How do wired and wireless connections compare, and how is data sent over them?
Wired (Ethernet) versus wireless (Wi-Fi) connections and their relative advantages and disadvantages, and the role of encryption in wireless networks.
An OCR J277 1.3.2 answer on wired (Ethernet) versus wireless (Wi-Fi) connections, their relative advantages and disadvantages, and the role of encryption in keeping wireless networks secure.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR wants you to compare wired (Ethernet) and wireless (Wi-Fi) connections, weighing speed, reliability, security and convenience, and to explain why encryption is needed on a wireless network. The comparison must be explicit (wired does X whereas wireless does Y), and the encryption answer must say why radio signals are vulnerable.
Wired versus wireless
When to choose each
Encryption on wireless networks
This is why home Wi-Fi asks for a password: the password sets up the encryption key so that data between your devices and the access point is scrambled, and outsiders who pick up the radio signal cannot make sense of it.
Try this
Q1. Give two advantages of a wired connection over a wireless connection. [2 marks]
- Cue. Any two of: faster, more reliable/stable, more secure (needs physical access), less affected by interference.
Q2. State one advantage of a wireless connection over a wired connection. [1 mark]
- Cue. Convenience and mobility: devices can move around and connect without cabling.
Q3. Explain why encryption is used on a wireless network. [1 mark]
- Cue. Radio signals can be intercepted by anyone in range, so encryption scrambles the data so only devices with the correct key can read it.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR 20214 marksCompare a wired (Ethernet) connection with a wireless (Wi-Fi) connection, giving two advantages of using wired over wireless.Show worked answer →
Wired (Ethernet) advantages over wireless (award up to two): typically faster and more consistent data transfer speeds; a more reliable, stable connection that is less affected by interference, walls or distance; and it is more secure because an attacker needs physical access to the cable rather than just being in range of a radio signal.
The comparison should be explicit: wired is faster, more reliable and more secure, whereas wireless is more convenient and supports mobile devices without cabling but is slower, more prone to interference and easier to intercept.
Markers reward two clear advantages of wired stated as comparisons (for example "wired is faster than wireless because ..."). Listing facts about only one type limits the marks.
OCR 20223 marksExplain why encryption is used on a wireless network.Show worked answer →
Wireless data is sent as radio signals that anyone within range can receive, so without protection an attacker could intercept and read the data (such as passwords or personal information).
Encryption scrambles the data using a key so that even if it is intercepted it appears as meaningless ciphertext and cannot be understood without the key. Only devices with the correct key (set up when joining the network) can decrypt and read it.
This keeps the data confidential as it travels over the air. Markers reward "radio signals can be intercepted", "encryption scrambles the data so it cannot be read without the key", and the idea that only authorised devices can decrypt it.
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Sources & how we know this
- OCR GCSE (9-1) Computer Science (J277) specification — OCR (2020)