CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) Exam Questions
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Comprehensive list of Free CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) exam questions curated for cracking the exam with confidence.
Disclaimer: CompTIA Network+ is a protected Brand. These exam questions are neither endorsed by nor affiliated with CompTIA. These are not the official CompTIA exam questions/dumps. These questions are created from free, official and public resources such as the CompTIA Network+ exam page, IETF RFCs and IEEE standards. These questions cover all the domains of the N10-009 official exam and once you go through these questions and their concepts, you are more than ready to crack the exam in first attempt.
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Overview
- This is a vendor-neutral networking certification that validates the skills to design, implement, manage and troubleshoot wired and wireless networks, ideal for roles such as network administrator, network support technician or NOC technician.
- Requires 4 to 8 weeks of preparation depending upon your familiarity with networking concepts, especially subnetting and ports.
- Current exam code is N10-009 (launched June 20, 2024; retirement expected in 2027).
- You need to solve a maximum of 90 questions, a mix of multiple-choice and performance-based questions (PBQs), in 90 minutes of testing time.
- Passing score is 720 (on a scale of 100-900). There is no penalty for guessing, so answer every question!
- There are no formal prerequisites, though CompTIA recommends CompTIA A+ plus 9 to 12 months of hands-on experience as a junior network administrator or network support technician.
- The certification is valid for 3 years and can be renewed through CompTIA’s Continuing Education (CE) program.
- Official exam page for more details.
474 Practice Questions
| # | Domain | Weight | Questions below |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Networking Concepts | 23% | 114 |
| 2 | Network Implementation | 20% | 92 |
| 3 | Network Operations | 19% | 91 |
| 4 | Network Security | 14% | 66 |
| 5 | Network Troubleshooting | 24% | 111 |
Domain 1: Networking Concepts (23%)
Which of these network devices works at Layer 2 of the OSI model?
⬜ Repeater
⬜ Switch
⬜ Firewall
⬜ Router
Which connector is used at each end of a Cat 5e cable?
⬜ RJ-11
⬜ RJ-45
⬜ F-type
⬜ DB-25
A new web application must connect to a Microsoft SQL Server database. Which port has to be allowed through the firewall between them?
⬜ 3389
⬜ 3306
⬜ 1433
⬜ 1521
You have just installed a web application that has to reach a MySQL database server. Which port must the firewall allow?
⬜ 3306
⬜ 1433
⬜ 1521
⬜ 3389
Your web application needs to connect to an Oracle database through SQL*Net. Which port should the firewall allow?
⬜ 3306
⬜ 1521
⬜ 3389
⬜ 1433
What is the broadcast address of the subnet that contains host 205.12.35.26/27?
⬜ 205.12.35.31
⬜ 205.12.35.63
⬜ 205.12.35.64
⬜ 205.12.35.32
What is the broadcast address for the host 189.76.60.164/26?
⬜ 189.76.60.129
⬜ 189.76.60.191
⬜ 189.76.60.128
⬜ 189.76.60.192
What is the network ID of the subnet that contains host 189.76.60.164/26?
⬜ 189.76.60.64
⬜ 189.76.60.192
⬜ 189.76.60.0
⬜ 189.76.60.128
What is the broadcast address of the host 192.168.0.123/29?
⬜ 192.168.0.127
⬜ 192.168.0.255
⬜ 192.168.0.63
⬜ 192.168.0.191
What is the network ID of the subnet that holds host 201.58.12.245/28?
⬜ 201.58.12.240
⬜ 201.58.12.224
⬜ 201.58.12.248
⬜ 201.58.12.232
What is the broadcast address of host 201.58.12.245/28?
⬜ 201.58.12.241
⬜ 201.58.12.255
⬜ 201.58.12.240
⬜ 201.58.12.254
What is the network ID of host 172.16.200.130/26?
⬜ 172.16.200.0
⬜ 172.16.200.127
⬜ 172.16.200.129
⬜ 172.16.200.128
A point-to-point link between two routers uses 77.81.12.14/30. What is its broadcast address?
⬜ 77.81.12.15
⬜ 77.81.12.14
⬜ 77.81.12.12
⬜ 77.81.12.13
A company wants a SaaS application but must make sure its sensitive data can’t be reached by the provider’s other customers. Which cloud deployment model should it buy?
⬜ Community cloud
⬜ Hybrid cloud
⬜ Private cloud
⬜ Public cloud
You are testing a newly installed NIC and want to ping its loopback address. Which IPv4 address do you ping?
⬜ 127.0.0.1
⬜ 192.168.1.1
⬜ 172.16.1.1
⬜ 10.0.0.1
What type of IPv6 address is ::1?
⬜ Public
⬜ Broadcast
⬜ Loopback
⬜ Multicast
New Cat 5e cabling will run above a drop ceiling full of fluorescent lights, with no cable trays. Which type of Cat 5e cable should you use?
⬜ UTP
⬜ Coaxial
⬜ Fiber
⬜ STP
Which of these layers is NOT part of the three-tier data center network architecture?
⬜ Control layer
⬜ Access/edge layer
⬜ Core layer
⬜ Distribution/aggregation layer
In the three-tier hierarchical model, which tier sits between the other two and connects the access layer devices to each other and to the core?
⬜ Core
⬜ Distribution
⬜ Aggregation
⬜ Access
Which ports does SIP use?
⬜ 5060/5061
⬜ 139/445
⬜ 389/636
⬜ 80/443
Which TCP flag asks for a connection between two hosts to be closed gracefully?
⬜ SYN
⬜ RST
⬜ FIN
⬜ ACK
Which device actively stops outside attackers from reaching the internal network?
⬜ IDS
⬜ Syslog server
⬜ IPS
⬜ Proxy server
Which device uses signatures to detect and alert on network threats but can’t respond to them automatically?
⬜ Honeypot
⬜ IDS
⬜ IPS
⬜ Firewall
How many broadcast domains does a single 24-port unmanaged switch have?
⬜ 1
⬜ 0
⬜ 2
⬜ 24
Which port is commonly used by email clients to download messages from a mail server?
⬜ Port 25
⬜ Port 443
⬜ Port 80
⬜ Port 110
Which Wi-Fi security protocol adds protection against offline dictionary attacks and stronger encryption than its predecessor?
⬜ WEP
⬜ WPA-Enterprise
⬜ WPA2
⬜ WPA3
What is the main advantage of dynamic inventories in network automation?
⬜ Dynamic inventories provide enhanced security and prevent unauthorized access
⬜ Dynamic inventories improve network performance and reduce latency
⬜ Dynamic inventories enable seamless scalability and support rapid network expansion
⬜ Dynamic inventories simplify network management and reduce manual effort
Which statement about playbooks and templates in network automation is true?
⬜ Playbooks are used for documenting network designs, while templates are used for automating network configurations.
⬜ Playbooks and templates are interchangeable terms for the same thing.
⬜ Playbooks and templates serve different purposes, but both are used to automate network configurations.
⬜ Playbooks automate network configurations, while templates document network designs.
Which topology connects every device directly to every other device for maximum redundancy?
⬜ Ring
⬜ Star
⬜ Mesh
⬜ Bus
You need a topology with redundancy over at least two cables that uses a token to prevent congestion. Which topology fits best?
⬜ Bus
⬜ Star
⬜ Mesh
⬜ Ring
Which topology is best for a direct, dedicated connection between two remote sites?
⬜ Bus
⬜ Hybrid
⬜ Hub and Spoke
⬜ Point-to-Point
A company routes all data center traffic from Asia, Europe and Africa through Istanbul, and all traffic from the Americas through Mexico City. Which topology is this?
⬜ Spine and leaf
⬜ Hub and spoke
⬜ Ring
⬜ Bus
Which technology lets IPv6-only clients reach IPv4 servers?
⬜ ICMPv6
⬜ NAT64
⬜ DHCPv6
⬜ OSPFv3
Which approach runs IPv4 and IPv6 side by side on the same devices to ease the move to IPv6?
⬜ Dual Stack
⬜ Tunneling
⬜ NAT Traversal
⬜ Stateless Address Autoconfiguration
Which cloud connectivity option gives a dedicated, private connection between the company data center and the cloud provider?
⬜ Internet VPN
⬜ Public Internet Access
⬜ Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN)
⬜ Direct Connect
Which Ethernet standard reaches 10 Gbps over existing Cat 6a cabling?
⬜ 10GBaseFX
⬜ 10GBaseT
⬜ 10GBaseSR
⬜ 10GBaseSW
Which port is used for secure remote command-line sessions over the internet?
⬜ 22
⬜ 23
⬜ 80
⬜ 25
Which remote access tool is an unencrypted command-line terminal emulator on port 23?
⬜ VNC
⬜ Telnet
⬜ SSH
⬜ RDP
A department subnet needs 32 devices. What CIDR notation should it use?
⬜ /30
⬜ /26
⬜ /27
⬜ /25
⬜ /28
⬜ /29
What is the most efficient CIDR notation for a subnet with 11 devices?
⬜ /26
⬜ /29
⬜ /30
⬜ /28
⬜ /27
⬜ /25
A company owns 187.15.3.0/24 and needs a small screened subnet for 5 lab servers. Which CIDR notation fits them with the fewest addresses?
⬜ /27
⬜ /28
⬜ /29
⬜ /30
Which CIDR notation fits 23 devices with the fewest unused addresses?
⬜ /28
⬜ /29
⬜ /26
⬜ /27
A company with 187.15.3.0/24 adds a point-to-point T1 leased line and needs an IP address on each end. Which CIDR notation uses the fewest addresses?
⬜ /27
⬜ /29
⬜ /28
⬜ /30
An administrator must split 192.168.0.0/24 into four equal subnets. Which subnet mask should be used?
