Exam Tips - Network Protocols

Exam Tips - Network Protocols

Most common exam questions:

• "What is HTTP?" → Protocol for transferring web pages over the Internet
• "Difference HTTP vs HTTPS?" → HTTPS is encrypted/secure (SSL/TLS). HTTP is plain text/insecure.
• "Why use HTTPS for banking?" → Encrypts data (credit cards, passwords) so can't be read if intercepted
• "What is FTP?" → Protocol for transferring files between computers
• "What is SMTP?" → Protocol for SENDING emails (not receiving)
• "SMTP vs POP3/IMAP?" → SMTP sends emails. POP3/IMAP receive emails.
• "Default HTTP port?" → Port 80
• "Default HTTPS port?" → Port 443

Key facts to memorize:

Protocol	Purpose	Secure?
HTTP	Web pages	NO
HTTPS	Web pages (encrypted)	YES (SSL/TLS)
FTP	File transfers	NO (use SFTP)
SMTP	Send emails	Can encrypt (TLS)

Common mistakes to avoid:

• Confusing SMTP (sending) with POP3/IMAP (receiving) - they're different!
• Saying "HTTP is for websites, HTTPS is for emails" - NO! Both are for web, HTTPS just adds encryption
• Forgetting WHY HTTPS is important (encryption prevents interception)
• Not knowing port numbers (HTTP=80, HTTPS=443)
• Thinking FTP is still widely used - it's being replaced by SFTP/HTTPS

Perfect exam answer structure:

"Explain why HTTPS should be used for online banking" (3 marks):

HTTPS encrypts data transmitted between browser and server (1 mark).
Protects sensitive information like credit card numbers and passwords (1 mark).
Even if intercepted, data cannot be read without decryption key (1 mark).