program & evaluate
- Describe78%
- Complete52%
- Explain48%
- State44%
2.1Media and LAN hardware#11 of 25 on Paper 1Core · 6365% next paper3.6 marks23/33 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Core · 6365%
3.6 · 37% of topic23/33May/Jun 2026latest series · →A regular earner inside the topic — most papers touch it.Syllabus: wired (copper, fibre) vs wireless (radio, microwave, satellite); switch, server, NIC/WNIC, WAP, bridge, repeater; the router; Ethernet and CSMA/CD; bit streaming
- Next Paper 1
- 65%
- 6 in 10
- Marks a paper
- 3.6
- 5% of the paper · 37% of the topic
- Asked in
- 23 / 33
- Paper 1 sittings · 24 questions
- Last asked
- May/Jun 2026
- 9618/11 · Q7 · 6 marks · 11-series streak
- Asked in 23 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 7 papers in 10.
- About 3.6 marks a paper (5% of Paper 1; 37% of the topic's marks across its 3 bullets).
- Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/11 · Q7 (6 marks) — in the most recent series.
- Asked in each of the last 11 series.
- Usually “Describe” or “Complete”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
- Biggest chunk of marks so far: 11 in May/Jun 2025 · 9618/11 · Q2.
- It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 82%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings→ SteadyAssessment objectives
AO1 82%AO2 18%- AO1 Knowledge & understanding
- AO2 Apply & analyse
- AO3 Design, program & evaluate
- Describe83%
- Complete58%
- Explain50%
- Identify46%
2.1The internet#19 of 25 on Paper 1Regular · 3852% next paper1.7 marks17/33 sittings→ May/Jun 2026Regular · 3852%
1.7 · 19% of topic17/33May/Jun 2026latest series · →Set most sessions for a few marks; know the definition and one example.Syllabus: WWW vs internet; modems, PSTN, dedicated lines and cell networks; IPv4/IPv6, subnetting, public/private and static/dynamic addresses; URLs and DNS
- Next Paper 1
- 52%
- 5 in 10
- Marks a paper
- 1.7
- 2% of the paper · 19% of the topic
- Asked in
- 17 / 33
- Paper 1 sittings · 17 questions
- Last asked
- May/Jun 2026
- 9618/11 · Q7 · 1 marks · 8-series streak
- Asked in 17 of 33 Paper 1 sittings — about 5 papers in 10.
- About 1.7 marks a paper (2% of Paper 1; 19% of the topic's marks across its 3 bullets).
- Last asked May/Jun 2026 · 9618/11 · Q7 (1 marks) — in the most recent series.
- Asked in each of the last 8 series.
- Usually “Describe” or “Complete”: full sentences with a reason, not one-word answers.
- Biggest chunk of marks so far: 8 in Oct/Nov 2025 · 9618/11 · Q7.
- It is examined almost entirely as AO1 (Knowledge & understanding, 90%) — definitions and descriptions in syllabus words score.
Last 12 sittings→ SteadyAssessment objectives
AO1 90%- AO1 Knowledge & understanding
- AO2 Apply & analyse
- AO3 Design, program & evaluate
- Describe71%
- Complete65%
- Explain65%
- Identify47%
18% of the topic's marks sit in question parts that belong to another topic (scenario questions cross sections) or that no bullet claims; they count for the topic, not for a bullet.
Marks a paper, year by year
By exam series
- May/Jun15/18 · 13.1 mk
- Oct/Nov13/15 · 9.9 mk
What you need to know3syllabus §2.1
- 2.1Networks — networking devices; LAN vs WAN; client-server vs peer-to-peer; thin vs thick clients; bus, star, mesh and hybrid topologies; public and private cloud computing
- 2.1Media and LAN hardware — wired (copper, fibre) vs wireless (radio, microwave, satellite); switch, server, NIC/WNIC, WAP, bridge, repeater; the router; Ethernet and CSMA/CD; bit streaming
- 2.1The internet — WWW vs internet; modems, PSTN, dedicated lines and cell networks; IPv4/IPv6, subnetting, public/private and static/dynamic addresses; URLs and DNS
Video lectures12ZAK's YouTube channel · play here
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Infographics2draw these the way the examiner expects · download as PNG
Network topologies
IP addressing, subnets & DNS
Key terms16use these exact words in the exam
Dotted terms are defined in the glossary.
Code help1referenced to the Cambridge pseudocode guide
DECLARE IP, Part : STRINGDECLARE i, Dots, Val : INTEGERDECLARE OK : BOOLEANIP ← "192.168.1.254"OK ← TRUEDots ← 0Part ← ""FOR i ← 1 TO LENGTH(IP) + 1IF i > LENGTH(IP) OR MID(IP, i, 1) = "." THENVal ← STR_TO_NUM(Part)IF Val < 0 OR Val > 255 THENOK ← FALSEENDIFPart ← ""Dots ← Dots + 1ELSEPart ← Part & MID(IP, i, 1)ENDIFNEXT iOUTPUT IP, " valid: ", OK AND Dots = 4
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