⬜ 255.255.255.240
⬜ 255.255.255.192
⬜ 255.255.255.128
⬜ 255.255.255.224
Which protocol was most likely used when an email password was captured with a network sniffer?
⬜ HTTP
⬜ SSL
⬜ DNS
⬜ TFTP
In software-defined networking, which layer decides how a packet is routed through the network?
⬜ Infrastructure layer
⬜ Management plane
⬜ Control layer
⬜ Application layer
In software-defined networking, which layer sends requests for resources and information about the network?
⬜ Infrastructure layer
⬜ Management plane
⬜ Application layer
⬜ Control layer
Which SDN layer lets administrators oversee operations, monitor traffic conditions and see network status?
⬜ Management plane
⬜ Control layer
⬜ Application layer
⬜ Infrastructure layer
Fifteen local banks formed a company that runs a secure cloud environment only they can use. Which cloud model is this?
⬜ Public cloud
⬜ Community cloud
⬜ Hybrid cloud
⬜ Private cloud
Which port does SMTP use for mail submission secured with STARTTLS?
⬜ 25
⬜ 587
⬜ 993
⬜ 995
A small office has three 8-port switches chained together and connected to a router’s FastEthernet0/0, and a 4-port hub with three PCs connected to the router’s FastEthernet0/1. How many broadcast domains are there?
⬜ 16
⬜ 5
⬜ 1
⬜ 2
⬜ 28
Which network device separates broadcast domains?
⬜ Router
⬜ Bridge
⬜ Switch
⬜ Hub
Apart from a router, which of these devices can also separate broadcast domains?
⬜ Media converter
⬜ Hub
⬜ Bridge
⬜ Multilayer switch
Which network device separates collision domains?
⬜ Bridge
⬜ Hub
⬜ Access point
⬜ Media converter
Which form factor is usually associated with a single-channel data link in networking equipment?
⬜ QSFP+
⬜ SFP
⬜ M.2
⬜ USB
Which fiber type is most commonly used for short runs inside a local network?
⬜ Multi Mode
⬜ Twisted Pair
⬜ Single Mode
⬜ Coaxial
A network administrator connects two buildings with fiber for high-speed links. Which type is best for the long distance between them?
⬜ Single-mode fiber
⬜ Direct attach copper (DAC) cable
⬜ Multimode fiber
⬜ Coaxial cable
What is configuration drift?
⬜ The process of intentionally modifying network configurations to improve performance.
⬜ The practice of regularly backing up network configurations to prevent data loss.
⬜ The automatic synchronization of network configurations across all devices.
⬜ The gradual misalignment of network device configurations from their intended state.
Which cloud characteristic lets many customers share the same physical resources while staying isolated from each other?
⬜ Scalability
⬜ Multi-tenancy
⬜ Elasticity
⬜ Redundancy
Which cloud characteristic raises a security concern because many customers share the same physical hardware?
⬜ Resource Pooling
⬜ Rapid elasticity
⬜ Metered services
⬜ On-Demand
Which cloud characteristic lets you add storage and other resources as fast as possible?
⬜ Metered services
⬜ Resource pooling
⬜ Rapid elasticity
⬜ Measured services
Which scenario is the best fit for SD-WAN?
⬜ A home network with a few devices and light internet use.
⬜ A small office/home office at a single location.
⬜ A multinational corporation with branch offices worldwide that needs central network management.
⬜ A local café offering free Wi-Fi to customers.
Which parameter must be changed to allow jumbo frames on a network device?
⬜ MTU
⬜ Speed
⬜ Duplex
⬜ TTL
Which ports do FTP and SFTP use?
⬜ 21, 23
⬜ 20, 21
⬜ 21, 22
⬜ 22, 23
A CEO is reluctant to move all company data, including sensitive data, to a SaaS solution. What is the most likely reason?
⬜ Migrating to SaaS will expose the data to more malware and hackers
⬜ The company will lose full control over its data and resources
⬜ The SaaS solution is incompatible with the current browser
⬜ Migrating the data will decrease internal network performance
A technician punched down only the middle two pins (4 and 5) of a patch panel port. What is the port wired for?
⬜ 568A
⬜ 10BaseT
⬜ POTS
⬜ 568B
Which method lets an IPv6 host build its own interface ID from its MAC address?
⬜ EUI-64
⬜ EBCDIC
⬜ EIA-568B
⬜ APIPA
Which ports do HTTPS and RDP use?
⬜ 443, 161
⬜ 443, 3389
⬜ 443, 25
⬜ 443, 445
Which ports do SMTP and SNMP use?
⬜ 23, 25
⬜ 25, 161
⬜ 445, 3389
⬜ 161, 443
A ransomware strain exploits the Windows SMB protocol. Until a patch arrives, which port should you block at the firewall?
⬜ 514
⬜ 123
⬜ 143
⬜ 445
A new smart TV shows the IP address 169.254.0.24. What kind of address has it been given?
⬜ Public
⬜ APIPA
⬜ Link-local
⬜ Private
Which communication type sends a request from one host directly to one server?
⬜ Anycast
⬜ Unicast
⬜ Multicast
⬜ Broadcast
In IPv6, which communication type sends a packet to the nearest of several interfaces that share the same address?
⬜ Anycast
⬜ Unicast
⬜ Multicast
⬜ Broadcast
Every workstation can ping a LAN media server and the firewalls are off, yet the server won’t stream to the workstations that subscribed to it. Which TCP/IP feature is most likely misconfigured?
⬜ Unicast
⬜ Anycast
⬜ Broadcast
⬜ Multicast
You must connect a newly installed RG-6 cable to the existing single-mode fiber plant. Which media converter do you need?
⬜ Ethernet to fiber
⬜ Coaxial to fiber
⬜ Multimode to single-mode
⬜ Coaxial to ethernet
You must connect newly installed single-mode fiber to the existing Cat 6a cabling. Which media converter do you need?
⬜ Coaxial to ethernet
⬜ Fiber to coaxial
⬜ Fiber to ethernet
⬜ Coaxial to fiber
Which device receives a signal on one port and retransmits it on another to extend the reach of a network?
⬜ Media converter
⬜ Repeater
⬜ Access point
⬜ IDS
A video conferencing application sends data to many recipients at once. Which IPv4 address class is reserved for this multicast traffic?
⬜ Class B
⬜ Class C
⬜ Class D
⬜ Class A
Which use case makes the best use of VXLAN between distant data centers?
⬜ Enterprise branch office connectivity
⬜ IoT device communication
⬜ Video conferencing networks
⬜ Data Center Interconnect
How does VXLAN get past the 4,096-VLAN limit of traditional networks?
⬜ By encapsulating Layer 2 frames within Layer 3 UDP packets.
⬜ By dynamically assigning VLAN IDs based on traffic patterns.
⬜ By extending the identifier space to accommodate far more segments.
⬜ By segmenting Layer 2 networks into smaller broadcast domains.
What is the purpose of the VXLAN Network Identifier (VNI)?
⬜ It authenticates VXLAN packets to ensure security.
⬜ It uniquely identifies each VXLAN tunnel endpoint.
⬜ It designates the source and destination IP addresses for VXLAN traffic.
⬜ It tells different VXLAN overlay networks apart.
Which OSI layer interacts with end-user software, for example a web browser using HTTP to show a website?
⬜ Layer 4
⬜ Layer 6
⬜ Layer 7
⬜ Layer 5
At which OSI layer is data encapsulated into segments?
⬜ Layer 2
⬜ Layer 5
⬜ Layer 4
⬜ Layer 3
At which OSI layer is data encapsulated into packets?
⬜ Layer 4
⬜ Layer 5
⬜ Layer 2
⬜ Layer 3
Which of these devices operates at Layer 3?
⬜ Bridge
⬜ Hub
⬜ Router
⬜ Repeater
Which port does LDAP use?
⬜ 3389
⬜ 636
⬜ 1433
⬜ 389
Which cloud service lets an organization develop a new iPhone app without building its own development environment?
⬜ SaaS
⬜ PaaS
⬜ DaaS
⬜ IaaS
Which port does IMAP use?
⬜ 143
⬜ 110
⬜ 993
⬜ 995
Which protocol sends email from one mail server to another?
⬜ SMTP
⬜ RDP
⬜ SNMP
⬜ POP3
Which network model doesn’t distinguish between devices that provide services and devices that request them?
⬜ Hub-and-spoke
⬜ Client-server
⬜ Point-to-point
⬜ Peer-to-peer
A firewall rule allows inbound TCP port 80 from any source to the web server. Which control would stop an attacker sending other, non-HTTP traffic through that port?
⬜ Stateless packet inspection
⬜ Application-aware firewall
⬜ Stateful packet inspection
⬜ HTTPS (SSL/TLS)
Which IEEE standard defines Power over Ethernet (PoE)?
⬜ 802.1x
⬜ 802.1d
⬜ 802.3af
⬜ 802.3ad
Which standard was designed to send data over existing cable TV infrastructure?
⬜ Fiber Optics
⬜ DSL
⬜ DOCSIS
⬜ WiMAX
Which connector suits high-density fiber connections in a data center?
⬜ LC
⬜ RJ-45
⬜ SC
⬜ MPO
Which statement describes Infrastructure as Code (IaC)?
⬜ IaC automates the provisioning and management of infrastructure from code or definition files.
⬜ IaC is a hardware solution that optimizes network performance.
⬜ IaC is a software tool for monitoring network traffic.
⬜ IaC is a network protocol for secure client-server communication.
What is the main purpose of orchestration in networking?
⬜ Monitoring network performance
⬜ Managing network security
⬜ Automating network device configurations
⬜ Optimizing network routing capabilities
In Infrastructure as Code, which practice makes sure changes made by different team members don’t clash?
