Cambridge (CIE) O Level Your notes
Computer Science
Types & Methods of Data Transmission
Contents
Data Packets
Packet Switching
Data Transmission
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
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Data Packets
Your notes
Data Packets
What are packets?
Packets are small 'chunks' of data that make up a larger piece of data that has been
broken down by the TCP protocol so that it can be transmitted over the internet
TCP stands for Transmission Control Protocol and is used for organising data
transmission over networks
Small 'chunks' of data are easier and quicker to route over the internet than big 'chunks'
of data
Routing involves finding the most optimal path over a network
Data can include anything from text, images, audio, video, animations, etc, or any
combination of these
What do packets contain?
A packet consists of:
Header Payload Trailer
Source IP address Actual data being transported Additional security information
(less common)
Destination IP address End of packet notification
Packet number
(1 of 5 etc.)
To transmit the message “This is a message :)”over the internet, TCP might break the
message down into 4 packets
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Your notes
Each packet contains a:
source IP address
destination IP address
payload (the data)
a packet number
Error checks make sure that when a packet is received there is minimal or no corruption
of the data
Corruption is where packet data is changed or lost in some way, or data is gained that
originally was not in the packet
Read error detection methods for more detail on how data packets can be checked to
ensure corruption is avoided/minimised
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Packet Switching
Your notes
Packet Switching
What is packet switching?
Packet switching is a method of sending and receiving data (packets) across a network
Packet switching can be broken down into five stages:
Stage Overview Detail
1 Data is broken down into Learn more by reading our data packets revision
packets note
2 Packets are assigned a
header
3 Each packet makes its Like normal car traffic, data traffic builds up on
way to the destination the internet
Routers can see this and decide to send a packet
down a different route that avoids traffic
4 Routers control the Routers know which nearby router is closer to the
routes taken for each destination device
packet
5 Packets arrive and are If a packet does not reach its destination the
reordered correctly receiver can send a resend request to the sender
to resend the packet
What are the advantages of packet switching?
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Interference and corruption are minimal as individual packets can be resent if they are
lost or damaged
Your notes
The whole file doesn’t need to be resent if a corruption occurs, this saves time and
internet bandwidth
Packet switching is quicker than sending a large packet as each packet finds the
quickest way around the network
It's harder to hack an individual's data as each packet contains minimal data, and travels
through the network separately
Worked Example
A local market shop wishes to arrange a delivery of goods from a supplier. Anna, the
shop owner, decides to send an email to request the delivery of the goods at a certain
date and time.
Describe how packet switching is used to send this email and how it can be protected
from corruption.
[8]
Answer
The business email is first broken down into packets which are given a source
address (where it's come from) and a destination address (where it's going to) [1]
Each packet receives a packet number so that the email can be reassembled
when it reaches its destination [1]
Each packet also receives an error check such as a parity bit. A parity bit checks
whether any bits have been flipped due to corruption [1]
Each packet is sent over the internet via routers. Routers contain routing tables
that determine the next closest router to the destination [1]
Packets may take different routes depending on internet traffic and arrive at their
destination in any order [1]
Packets are checked for errors using the error checks and missing packets can
be requested to be resent [1]
Once all packets have been received then they can be put together in order using
the packet numbers [1]
Once assembled the original email can be read by the other business [1]
Examiner Tips and Tricks
For high marks make sure your answer is coherent, that is it follows logically from one
point to the next.
Some marks depend on previous points you have made.
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Explaining parity bits without mentioning error checking first may not gain you
additional marks
Your notes
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Data Transmission
Your notes
What is data transmission?
Data transmission is the process of transferring data from one device to another using
a wired or wireless connection
Wired data transmission can be completed in two ways:
Serial
Parallel
Serial & Parallel Transmission
What is serial & parallel transmission?
Serial and parallel are methods of transmitting data (bits) from a sender to a receiver
Each method determines how many bits can be transmitted at once
Serial transmission
A stream of bits is sent in sequence, one after the other, along a single wire
USB is an example of a wired serial connection
Parallel transmission
Multiple bits are sent simultaneously, with each bit travelling on its own separate wire
Parallel transmission is usually synchronous, using a clock signal to keep data aligned
However, bits can arrive at slightly different times due to skew (timing differences
between wires)
A traditional printer cable is an example of a wired parallel connection
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Advantages and disadvantages of serial & parallel
transmission Your notes
Transmission Advantages Disadvantages
Serial Reliable over longer distance Slow transmission speed
Cheaper to setup
Low interference
Parallel Very fast transmission speed Only used on short distances
Prone to high interference
Simplex, Half-Duplex & Full-Duplex
Transmission
What is simplex, half-duplex & full-duplex
transmission?
