AQA 8525 3.5: Fundamentals of computer networks
The free BugBot lessons that teach this point, a robot to try it on, and the past-paper questions that test it.
What it covers
A network is two or more devices connected so they can share data. Your school's computers are a network, your phone joins one every time it connects to Wi-Fi, and the robots on the BugBot mat are a network too: every message one robot sends, the others receive. This module is about how networks work, from a single room to the whole internet.
- Why connect computers?
- LAN, WAN and PAN
- Client-server and peer-to-peer
- Who is on the network?
Or do it in the simulator, with tasks that mark themselves
Lessons that teach it
- F10.1 What is a network? Networks
Why networks, LAN, WAN and PAN, client-server and peer-to-peer. - F10.2 Network hardware and connections Networks
NICs, switches, routers and access points; copper, fibre and wireless; Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Bluetooth. - F10.5 Addresses and packets Networks
MAC and IP addresses, IPv4 and IPv6, and packet switching. - F10.7 Protocols Networks
Standards, and TCP, UDP, IP, HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, SMTP, POP and IMAP. - F10.8 Layers Networks
The four-layer TCP/IP model, encapsulation, and why layers are used. - F10.9 Project: reliable delivery Networks
Deliver a report over a lossy radio with packets, acknowledgements and resending.
Try it on a robot
The task from F10.1 What is a network?, running here. Change the program and press Run.
The specification is AQA's own document; this page says which of our lessons teach point 3.5 and is not endorsed by the board.