⬜ Automated testing
⬜ Continuous integration
⬜ Conflict identification
⬜ Infrastructure provisioning
In Infrastructure as Code, what is the shared place where configuration files are stored for the whole team?
⬜ Template-based configuration
⬜ Configuration management
⬜ Continuous integration
⬜ Central repository
What is the main focus of Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)?
⬜ Securing network access for remote users and branch offices.
⬜ Enhancing encryption protocols for cloud applications.
⬜ Protecting data centers from cyber threats.
⬜ Optimizing network performance for high-bandwidth applications.
What sets Security Service Edge (SSE) apart from traditional network security?
⬜ SSE only secures endpoints inside the corporate network.
⬜ SSE puts performance ahead of security.
⬜ SSE relies on physical appliances at the network perimeter.
⬜ SSE uses cloud-delivered security services to protect distributed users and devices.
Which cloud feature lets a customer create a logically isolated section of the cloud with a virtual network of its own design?
⬜ Content Delivery Network (CDN) configurations
⬜ Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices
⬜ Virtual Private Cloud (VPC)
⬜ Software as a Service (SaaS)
Which cloud gateway translates addresses so instances in a private subnet can reach the internet while blocking inbound connections?
⬜ Cloud Storage
⬜ CASB
⬜ CDN
⬜ NAT
Which of these provides source authentication, integrity through hashing and encryption for IP packets?
⬜ DES
⬜ CRC
⬜ SHA
⬜ IPSEC
Which port must be open for NTP time synchronization?
⬜ 389
⬜ 123
⬜ 143
⬜ 3389
A network is split by a firewall into internal, DMZ and external zones. Internal hosts need internet access but must not be reachable by their own address from the internet. Which addressing should they use?
⬜ APIPA
⬜ Teredo tunneling
⬜ Private
⬜ Classless
Which Ethernet standard uses single-mode fiber?
⬜ 10GBase-SR
⬜ 1000Base-T
⬜ 10GBase-LR
⬜ 40GBase-T
Which of these is a connection-oriented protocol?
⬜ NetBIOS
⬜ UDP
⬜ TCP
⬜ ICMP
Video over fiber is being added to a LAN, with one connector for Tx and another for Rx. Which connector type fits?
⬜ RJ-45
⬜ ST
⬜ MTRJ
⬜ RJ-11
Which port does DNS use?
⬜ 53
⬜ 80
⬜ 21
⬜ 22
Which architecture should connect the servers inside a data center, with top-of-rack switches all linked to every core switch?
⬜ Collocation
⬜ Storage area network
⬜ Spine and leaf
⬜ Three-tiered
Which device uses ACLs to block unauthorized access into company systems?
⬜ Firewall
⬜ Load balancer
⬜ IDS
⬜ Content filter
During a penetration test you find that Snort runs as a network-based IDS. What happens when one of its alert rules matches your traffic?
⬜ The source IP is blocked and its connection terminated
⬜ The matching packet is dropped and the IDS moves on
⬜ The IDS alerts, stops checking the remaining rules and lets the packet through
⬜ The packet is checked against all the alert rules, matches are logged, and the packet continues on its way
A remote research facility in rugged mountains needs reliable, low-latency connectivity for data-heavy projects, and cabling isn’t practical. Which technology should it prioritize?
⬜ High-frequency radio
⬜ Cellular network
⬜ Microwave connection
⬜ Cable internet
A research station in a dense forest needs internet access, and wired links aren’t possible. Which technology should it consider?
⬜ Cellular network
⬜ High-frequency radio
⬜ Satellite internet
⬜ Microwave connection
Domain 2: Network Implementation (20%)
A college wants Wi-Fi coverage across its cafeteria with as few WAPs as possible. Which antenna gives the best coverage?
⬜ Low gain directional antenna
⬜ High gain omnidirectional antenna
⬜ Low gain omnidirectional antenna
⬜ High gain directional antenna
An 802.11g network has heavy interference. One AP is on channel 1, another on channel 5 and a third on channel 11. Which channel should replace channel 5?
⬜ Channel 5
⬜ Channel 6
⬜ Channel 7
⬜ Channel 8
Neighbouring offices use 2.4 GHz B/G/N routers. To keep the most distance between channels on your new 2.4 GHz access points, which set of channels should you use?
⬜ 2, 6, 10
⬜ 1, 7, 13
⬜ 3, 6, 9
⬜ 1, 6, 11
Which type of antenna sends an RF signal in one specific direction along a narrow path?
⬜ Unidirectional
⬜ Patch
⬜ Bidirectional
⬜ Omnidirectional
Martin is setting up Wi-Fi for a large backyard that stretches in one direction. Which antenna type suits him best?
⬜ Yagi-Uda
⬜ Directional
⬜ Parabolic
⬜ Omnidirectional
Your existing wireless network has only three non-overlapping channels and you need more to avoid interference with neighbours. Which standard should you move to?
⬜ 802.11ac
⬜ 802.1q
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11b
Which of these is an exterior (external) routing protocol?
⬜ EIGRP
⬜ OSPF
⬜ RIP
⬜ BGP
Which wireless standard introduced MU-MIMO to increase bandwidth?
⬜ 802.11n
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11b
⬜ 802.11ac
Which wireless standard first used MIMO on non-overlapping channels to increase bandwidth?
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11n
⬜ 802.11a
⬜ 802.11b
Which wireless standard works in either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz and reaches 108 to 600 Mbps?
⬜ 802.11b
⬜ 802.11a
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11ac
⬜ 802.11n
A client wants Wi-Fi with up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. Which standard should you install?
⬜ 802.11a
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11b
⬜ 802.11ac
A company needs an 802.11ac network to get maximum throughput. Which frequency will the network use?
⬜ 3.7 GHz
⬜ 2.4 GHz
⬜ 6.0 GHz
⬜ 5.0 GHz
Your security system uses 5 GHz and you want a 2.4 GHz wireless network for staff. Which standard can NOT provide it?
⬜ 802.11g
⬜ 802.11n
⬜ 802.11b
⬜ 802.11ac
Three 802.11a devices within 20 feet of an 802.11g access point with WEP can’t associate with it. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ Frequency mismatch
⬜ Mismatched encryption
⬜ Interference
⬜ Signal loss
Tracy is setting up Wi-Fi in a crowded apartment complex and mainly wants to avoid interference from neighbours. Which band should she use?
⬜ Band Steering
⬜ 5GHz
⬜ 2.4GHz
⬜ 6GHz
Ben’s multi-story house has slow Wi-Fi on devices far from the router. Which router feature would improve performance across floors and distances?
⬜ 6GHz Capability
⬜ 5GHz Capability
⬜ Band Steering
⬜ 2.4GHz Capability
The UPS for your server has a dead battery, and replacing it means shutting the server down. What would have let you replace it without downtime?
⬜ Add a redundant power supply to the server
⬜ Replace the UPS with a generator
⬜ Install a surge protector instead
⬜ Install a second UPS in the rack
Brownouts keep making the router lose power and restart. What should you do?
⬜ Install a new electrical outlet
⬜ Install an upgraded router
⬜ Install a UPS
⬜ Install a surge protector
Which component keeps critical equipment running during a power outage?
⬜ Surge Protector
⬜ UPS
⬜ PDU
⬜ Power Generator
Which device distributes power efficiently to racks of computing and network equipment?
⬜ PDU
⬜ UPS
⬜ HVAC
⬜ Generator
New switches are going into an IDF that has no backup power. Which combination gives both power continuity and distribution?
⬜ UPS and PDU
⬜ Surge protector and UPS
⬜ Voltage regulator and PDU
⬜ PDU and surge protector
An organization needs a reliable, high-speed link between its headquarters and branch offices in other cities, with consistent bandwidth and low latency for video conferencing. Which WAN connection is best?
⬜ Frame Relay connection
⬜ Dedicated leased line
⬜ Packet-switched connection
⬜ Circuit-switched connection
What does “port-side exhaust/intake” refer to in data center cooling?
⬜ How servers regulate their internal temperature through software.
⬜ Orienting racks and equipment so airflow and cooling work efficiently.
⬜ Configuring switches to reduce electromagnetic interference.
⬜ The direction power supply fans blow heat out of a server.
Which consideration matters most when installing equipment in a rack for efficient operation?
⬜ Proper airflow management
⬜ Biometric locking mechanisms
⬜ Enhanced EMI shielding
⬜ Built-in cooling systems
You are choosing a rack for a new server, a switch and a patch panel, with room to grow. What is the critical factor?
⬜ The proximity of the rack to the office’s main power supply.
⬜ The weight capacity of the rack.
⬜ Built-in cable management.
⬜ The look of the rack.
What is a key difference between a server rack and a switch rack?
⬜ Server racks need more power and cooling, while switch racks usually hold devices that use less power and produce less heat.
⬜ Switch racks are always smaller than server racks.
⬜ Server racks hold only servers, while switch racks hold any kind of IT equipment.
⬜ Server racks have built-in cable management and switch racks never do.
Which device can be locked in a rack to improve physical security?
⬜ Power Distribution Unit (PDU)
⬜ Network Interface Card (NIC)
⬜ Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
⬜ Rack-mounted server
In a data center, which component can be locked to stop unauthorized changes to network connections and cabling?
⬜ Patch panel
⬜ Optical transceiver
⬜ Ethernet cable
⬜ Switch Virtual Interface (SVI)
What is the main purpose of lockable enclosures in a network installation?
⬜ To reduce latency.
⬜ To comply with electromagnetic compatibility rules.
⬜ To organize cables for easier maintenance.
⬜ To keep hardware physically secure from unauthorized access.
What is a main characteristic of static routing?
