How do wired and wireless connections compare, and what does each piece of network hardware do?
Wired and wireless connections and their advantages and disadvantages, and the purpose of common network hardware: the network interface card (NIC), switch, router and wireless access point.
An Eduqas GCSE Computer Science answer comparing wired and wireless connections and describing the purpose of common network hardware: the NIC, switch, router and wireless access point.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to compare wired and wireless connections (their advantages and disadvantages) and to state the purpose of the common pieces of network hardware: the network interface card (NIC), switch, router and wireless access point. The wired-versus-wireless trade-off and the switch-versus-router distinction are the marks.
Wired versus wireless
Network hardware
Try this
Q1. Give one advantage of a wired connection over a wireless one. [1 mark]
- Cue. Faster or more stable bandwidth (or more secure, or less interference).
Q2. State the purpose of a switch. [1 mark]
- Cue. It connects devices on a LAN and forwards each frame to the intended device using its MAC address.
Q3. State what a router does. [1 mark]
- Cue. It connects different networks and forwards packets between them using IP addresses (for example linking a LAN to the internet).
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas Component 1, 20224 marksCompare wired and wireless network connections, giving two advantages of wired connections.Show worked answer →
Wired advantages (1 mark each, up to two): typically faster and more stable bandwidth; less interference; more secure because physical access to the cable is needed; reliable connection that does not drop.
To compare (for full marks), note the trade-off: wireless allows mobility and needs no cabling, so devices can move and be added easily, but it has lower or more variable bandwidth, is more prone to interference, and is more open to eavesdropping (so encryption is essential).
Markers reward two clear wired advantages and a sense of the wireless trade-off, not just one side.
Eduqas Component 1, 20234 marksState the purpose of a network interface card (NIC), a switch and a router.Show worked answer →
NIC (1 mark): hardware inside a device that connects it to a network (wired or wireless) and gives it a unique MAC address.
Switch (1 mark): connects devices together on a LAN and uses MAC addresses to forward each frame only to the port of the intended device, reducing unnecessary traffic.
Router (up to 2 marks): connects different networks together and forwards data packets between them using IP addresses; it is what connects a home or office LAN to the internet.
Markers reward "forwards by MAC address" for the switch and "connects networks / forwards by IP address" for the router. Mixing up the switch and router is the common error.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC Eduqas GCSE Computer Science specification (from 2016) — Eduqas (2020)