This paper introduces a new delay system approach to network-based control. The approach is based on a recently proposed time-delay model that includes multiple successive delay components in the state. The authors present new stability and $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ performance results for systems with two successive delay components, using a new Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and novel techniques for time-delay systems. An illustrative example demonstrates the advantages of these results. The second part of the paper applies the new model to network-based control, modeling a sampled-data networked control system with network-induced delays, data packet dropouts, and measurement quantization as a nonlinear time-delay system with two successive delay components. The $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ performance condition is used to investigate the problem of network-based $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ control, and illustrative examples show the advantage and applicability of the developed results for network-based controller design.This paper introduces a new delay system approach to network-based control. The approach is based on a recently proposed time-delay model that includes multiple successive delay components in the state. The authors present new stability and $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ performance results for systems with two successive delay components, using a new Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and novel techniques for time-delay systems. An illustrative example demonstrates the advantages of these results. The second part of the paper applies the new model to network-based control, modeling a sampled-data networked control system with network-induced delays, data packet dropouts, and measurement quantization as a nonlinear time-delay system with two successive delay components. The $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ performance condition is used to investigate the problem of network-based $\mathcal{H}_\infty$ control, and illustrative examples show the advantage and applicability of the developed results for network-based controller design.