⬜ Uses complex algorithms to find the best path
⬜ Requires routes to be configured manually
⬜ Exchanges routing information between routers
⬜ Adapts automatically to topology changes
Why might an administrator choose static routing instead of dynamic routing for part of a network?
⬜ To make the network more resilient to topology changes
⬜ To enhance automatic rerouting
⬜ To control exactly which path traffic takes
⬜ To reduce router configuration
During a high-availability test you cut a fiber link, but traffic isn’t rerouted automatically. Which type of routing is in use?
⬜ Hybrid
⬜ Static
⬜ Distance vector
⬜ Dynamic
A server built for large, simultaneous transfers in both directions connects to a switch at gigabit speed. Which duplex setting gives the best throughput?
⬜ Full-duplex, so data can be sent and received at the same time.
⬜ Auto-negotiation that switches between half and full duplex based on traffic.
⬜ No duplex setting, letting the devices manage transfers.
⬜ Half-duplex, to avoid collisions.
Why does a router prefer a route with a longer prefix length over one with a shorter prefix?
⬜ Because it means a lower-cost path.
⬜ Because it guarantees more bandwidth.
⬜ Because it converges faster.
⬜ Because it is a more specific route to the destination.
Which factor do all routers consider when choosing the best path for a packet?
⬜ The physical distance between source and destination.
⬜ The number of hops to the destination.
⬜ The prefix length of the destination network.
⬜ The bandwidth of the links along the path.
You want to create subnets of a set size and make sure routing protocols pick the most specific path. Which part of the addressing should you focus on?
⬜ Metric values
⬜ Administrative distance
⬜ The prefix length of the subnets
⬜ VLAN IDs
What is the main purpose of link aggregation on a switch?
⬜ To reduce the number of broadcast domains by combining VLANs.
⬜ To combine several physical links into one logical link with more bandwidth.
⬜ To spread traffic across all paths in the topology.
⬜ To encrypt data across several links.
Several critical servers sit behind two switches connected by multiple Ethernet links. How do you best improve bandwidth and redundancy between the switches?
⬜ Enable link aggregation using LACP on the connecting ports.
⬜ Put all server traffic in the native VLAN.
⬜ Give each server its own VLAN.
⬜ Set up a voice VLAN for server traffic.
In Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP), what does an Alternate port do?
⬜ It forwards traffic and takes over immediately if the designated port fails
⬜ It discards frames and doesn’t learn MAC addresses, acting as a backup
⬜ It is a separate port for network management
⬜ It backs up the root port and becomes active if the forwarding path fails
A server supports 10 Gbps but its link to a switch with default settings runs at 1 Gbps. What should be done?
⬜ Configure the switch port to full-duplex mode.
⬜ Enable jumbo frames on the switch port.
⬜ Set the switch port to auto-negotiate.
⬜ Manually set the switch port speed to 10 Gbps.
Which of these is a classless routing protocol?
⬜ IGRP
⬜ RIPv1
⬜ STP
⬜ OSPF
Which metric does OSPF use to choose routes?
⬜ Load
⬜ Cost
⬜ Bandwidth
⬜ Hop count
How does OSPF share and update routing information between routers?
⬜ Link-state advertisements
⬜ Static route redistribution
⬜ Path vector protocol
⬜ Distance-vector updates
Routing protocols aren’t choosing the shortest available path to a destination. What should you adjust so the protocol picks the most efficient route?
⬜ The prefix length, so the route looks more specific.
⬜ The administrative distance, to prefer another protocol’s routes.
⬜ The metric value, to influence path selection within the protocol.
⬜ The ACLs, to force traffic down the preferred path.
Several routing protocols advertise the same destination, and the router isn’t choosing the route you prefer. Which value should you adjust?
⬜ The metric value
⬜ The network mask
⬜ The administrative distance
⬜ The prefix length
When a router learns several routes to the same destination, which value ranks the routes by how trustworthy their source is?
⬜ Administrative Distance
⬜ OSPF
⬜ MTU
⬜ TTL
To prevent routing loops in a distance vector network, what advertises a failed route with an infinite metric?
⬜ Route poisoning
⬜ Spanning tree
⬜ Hold down timers
⬜ Split horizon
IANA assigns routing prefixes, and the regional registries distribute them. Which unique identifiers are used to manage routing between these networks with BGP?
⬜ Network handle
⬜ Top-level domain
⬜ Autonomous system number
⬜ Route aggregation
A branch office of about 50 devices needs a simple, low-overhead routing protocol to its gateway and high-throughput wired connections for local devices. Which combination fits?
⬜ BGP with a Gigabit Layer 3 switch
⬜ OSPF with a 100 Mbps Layer 2 switch
⬜ EIGRP with an 802.11n access point
⬜ RIP with a Gigabit Layer 2 switch
What does a First Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP) do?
⬜ Routes packets between subnets on a LAN.
⬜ Secures communication between devices.
⬜ Balances traffic across servers in a farm.
⬜ Provides redundancy for the default gateway.
What is a main characteristic of subinterfaces?
⬜ Interfaces that connect different network segments
⬜ Virtual interfaces that split one physical interface into several logical ones
⬜ Physical ports split into more physical connections
⬜ Interfaces reserved for high-speed transfers
A company’s security policy says workstations must hide their internal IP addresses when they send requests across the WAN. What meets this best?
⬜ DMZ
⬜ NAT
⬜ VPN
⬜ OSPF
ipconfig shows your address as 192.168.1.24, but a “what is my IP” web search shows 35.25.52.11. Why do you have two addresses?
⬜ Because of how a switch handles IP addresses
⬜ Because of how routers forward packets
⬜ Because your gateway performs NAT or PAT
⬜ Because of how traffic is routed over the internet
Many devices in a small office need internet access, and the administrator wants to use as few public IP addresses as possible. Which technique fits?
⬜ Proxy ARP
⬜ Dynamic NAT
⬜ Static NAT
⬜ Port Address Translation (PAT)
Internal servers must be reachable from the internet at a consistent public IP address while keeping their private addresses hidden. Which technique is best?
⬜ Dynamic NAT
⬜ Static NAT
⬜ Port Address Translation (PAT)
⬜ Inverse ARP
A new public web application runs on several servers in a private network. The team wants global access without exposing each server’s IP or buying a public IP for every server. What should be implemented?
⬜ NAT that translates public addresses to private addresses
⬜ A public IP address on each server
⬜ A VPN for users
⬜ PAT, so the servers share one public IP address on different ports
Which of these describes Port Address Translation (PAT)?
⬜ Prioritizing traffic by predefined rules
⬜ Assigning IP addresses dynamically
⬜ Encrypting packets for transmission over a public network
⬜ Mapping many private addresses to one public address using different port numbers
A user can’t connect to Wi-Fi at a coffee shop until a web page appears asking them to sign in or accept the terms. What is this?
⬜ Captive Portal
⬜ WEP Encryption
⬜ MAC Filtering
⬜ SSID Broadcasting
Richard wants guest Wi-Fi users to see legal and access terms before they can use the network. What should he implement?
⬜ QoS to prioritize guest traffic
⬜ WPA2-Enterprise for guests
⬜ A separate guest VLAN
⬜ A captive portal
Which standard gives warehouse staff scanning of packages as they enter, at a range of about 30 cm (1 ft)?
⬜ Wi-Fi
⬜ NFC
⬜ RFID
⬜ Bluetooth
A smartphone maker wants to support contactless payments such as Apple Pay or Google Pay. Which technology should it build in?
⬜ Wi-Fi
⬜ RFID
⬜ Bluetooth
⬜ NFC
Which wireless technology would you use to send files directly between two systems 2 to 3 meters apart?
⬜ RFID
⬜ Bluetooth
⬜ NFC
⬜ Wi-Fi
A VLAN must exist on many switches. The administrator wants to create it once and have it propagate to all switches. What should be used?
⬜ Port bonding
⬜ IGRP
⬜ STP
⬜ VTP
A switch has several paths to the root bridge. In which state does STP put the port with the least desirable path?
⬜ Listening
⬜ Blocking
⬜ Forwarding
⬜ Learning
Sahra connects two switches with redundant links, but one link stays inactive even after she moves it to another port. What is most likely disabling it?
⬜ Spanning tree
⬜ Port mirroring
⬜ IGRP routing
⬜ SSID mismatch
New software will broadcast statistics from hosts in five departments, and management is worried about extra traffic. How should the network change?
⬜ Add a router and one segment for all the monitored hosts
⬜ Add more switches
⬜ Put each department in its own VLAN
⬜ Increase the collision domains
Which access method listens to the cable before sending and uses a random back-off timer after a collision?
⬜ Demand priority
⬜ CSMA/CD
⬜ CSMA/CA
⬜ Token
Max made a new copper cable to connect two legacy switches, but they won’t link. What is most likely wrong?
⬜ The cable exceeds its bend radius
⬜ The cable is a crossover cable
⬜ The cable has RJ-11 connectors
⬜ The cable is a straight-through cable
Which IEEE standard covers port-based network authentication?
⬜ 802.1d
⬜ 802.1x
⬜ 802.3af
⬜ 802.3ad
You are connecting switches with trunk ports so all VLANs reach the server switch, and VLAN 1 isn’t the management VLAN. What must the trunk ports use?
⬜ 802.1af
⬜ 802.1w
⬜ 802.1x
⬜ 802.1q
Why is 802.1Q tagging important?
⬜ It lets multiple VLANs share one physical link between switches.
⬜ It gives voice traffic priority over data.
⬜ It bundles ports to increase bandwidth.
⬜ It creates one VLAN across switches without tagging.
Which statement about VLSM is true?