Simplex, half-duplex and full-duplex describe the direction in which data can be
transmitted between a sender and receiver
Simplex transmission
Data travels in only one direction
Sending data from a computer to a monitor is an example of simplex transmission
Half-duplex transmission
Data can travel in both directions, but only one direction at a time
A printer cable which waits for the data to be received before sending back a ‘low ink’
message is an example of half-duplex transmission
Full-duplex transmission
Data can travel in both directions at the same time
Network cables can send and receive data at the same time and are examples of full-
duplex data transmission
Full-duplex is used in local and wide area networks
Advantages and disadvantages of simplex, half-
duplex & full-duplex transmission
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Transmission Advantages Disadvantages
Your notes
Simplex Simple and low-cost for one-way Cannot support two-way
communication communication
Half-duplex Cheaper than full-duplex for two- Slower due to one-
way communication direction-at-a-time
Full-duplex Fast, supports simultaneous two- More expensive to
way data transfer implement
Wires can be combinations of serial, parallel, simplex, half-duplex and full-duplex
Simplex Half-duplex Full-duplex
Serial Serial-Simplex Serial-Half-duplex Serial-Full-duplex
Parallel Parallel-Simplex Parallel-Half-duplex Parallel-Full-duplex
Serial-Simplex
Data is transmitted one bit at a time in one direction only on a single wire
Serial-Half-duplex
Data is transmitted one bit at a time, and can flow in both directions, but not at the
same time
This typically uses a single shared wire.
Serial-Full-duplex
Data is transmitted one bit at a time in both directions simultaneously, but this
requires two wires, one for each direction.
Parallel-Simplex
Multiple bits are transmitted simultaneously in one direction only, using multiple
wires
Parallel-Half-duplex
Multiple wires send multiple bits of data in both directions, but only one direction
at a time
Parallel-Full-duplex
Multiple wires send multiple bits of data in both directions simultaneously
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Worked Example
A company has a website that is stored on a web server Your notes
The company uses parallel half-duplex data transmission to transmit the data for the
new videos to the web server.
Explain why parallel half-duplex data transmission is the most appropriate method.
[6]
Answer
Parallel would allow for the fastest transmission [1]
as large amounts of data [1]
can be uploaded and downloaded [1]
but this does not have to be at the same time [1]
Data is not required to travel a long distance [1]
Therefore, skewing is not a problem [1]
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Any four of these points qualifies as a full answer, however make sure your answer is
cohesive.
Saying “Parallel would allow for the fastest transmission but this does not have to be
at the same time” would qualify as one mark as only the first part makes sense and
follows logically
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Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Your notes
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
What is USB?
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a widely used standard for transmitting data between
devices
It is a serial communication method, and it operates asynchronously
Many devices use USB such as:
Keyboards
Mice
Video cameras
Printers
Portable media players
Mobile phone
Disk drives
Network adapters
Different USB connector types exist for different devices
The letters refer to the physical shape and design of the USB connector:
USB-A - Commonly used for flash drives, mice, keyboards, external HDD
USB-B - Found in printers, scanners, and older external storage devices
USB-C - Latest standard, known for it's small size, transfer speeds, and it's ability
to carry power
The term USB can also be followed by numbers (USB 2.0, 3.0, 4 etc.)
The numbers refer to the generation of USB technology, which determines the speed
and performance:
USB 1.1 - 12 Mbps (very slow)
USB 2.0 - 480 Mbps (very common but slower compared to modern versions)
USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 - 5 Gbps to 20 Gbps (much faster, used for external HDDs and
gaming devices)
USB4/ USB4 2.0 - Up to 80 Gbps (the latest and fastest, used for high speed data
transfer)
When a device is connected to a USB port the computer:
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Automatically detects that the device has been connected
Looks for the correct driver: Your notes
If the driver is already installed, the appropriate device driver is loaded so that
the device can communicate with the computer
If the device is new, the computer will look for a compatible device driver
If one cannot be found, the user must download and install an appropriate
driver manually
Advantages and disadvantages of USB
Advantages Disadvantages
Devices are automatically detected and drivers The maximum cable length is roughly
are automatically loaded for communication 5 metres meaning it cannot be used
over long distances, limiting its use
Cable connectors fit in only one way. Older versions of USB have limited
transmission rates for example USB
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This prevents incorrect connections and ensures 2.0 has 480Mbps
compatible data transmission
Your notes
As USB usage is standardised, there is a lot of Very old USB standards may not be
support available online and from retailers supported in the near future (USB 1.1,
USB 2.0, etc)
Several different data transmission rates are
supported. The newest transmission rate as of
2022 is USB4 2.0 with 80 Gbps (81,920 Mbps,
170x faster than USB 2.0)
Newer USB standards are backwards
compatible with older USB standards
Worked Example
Julia uses a USB connection to transfer data onto her USB flash memory drive.
One benefit of using a USB connection is that it is a universal connection.
(i) State two other benefits of using a USB connection.
[2]
(ii) Identify the type of data transmission used in a USB connection.
[1]
Answers
(i) Any two of:
It cannot be inserted incorrectly [1]
Supports different transmission speeds [1]
High speed transmission [1]
Automatically detected [1]
Powers the device for data transfer [1]
(ii)
Serial [1]
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