Top 25 Basic Networking Questions and Answers

Prepare for interviews with the Top 25 Basic Networking Questions and Answers, covering key concepts, protocols, and troubleshooting tips. Read now!

1. What is a network?

A network is a collection of interconnected devices that communicate with each other to share resources and data.

2. What is the difference between a hub, switch, and router?

– Hub: Broadcasts data to all devices in a network.
– Switch: Forwards data only to the intended recipient using MAC addresses.
– Router: Connects different networks and routes data between them.

3. What is an IP address?

An IP address is a unique identifier assigned to each device on a network to facilitate communication.

4. What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6?

– IPv4: 32-bit address, supports ~4.3 billion devices.
– IPv6: 128-bit address, supports a virtually unlimited number of devices.

5. What is a subnet mask?

A subnet mask is used to divide an IP address into network and host portions.

6. What is the default subnet mask for a Class C network?

255.255.255.0

7. What is a MAC address?

A MAC address is a unique physical address assigned to a network interface card (NIC) by the manufacturer.

8. What is the difference between TCP and UDP?

– TCP: Connection-oriented, reliable, used for applications like HTTP and FTP.
– UDP: Connectionless, faster but unreliable, used for applications like VoIP and DNS.

9. What is the purpose of a DNS server?

A DNS (Domain Name System) server translates domain names (e.g., google.com) into IP addresses.

10. What is DHCP, and why is it used?

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) assigns IP addresses automatically to devices in a network.

11. What are the different layers of the OSI model?

Physical
2. Data Link
3. Network
4. Transport
5. Session
6. Presentation
7. Application

12. Which layer of the OSI model does a router operate on?

Network Layer (Layer 3)

13. Which protocol is used for secure remote access?

SSH (Secure Shell)

14. What is NAT (Network Address Translation)?

NAT translates private IP addresses into public IP addresses for internet access.

15. What are private IP address ranges?

– Class A: 10.0.0.0 – 10.255.255.255
– Class B: 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
– Class C: 192.168.0.0 – 192.168.255.255

16. What is the difference between STP and RSTP?

– STP (Spanning Tree Protocol): Prevents loops in a network.
– RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol): Faster convergence than STP.

17. What is VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)?

VLAN is used to segment a network into multiple logical networks to improve security and performance.

18. What is the difference between a static and dynamic IP address?

– Static IP: Manually assigned, does not change.
– Dynamic IP: Assigned by DHCP, changes over time.

19. What is the purpose of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)?

ARP maps IP addresses to MAC addresses.

20. What is a default gateway?

A default gateway is the device (usually a router) that routes traffic from a local network to external networks.

21. What is BGP (Border Gateway Protocol)?

BGP is an exterior gateway protocol used to exchange routing information between autonomous systems on the internet.

22. What is MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching)?

MPLS is a technique used to speed up and control network traffic by using labels instead of traditional IP routing.

23. What is QoS (Quality of Service)?

QoS prioritizes network traffic to ensure better performance for critical applications.

24. What is HSRP (Hot Standby Router Protocol)?

HSRP is a Cisco proprietary protocol that provides redundancy for routers to ensure high availability.

25. What is an SIEM tool, and why is it used in networking security?

SIEM (Security Information and Event Management) tools collect and analyze security data from network devices to detect and respond to threats.

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Author:-

Dhammdip Sarkate

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