⬜ It allows subnets of different sizes within a larger network
⬜ It removes the need for subnet masks
⬜ It forces all subnets to the same size
⬜ It combines subnets into one route
Which connector block terminates Cat 5e and higher cabling in an MDF or IDF?
⬜ 66 block
⬜ 110 block
⬜ RJ-11
⬜ F-connector
In network infrastructure, which component is the main termination point for cabling from external providers?
⬜ MDF
⬜ IDF
⬜ Router
⬜ Patch Panel
You are improving cable management and fault isolation in the server room. What makes connections between servers and network gear easy to reach and identify?
⬜ Install a patch panel for central cable management.
⬜ Use color-coded cables.
⬜ Configure a subnet mask.
⬜ Deploy a VLAN.
A data center backbone upgrade adds many fiber connections. What keeps them organized and easy to scale and troubleshoot?
⬜ Deploy a fiber distribution panel.
⬜ Add more switches.
⬜ Add more wireless access points.
⬜ Install additional routers.
Why is temperature control important in a physical network installation?
⬜ It reduces energy costs
⬜ It keeps technicians comfortable
⬜ It improves network speed
⬜ It prevents damage to equipment
Which environmental factor is most important for preventing static electricity buildup?
⬜ Dust Particles
⬜ Humidity
⬜ Airflow
⬜ Temperature
What is the potential difference between two points in an electrical circuit called?
⬜ Power Factor
⬜ Resistance
⬜ Current
⬜ Voltage
Charlotte and Sam are setting up office Wi-Fi for many devices that need internet access. Which wireless mode fits best?
⬜ VPN
⬜ Ad Hoc
⬜ WAN
⬜ Infrastructure
Which of these is true when comparing lightweight APs with autonomous APs?
⬜ Lightweight APs need less configuration and management.
⬜ Autonomous APs offer more flexibility and customization.
⬜ Autonomous APs are cheaper in the long run.
⬜ Lightweight APs perform better in high-density environments.
A wireless network needs three APs to cover the building, and visitors should see one network name containing “Guest”. What allows this?
⬜ DHCP broadcast
⬜ BSSID broadcast
⬜ ESSID broadcast
⬜ ARP broadcast
Which wireless characteristic does channel bonding improve?
⬜ Connection speed
⬜ Signal strength
⬜ Coverage area
⬜ Encryption strength
A small office wants a simple Wi-Fi setup without an authentication server. Which security method fits?
⬜ Pre-shared key (PSK), because it is simple and needs no external authentication server.
⬜ Enterprise, because an external authentication server adds security.
⬜ Pre-shared key (PSK), because it has no encryption and is faster.
⬜ Enterprise, because it needs little configuration.
A university Wi-Fi network serves many students and staff, each with their own credentials. Which security method fits?
⬜ PSK, managing all users with one shared password.
⬜ PSK, because it has higher encryption.
⬜ Enterprise, because it authenticates each user individually.
⬜ Enterprise, because everyone uses the same password.
Which authentication protocol gives the strongest authentication for remote access VPN connections?
⬜ CHAP
⬜ PAP
⬜ EAP-TLS
⬜ MS-CHAP
Which weakness exists in networks that have Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) enabled?
⬜ A 40-bit encryption key
⬜ TKIP protects the handshake
⬜ A 24-bit initialization vector
⬜ The PIN can be brute-forced in about 11,000 tries
A client in an area with dense wireless traffic and strict channel regulation needs a network. Which 802.11h feature should you prioritize?
⬜ Beamforming
⬜ MIMO
⬜ Fast roaming
⬜ Transmit Power Control
Cheryl isn’t sure she set the speed on a switch port connected to an end device. If she didn’t, what happens?
⬜ The device sets the speed and the switch passively follows.
⬜ The port disables itself.
⬜ The port uses the lowest speed.
⬜ The port and the device negotiate the highest speed they both support.
A new office switch serves high-speed internet and VoIP. Some devices support only Fast Ethernet. How should the port for such a device be set?
⬜ Half duplex at 1000 Mbps
⬜ Full duplex at 10 Mbps
⬜ Auto-negotiate speed and duplex
⬜ Full duplex at 100 Mbps
You are setting up switch ports for VoIP phones and workstations on a new floor and want voice traffic prioritized. What is the best configuration?
⬜ QoS that prioritizes VLAN 100 over VLAN 200
⬜ Link aggregation on the phone ports
⬜ A voice VLAN on the ports where the phones connect
⬜ Native VLAN 200 for voice and VLAN 100 for data
After a data breach you connect a packet capture device to the switch that links your servers to the screened subnet. What must be configured so it receives all traffic to and from the servers?
⬜ Port mirroring
⬜ 802.1q
⬜ Port security
⬜ 802.1x
Domain 3: Network Operations (19%)
Which network document shows the cabling drawn over the floor plan of an office building?
⬜ Logical network diagram
⬜ Wiring diagram
⬜ Physical network diagram
⬜ Site survey report
Which document gives a map of the wireless coverage area?
⬜ Wiring diagram
⬜ Logical network diagram
⬜ Physical network diagram
⬜ Site survey report
What should an engineer review before estimating how many WAPs a wireless network needs?
⬜ Network topology
⬜ Network diagram
⬜ PoE requirements
⬜ Site survey
Which of these best describes a network heat map?
⬜ A graphic showing areas of high and low network activity or performance
⬜ A view of electrical current flow in the network
⬜ A diagram of the physical layout of devices
⬜ A chart of temperature changes in the data center
Which agreement protects an organization’s intellectual property and legally binds the people who sign it?
⬜ MOU
⬜ NDA
⬜ SLA
⬜ AUP
Which agreement is not legally binding and describes the common actions each party intends to take?
⬜ AUP
⬜ NDA
⬜ MOU
⬜ SLA
An audit found staff using company laptops for personal use. Which document should state “Company-owned IT assets are to be used for authorized company business only”?
⬜ SLA
⬜ AUP
⬜ MOU
⬜ NDA
Branch office staff must open a web page and click “I agree” before they can browse. What is this an example of?
⬜ AUP
⬜ MOU
⬜ EULA
⬜ SLA
Which performance metric is the theoretical maximum data transfer rate under ideal conditions?
⬜ Latency
⬜ Bandwidth
⬜ Throughput
⬜ Jitter
Which performance metric is the amount of data actually delivered from source to destination in a given time?
⬜ Latency
⬜ Bandwidth
⬜ Jitter
⬜ Throughput
A switch has failed and workstations are offline. What is the quickest way to configure the replacement switch?
⬜ Archive
⬜ Image
⬜ Syslog
⬜ Baseline
What lets a technician replace a failed network switch and restore connectivity within minutes?
⬜ Network diagram
⬜ VLAN configuration
⬜ Router image
⬜ Configuration backup
A network technician downloaded a new operating system version with new features for the company’s switches. What should be done first?
⬜ Test it on a production switch
⬜ Install it during non-business hours
⬜ Power cycle the border router
⬜ Back up the current configuration of each switch
In a criminal or government investigation, what describes identifying, recovering and exchanging relevant electronic information?
⬜ Encryption
⬜ eDiscovery
⬜ Data transport
⬜ First responder
A company moving to Florida worries about hurricanes and other events disrupting service, so the IT manager creates a long-term strategy to keep the business running through any disruption. What has been created?
⬜ Incident response plan
⬜ Business continuity plan
⬜ Disaster recovery plan
⬜ Risk management plan
Which plan describes how an organization responds to an unplanned outage of its primary internet connection?
⬜ System life cycle plan
⬜ Business continuity plan
⬜ Incident response plan
⬜ Disaster recovery plan
A fire makes the office building unusable for three months. Which plan guides the response?
⬜ Incident response plan
⬜ Business continuity plan
⬜ Disaster recovery plan
⬜ System life cycle plan
Which plan sets out how an organization reacts to a malware infection on its network?
⬜ System life cycle plan
⬜ Bring your own device policy
⬜ Incident response plan
⬜ Acceptable use policy
Which plan describes how an organization buys, uses and disposes of network equipment?
⬜ Incident response plan
⬜ Disaster recovery plan
⬜ Business continuity plan
⬜ System life cycle plan
Which policy describes how a new user requests an account on the enterprise network?
⬜ Onboarding policy
⬜ Remote access policy
⬜ Password policy
⬜ Bring your own device policy
Which policy sets which VPN connections employees may use?
⬜ Remote access policy
⬜ Data loss prevention policy
⬜ Password policy
⬜ Acceptable use policy
Which concept matters most for a company’s long-term survival after a disaster?
⬜ Uninterruptible power supplies
⬜ Off-site backups
⬜ An acceptable use policy
⬜ Vulnerability scanning
Which recovery site lets operations move over and continue immediately?
⬜ Cloud site
⬜ Cold site
⬜ Warm site
⬜ Hot site
Which recovery site has little or no hardware and may take days or weeks to become usable?
⬜ Cloud site
⬜ Cold site
⬜ Warm site
⬜ Hot site
Which metric is the maximum amount of data, measured in time, that a business can afford to lose in a disaster?
⬜ RPO
⬜ MTBF
⬜ RTO
⬜ MTTR
A RAID controller failed and was replaced with a different brand. What will be needed once the server is rebuilt and joined to the domain?
⬜ Recent backups
⬜ Vendor documentation
⬜ Physical network diagram
⬜ Static IP address
Which type of fire suppression system uses halocarbon or inert gas to put out a fire?
⬜ Clean agent system
⬜ Wet pipe system
⬜ HVAC system
⬜ Pre-action system
A penetration test found that an attacker may be able to read TLS traffic from the web server because of a software bug. What is the best mitigation?
⬜ Deploy the vendor’s patch
⬜ Install an IDS
⬜ Block port 443 at the firewall
⬜ Give employees a VPN
You replace a failed router with an identical spare bought 13 months ago, but you can’t enable HTTPS management on it. What should you do?
⬜ Enable HTTP instead
⬜ Perform a factory reset
⬜ Reboot the router
⬜ Update the firmware
You need advanced security options and better routing protocols on an existing router without replacing it. What will you most likely have to do?
⬜ Firmware update
⬜ Vulnerability patching
⬜ Clone the router
⬜ Migrate to IPv6
What is the most important reason to update firmware on network devices?
⬜ To reduce physical wear.
⬜ To keep compatibility with older standards.
⬜ To lower operating costs.
⬜ To keep devices secure and compatible with new standards.
What is the best reason to decommission outdated network devices?
⬜ To get an environmental credit for returning them.
⬜ New devices always use fewer network resources.
⬜ It simplifies management and lowers costs.
⬜ To remove security risks and improve performance.
Why does tracking warranty support for network hardware matter to an operations manager?
⬜ To keep software up to date
⬜ To manage user permissions
⬜ To monitor traffic for threats
⬜ To track support life cycles and plan replacements
Why is managing software licensing important in an organization?
⬜ To provide steady power to devices
⬜ To keep the infrastructure secure
⬜ To give remote users the same software as on-site staff
⬜ To use software legally and avoid penalties
An administrator changed a firewall rule and all FTP users lost access to the server. What would have prevented this?
⬜ Documenting the changes
⬜ Notifying users
⬜ Submitting a change request
⬜ Scheduling a maintenance window
Before a major configuration upgrade, what should you have ready in case it fails?
⬜ Baseline report
⬜ Business continuity plan
⬜ Vulnerability report
⬜ Rollback plan
A 120-minute change window is at 90 minutes and the change is stuck on its last of five steps, so the manager orders a rollback. What should the administrator do?
⬜ Return to step four, the last step that worked
⬜ Ask for more time
⬜ Return the system to its state before the change started
⬜ Leave it and give users a workaround
When should scheduled work on production network equipment be done?
⬜ During the development life cycle
⬜ During downtime
⬜ During a maintenance window
⬜ During business hours
Which document records everyone who handled or had possession of a piece of evidence?
⬜ Chain of custody
⬜ Forensic report
⬜ Legal document
⬜ Warrant
An off-site tape storage company is told not to recycle old tapes until an investigation ends. What is the most likely reason?
⬜ The discovery process
⬜ A chain of custody breach
⬜ A data transport request
⬜ A legal hold notice
Which mechanism sends proactive notifications of network events to help monitoring and troubleshooting?
⬜ SNMP
⬜ HTTP
⬜ SMTP
⬜ ICMP
Which SNMPv3 feature improves security over earlier versions?
⬜ Better device discovery
⬜ Faster query responses
⬜ Authentication and encryption
⬜ VLAN configuration support
Which SNMP component lets an agent send a single key-value pair about a significant real-time event to the manager?
⬜ MIB
⬜ Granular trap
⬜ Verbose trap
⬜ OID
What is used to collect logs from devices across the network so events on many servers and clients can be correlated?
⬜ DNS server
⬜ Syslog server
⬜ DHCP server
⬜ Proxy server
At which syslog severity level is a debugging message logged?
⬜ 6
⬜ 1
⬜ 0
⬜ 7
At which syslog severity level is a warning logged?
⬜ 2
⬜ 0
⬜ 4
⬜ 6
At which syslog severity level is a critical condition logged?
⬜ 0
⬜ 6
⬜ 4
⬜ 2
Which syslog severity level means the system has become unstable?
⬜ 5
⬜ 1
⬜ 0
⬜ 7
Users still say the network feels slow after your changes to speed it up. How do you prove it is faster?
⬜ Show a physical network diagram of the changes
⬜ Show a logical network diagram of the changes
⬜ Show the approved change request
⬜ Show the results of a new performance baseline
The Security Operations Center wants to know whether current network traffic is unusual. What does it compare the new data with?
⬜ Baseline
⬜ NetFlow
⬜ Logs
⬜ Pcap
Which defines how much bandwidth different protocols may use on the network?
⬜ High availability
⬜ Load balancing
⬜ Fault tolerance
⬜ Traffic shaping
You want deviations from normal network operation, including sophisticated threats that don’t trigger traditional alarms, found quickly. What should you implement?
⬜ Anomaly alerting/notification system
⬜ Network access control policies
⬜ An APT detection system
⬜ A network-wide IPS
Which capability should you expect from deploying a SIEM?
⬜ A physical barrier against unauthorized access.
⬜ Twice the network transfer speed.
⬜ Real-time analysis of security alerts from network hardware and applications.
⬜ Automatic patching of all vulnerabilities.
Why would someone push for validation tests of the disaster recovery and business continuity plans?
⬜ To run realistic disaster simulations that confirm the plans work.
⬜ To check physical security at data centers.
⬜ To audit compliance with data protection laws.
⬜ To train IT staff on new tools.
Which DNS record maps a domain name to the server’s IPv4 address?
⬜ SOA
⬜ MX
⬜ A
⬜ AAAA
Which DNS record lets a domain point to another domain as an alias?
⬜ PTR
⬜ A
⬜ NS
⬜ CNAME
Which DNS record type is used for reverse lookups, mapping an IP address to a name?
⬜ AAAA
⬜ NS
⬜ PTR
⬜ CNAME
Which of these is a DNS record type?
⬜ TTL
⬜ LDAP
⬜ DHCP
⬜ PTR
Which DNS record gives the host and port for services such as VoIP or instant messaging?
⬜ SRV
⬜ PTR
⬜ SOA
⬜ TXT
Which DNS record holds SPF and DKIM information for email authentication?
⬜ PTR
⬜ SRV
⬜ SOA
⬜ TXT
Which DNS record type names the authoritative name servers for a domain?
⬜ CNAME
⬜ MX
⬜ NS
⬜ AAAA
In nslookup interactive mode, which command makes queries return only name server records?
⬜ locate type=ns
⬜ transfer type=ns
⬜ set type=ns
⬜ request type=ns
Which DNS zone maps domain names to their IP addresses?
⬜ A reverse zone
⬜ A forward zone
⬜ A secondary zone
⬜ An authoritative zone
Your new DNS infrastructure must support detailed logging for troubleshooting and security audits. Why would you add a reverse zone?
⬜ To authenticate user access to network resources
⬜ To replicate DNS information across servers for redundancy
⬜ To map host names to IP addresses for easier web access
⬜ To map IP addresses to host names for better logging and security
Which DNS server answers queries for the domains it is responsible for, with accurate and current data?
⬜ Secondary DNS server
⬜ Non-authoritative DNS server
⬜ Recursive DNS server
⬜ Authoritative DNS server
You want internal DNS queries for your own domain answered from trusted, verified records, while external lookups may come from cache. Which DNS server should you strengthen?
⬜ Forwarding DNS server
⬜ Caching-only DNS server
⬜ Authoritative DNS server
⬜ Non-authoritative DNS server
Which DNS server holds the master, editable copy of a zone’s records?
⬜ Recursive DNS server
⬜ Primary DNS server
⬜ Non-authoritative DNS server
⬜ Secondary DNS server
Which DNS server holds a read-only copy of a zone and reduces load on the primary by answering queries?
⬜ Recursive DNS server
⬜ Secondary DNS server
⬜ Primary DNS server
⬜ Authoritative DNS server
Amber is building DNS for a new branch with high availability. How do the primary and secondary servers work together?
⬜ Primary for internal queries, secondary only for external queries.
⬜ The primary stores the editable zone, and the secondary keeps a read-only copy updated by zone transfers.
⬜ They each serve a different part of the namespace.
⬜ The primary is caching-only and the secondary handles dynamic updates.
Which DNS server can resolve any domain by querying other DNS servers across the internet?
⬜ A secondary DNS server
⬜ A primary DNS server
⬜ A caching-only DNS server
⬜ A recursive DNS server
Which DNS protocol encrypts queries inside HTTPS so they look like ordinary web traffic?
⬜ DoH
⬜ DNSSEC
⬜ DHCP
⬜ DoT
Which solution encrypts DNS queries on a dedicated DNS port to stop eavesdropping inside the network?
⬜ DoH
⬜ DoT
⬜ WPAD
⬜ DNSSEC
Which protocol synchronizes clocks between systems over a packet-switched, variable-latency network?
⬜ NTP
⬜ DNS
⬜ TFTP
⬜ DHCP
Which time protocol suits microsecond-level synchronization accuracy in a distributed system?
⬜ SNMP
⬜ PTP
⬜ TTP
⬜ NTP
Which DHCP feature controls how long a device may use an assigned IP address?
⬜ Scope
⬜ Exclusions
⬜ Options
⬜ Lease Time
Which DHCP feature gives clients extra settings such as the DNS server address or domain name?
⬜ Relay/IP Helper
⬜ Reservations
⬜ Options
⬜ Scope
How does a DHCP reservation work?
⬜ Switches assign addresses from a reserved pool
⬜ It ties a MAC address to a specific IP address in the scope
⬜ It assigns options by priority
⬜ It leases reserved addresses by category
A new segment uses only IPv6, and devices should build their own addresses from router advertisements without a DHCP server. What should be configured?
⬜ Enable SLAAC on the router for the segment.
⬜ Configure a DHCPv6 server.
⬜ Use DHCPv6 with reservations.
⬜ Assign addresses manually.
Which network connection method lets software interact with network devices for configuration and management?
⬜ Console
⬜ GUI
⬜ SSH
⬜ API
You need to connect securely to a Linux server 50 miles away that runs VNC without encryption. What should you use?
⬜ RDP
⬜ WPA2
⬜ HTTPS
⬜ SSH in tunnel mode
Your mother’s Windows 10 laptop has a problem and you live 100 miles away. What is the easiest way to see and use her desktop?
⬜ SSH
⬜ RDP
⬜ telnet
⬜ VPN
You manage routers at many branch offices from headquarters. What is the most secure way to configure them remotely while preventing attacks?
⬜ Create an out-of-band management network
⬜ Install a dial-up modem
⬜ Allow only Telnet in the router ACLs
⬜ Allow only HTTP in the router ACLs
Before travelling, what should you set up so communications stay secure from any hotel or café network?
⬜ A local SIM card
⬜ A local mobile hotspot
⬜ VPN
⬜ An international roaming plan
Which protocol sets up an encrypted VPN tunnel that can be started from a web browser?
⬜ SSL
⬜ PPTP
⬜ PPP
⬜ IPsec
Which client-to-site VPN gives remote users access to company resources without installing VPN software?
⬜ SSL VPN
⬜ PPTP VPN
⬜ IPsec VPN
⬜ Clientless VPN
In a client-to-site VPN, which setup sends only corporate traffic through the tunnel and lets internet traffic go directly?
⬜ Direct Tunnel
⬜ Split Tunnel
⬜ Clientless
⬜ Full Tunnel
In a client-to-site VPN, which setup sends all traffic, corporate and internet, through the tunnel?
⬜ Full Tunnel
⬜ Clientless
⬜ Direct Tunnel
⬜ Split Tunnel
Heavy snow keeps you at home while the office network has outages. What should you use to connect to the data center network and troubleshoot?
⬜ Telnet
⬜ SNMP
⬜ HTTP
⬜ SSH
Traffic from an external IP to an internal host arrives on port 443. Which protocol would you expect?
⬜ SSH
⬜ HTTP
⬜ TFTP
⬜ TLS
A client says half the office can’t reach a shared printer. What should the network technician use to troubleshoot?
⬜ Vendor documentation
⬜ Data backups
⬜ Baseline information
⬜ Network diagrams
The patch cable from a workstation to the wall jack tests fine. What best helps you find which switch port the wall jack connects to?
⬜ Network baseline
⬜ Proper labeling
⬜ Standard procedures
⬜ Inventory management
Domain 4: Network Security (14%)
Kirsten must receive all inventory that her coworker Bob orders. Which personnel control is this?
⬜ Mandatory vacation
⬜ Dual control
⬜ Separation of duties
⬜ Background checks
A new electronic sign came preconfigured with a public IP for remote updates. Days later it shows vulgar messages. What is the most likely way the attackers got in?
⬜ Its self-signed certificate expired
⬜ Port 80 was left open
⬜ The default credentials were never changed
⬜ Unnecessary services weren’t disabled
You browse to your training provider’s site but end up on a malicious website instead. Which attack is happening?
⬜ ARP spoofing
⬜ DNS poisoning
⬜ VLAN hopping
⬜ Rogue DHCP
A company wants to stop attackers changing MAC-to-IP bindings on its LAN. What should it enable?
⬜ Dynamic ARP Inspection
⬜ Router Advertisement Guard
⬜ Private VLAN
⬜ DHCP snooping
A firewall has three interfaces: eth0 to the internet (PUBLIC), eth1 to the DMZ (172.16.1.0/24) and eth2 to the internal network (PRIVATE). A new web server must accept port 80 from the internet but no connections from the internal network. Where do you place it and which rule do you add?
⬜ In the PRIVATE zone, with an inbound rule from eth0 to eth1 allowing port 80
⬜ In the DMZ, with an inbound rule from eth1 to eth0 allowing port 80
⬜ In the DMZ, with an inbound rule from eth0 to eth1 allowing port 80 to the server
⬜ In the PUBLIC zone, with an inbound rule from eth0 to eth1 allowing port 80
An internet-facing FTP server could be compromised and used to attack the domain controller on the internal network. What best reduces this risk?
⬜ Move the FTP server from the internal network to the screened subnet
⬜ Block outbound port 21
⬜ Upgrade to SFTP
⬜ Use an implicit deny rule
What is the main purpose of a screened subnet in a network design?
⬜ To increase bandwidth across subnets.
⬜ To test new applications before production.
⬜ To store backup data.
⬜ To act as a buffer zone between the internal network and the internet, hosting public-facing services.
Which approach is commonly used to let guests and employees use personal devices on the organization’s network?
⬜ BYOD
⬜ VLAN
⬜ VPN
⬜ Screened Subnet
Your company now allows personal devices on its Wi-Fi. Which technology separates corporate devices from untrusted employee devices on the same infrastructure?
⬜ VLAN
⬜ VPN
⬜ MAC filtering
⬜ WPA2
On a coffee shop’s public Wi-Fi you unknowingly connect to an attacker’s access point that intercepts your data. What is this?
⬜ Phishing
⬜ Packet sniffing
⬜ Bluejacking
⬜ Evil twin
Which type of attack can intercept and change data in transit between two parties?
⬜ On-path attack
⬜ DNS poisoning
⬜ Firewall evasion
⬜ VLAN hopping
Which protocol is commonly used for central authentication and directory services, such as managing credentials for enterprise systems?
⬜ SSH
⬜ RADIUS
⬜ SSL
⬜ LDAP
Which system lets an organization control user identities and their access to network resources?
⬜ DNS
⬜ VPN
⬜ IAM
⬜ QoS
Two endpoints that never normally talk are exchanging a lot of traffic, and sensitive data is going to an unauthorized device because the address resolution table was tampered with. Which attack is this?
⬜ ARP Spoofing
⬜ Phishing Attack
⬜ DNS Poisoning
⬜ DNS Spoofing
An unhappy employee redirects Layer 2 traffic meant for the default gateway to their own computer. What attack is this?
⬜ ARP spoofing
⬜ Evil twin
⬜ IP spoofing
⬜ Reflective DNS
Which non-technical attack tries to trick a user into giving away sensitive information?
⬜ Social engineering
⬜ On-path
⬜ Evil twin
⬜ Bluesnarfing
What benefit does network segmentation provide?
⬜ High availability through redundancy
⬜ Port mirroring
⬜ Link aggregation
⬜ Security through isolation
Which remote access technology should NOT be used because it isn’t secure?
⬜ RDP
⬜ SSH
⬜ Telnet
⬜ VPN
Which authentication method uses RFID to unlock a door?
⬜ Biometric reader
⬜ Access control vestibule
⬜ CCTV
⬜ Proximity badge
An employee installs a keylogger on coworkers’ machines and posts their credentials on the dark web. How do you classify her?
⬜ Insider threat
⬜ Denial-of-service
⬜ Logic bomb
⬜ Social engineering
The company manages credentials for all network devices from one central server. Which type is it most likely?
⬜ FTP
⬜ Kerberos
⬜ DNS
⬜ RADIUS
Which provides authentication, authorization and accounting from a central database, with challenge/response and password encryption, commonly for device administration?
⬜ Multi-factor authentication
⬜ TACACS+
⬜ Network access control
⬜ ISAKMP
AAA is configured with a RADIUS server, but the technician can’t log in with RADIUS credentials, only with a local account. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ Group policy hasn’t propagated.
⬜ The username isn’t on the RADIUS server.
⬜ The RADIUS shared secret is wrong.
⬜ The firewall blocks LDAP traffic.
You want only one person at a time to be able to enter or leave the server room. What helps most?
⬜ Access control vestibule
⬜ Cipher lock
⬜ Video monitoring
⬜ Thumbprint reader
A facility wants to verify each person’s identity before they enter the data center and stop tailgating. What fits best?
⬜ CCTV and a proximity reader at the data center
⬜ A biometric reader at the data center entrance and a mantrap
⬜ A guard at the entrance and a keypad at the data center
⬜ A biometric reader at the entrance and a proximity card at the data center
Which control lets you detect any unauthorized access to the data center?
⬜ Smart card
⬜ Access badge reader
⬜ Biometric access
⬜ Video surveillance
During a power outage, which security control is most likely to keep working?
⬜ Biometric scanners
⬜ Motion detectors
⬜ CCTV
⬜ Door locks
NAC has found a virus on a client’s laptop. Where should the laptop go so it can be cleaned?
⬜ DMZ subnet
⬜ Honeypot
⬜ Botnet
⬜ Quarantine network
What should prevent users from accessing network resources just by plugging laptops into the network?
⬜ UTM
⬜ NAC
⬜ VPN
⬜ DMZ
Which technologies can confirm that a user logging in is physically in the same building as the network? (select two)
⬜ Port security
⬜ NAC
⬜ GPS location
⬜ Geo-IP
Which network is used to monitor a pipeline’s sensors over a large area?
⬜ BAS
⬜ SoC
⬜ CAN
⬜ SCADA
A power plant runs business and ICS/SCADA networks. What should be added first to better defend the ICS/SCADA systems?
⬜ Automated patch deployment
⬜ Log consolidation
⬜ Anti-virus software
⬜ Intrusion prevention system
Users complain of slow Wi-Fi, and you find unknown devices connected. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ ARP poisoning
⬜ A botnet
⬜ An evil twin
⬜ A successful WPS attack
Contractors will attack the organization with an automated tool that probes resources and maps weaknesses. What activity is this?
⬜ Session hijacking
⬜ Social engineering
⬜ Penetration testing
⬜ Vulnerability scanning
Your WPA2-PSK connection keeps dropping and reconnecting every few minutes. What attack might you be under?
⬜ Evil twin
⬜ MAC spoofing
⬜ Deauthentication
⬜ Rogue access point
Your gateway logs show traffic arriving on the WAN interface from 169.254.13.62. What is likely happening?
⬜ ARP spoofing
⬜ DNS poisoning
⬜ IP spoofing
⬜ MAC spoofing
Which represents the basic principles of network security for data protection and system function?
⬜ Threat Modeling
⬜ CIA Triad
⬜ Penetration Testing
⬜ Access Control
Which deceptive technique imitates a whole network to detect and study attackers?
⬜ IDS
⬜ Honeynet
⬜ Firewall
⬜ Honeypot
What can redirect an attacker to a decoy server with no real financial data?
⬜ Honeypot
⬜ Botnet
⬜ Screened Subnet
⬜ Content filter
Which standard sets requirements for handling credit card data?
⬜ GDPR
⬜ ISO 27001
⬜ HIPAA
⬜ PCI DSS
What is the main difference between trusted and untrusted networks?
⬜ Trusted networks encrypt everything; untrusted networks use plaintext.
⬜ Trusted networks are external partner networks.
⬜ Trusted networks need extra authentication.
⬜ Trusted networks are inside the company firewall and under its policies; untrusted networks are outside.
A company wants stronger wireless authentication. It uses WPA-Enterprise, and the back end supports EAP and TTLS. What should be implemented?
⬜ WPA2 with a complex shared key
⬜ PKI with user authentication
⬜ MAC and IP filtering
⬜ 802.1x using EAP with MSCHAPv2
A federation lets employees sign in once on the main website and then use all the other sites without signing in again. What is this?
⬜ FaceID
⬜ TouchID
⬜ SSO
⬜ MFA
Which feature remembers the first MAC address seen on a switch port, so swapping in another laptop won’t work?
⬜ NAC
⬜ ACL
⬜ Port security
⬜ 802.1x
Unauthorized devices plugged into Ethernet ports are a risk. Which feature limits access to allowed MAC addresses?
⬜ Port Security
⬜ DHCP Snooping
⬜ VLANs
⬜ STP
Barbara’s laptop gets a DHCP address from an office jack, but her wireless router plugged into the same jack doesn’t. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ The router’s MAC is block-listed
⬜ Only allow-listed MAC addresses can connect
⬜ DHCP snooping is on
⬜ DHCP requests from access points are blocked
Which measure makes sure only authorized devices use a network port by requiring authentication first?
⬜ ACL
⬜ MAC filtering
⬜ 802.1X
⬜ Port security
You want to secure internal communications with better authentication and avoid paying third-party certificate authorities. What is most suitable?
⬜ IPsec tunnels
⬜ An internal PKI with self-signed certificates
⬜ Certificates from a public CA
⬜ Single-factor authentication
A network administrator wants to limit what a specific system resource can access. Which tool works best?
⬜ Firewall
⬜ ACL
⬜ VPN
⬜ IDS/IPS
Traffic meant for a secure VLAN is being reached from an unsecured VLAN. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ A VLAN hopping attack.
⬜ DHCP handing out the wrong addresses.
⬜ Default VLAN settings.
⬜ A firewall allowing all traffic.
A network technician wants to allow outbound HTTP through a stateless firewall for the 192.168.0.0/24 network. Which ACL entry is correct?
⬜ PERMIT SRCIP:ANY SPORT:80 DSTIP:192.168.0.0/24 DPORT:ANY
⬜ PERMIT SRCIP:ANY SPORT:80 DSTIP:192.168.0.0/24 DPORT:80
⬜ PERMIT SRCIP:192.168.0.0/24 SPORT:ANY DSTIP:ANY DPORT:80
⬜ PERMIT SRCIP:192.168.0.0/24 SPORT:80 DSTIP:192.168.0.0/24 DPORT:80
What is it called when an attacker exploits a weakness in a wireless headset to send unsolicited messages to a smartphone?
⬜ Bluejacking
⬜ Smurfing
⬜ Zero-day attack
⬜ Multiplexing
A restaurant’s open Wi-Fi blocks devices after 30 minutes. How could you reconnect?
⬜ IP spoofing
⬜ MAC spoofing
⬜ Brute-force attack
⬜ Dictionary attack
What must combine with a threat to create risk?
⬜ Malicious actor
⬜ Exploit
⬜ Vulnerability
⬜ Mitigation
After a patch deployment, older PCs with non-gigabit network cards lost connectivity. What would prevent this next time?
⬜ Disable automatic driver updates from the patching server
⬜ Throttle the patching server
⬜ Reboot after patching
⬜ Patch old PCs after hours
Jonah, doing a physical penetration test, asks an employee to badge him in because he “left his card on his desk”. What attack is this?
⬜ Shoulder surfing
⬜ Phishing
⬜ Tailgating
⬜ Piggybacking
Before installing VoIP, a company replaced its switches with multilayer switches so VoIP devices sit on separate VLANs with traffic routed between them. What best describes this?
⬜ Performance optimization
⬜ Honeynet implementation
⬜ Separate public/private networking
⬜ Compliance enforcement
Web traffic to an e-commerce server has jumped, but sales haven’t. Which attack might be happening?
⬜ DoS
⬜ ARP spoofing
⬜ Bluejacking
⬜ Phishing
Which pair of authentication factors counts as two-factor authentication?
⬜ Facial scan and fingerprint
⬜ Username and password
⬜ Key fob and smartcard
⬜ Smartcard and PIN
What must be added to a VLAN’s gateway to improve the VLAN’s security?
⬜ Hold down timer
⬜ Access control list
⬜ Spanning tree protocol
⬜ Split horizon
The wireless network can be reached from the parking lot. Which setting keeps the signal inside while maintaining coverage for users?
⬜ Encryption
⬜ Frequency
⬜ Power level
⬜ Channel
Which of these would NOT help defend against a zero-day threat?
⬜ Whitelisting
⬜ Threat intelligence
⬜ Patching
⬜ Segmentation
A network has an internet connection, a screened subnet, an internal network and an administrative network. From which segment should routers and switches accept SSH?
⬜ The DMZ
⬜ The internal network
⬜ The administrative network
⬜ The internet connection
A coworker installed a free game, and since then the computer is slow and acts strangely. What are they likely a victim of?
⬜ Brute-force
⬜ Phishing
⬜ Ransomware
⬜ Malware
Which technique is NOT commonly used by a captive portal to redirect users?
⬜ DNS redirect
⬜ ICMP redirect
⬜ HTTP redirect
⬜ DHCP redirect
Which practice reduces the attack surface by removing unneeded features and tightening device settings?
⬜ Encryption
⬜ Configuring a VLAN
⬜ Device Hardening
⬜ Patch Management
Domain 5: Network Troubleshooting (24%)
Which error does a switch record when it receives an Ethernet frame smaller than 64 bytes?
⬜ Giant
⬜ Encapsulation error
⬜ Runt
⬜ CRC error
Which error does a switch record when it receives an Ethernet frame larger than 1,518 bytes (without jumbo frames)?
⬜ Encapsulation error
⬜ Giant
⬜ Runt
⬜ CRC error
Which error shows that a frame’s raw data was accidentally changed as it crossed the network?
⬜ Runt
⬜ Giant
⬜ CRC error
⬜ Encapsulation error
A fiber link was upgraded from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps but won’t come up. The routers are 450 m apart over multimode fiber with 10GBaseLR SFP+ transceivers, and the fiber passes through electrical and boiler rooms. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ The wrong transceivers are being used
⬜ Interference from the electrical room
⬜ A short in the cable
⬜ Heat from the boiler room
Which Cisco command shows whether Ethernet0/0 reaches its networks through OSPF or EIGRP?
⬜ show diagnostic
⬜ show config
⬜ show route
⬜ show interface
You cut UTP cable from a 1,000-foot spool for the patch panel. Which tool removes the outer jacket?
⬜ Cable crimper
⬜ Cable stripper
⬜ Punchdown tool
⬜ Cable snip
You are running UTP from the IDF to offices from a 1,000-foot spool. Which tool cuts the cable into shorter lengths?
⬜ Punchdown tool
⬜ Cable crimper
⬜ Cable snip
⬜ Cable stripper
Which tool attaches an RJ-45 connector to a UTP cable wired to EIA/TIA-568B?
⬜ Cable snips
⬜ Cable crimper
⬜ Punchdown tool
⬜ Fusion splicer
You are making Cat 7 patch cables between computers and wall jacks; the jacks, patch panel and switch are already installed and tested. Which tool will you NOT need?
⬜ Cable tester
⬜ Punchdown tool
⬜ Wire stripper
⬜ Cable crimper
After gathering information about a major outage, Susan suspects a bad module in the core switch and confirms its links are dark. What is her next step?
⬜ Implement the solution or escalate
⬜ Determine if anything changed on the switch
⬜ Establish a plan of action to solve the problem
⬜ Document her findings so far
Several users report slow internet and drops. After gathering information you suspect the DHCP server. What is the next step?
⬜ Escalate to the senior administrator
⬜ Restart the DHCP server
⬜ Test the theory to determine the cause
⬜ Document what you have done
A technician thinks a static ARP entry is causing a workstation’s connectivity problem. What should they do next?
⬜ Find a convenient time to fix it
⬜ Remove the ARP entry on the workstation
⬜ Recreate the issue in a lab
⬜ Document the findings and a plan
A technician determined the cause of a problem and implemented a solution. What is the next step?
⬜ Document findings, actions, outcomes and lessons learned
⬜ Verify full system functionality
⬜ Test the theory
⬜ Establish a plan of action
After implementing a fix, what should a network engineer do to make sure the problem is fully resolved?
⬜ Document and move on.
⬜ Take a break first.
⬜ Verify full system functionality and, if applicable, implement preventive measures.
⬜ Ask management to approve the fix.
An end user calls to say their laptop can’t connect to the corporate Wi-Fi. What should the technician do first?
⬜ Identify the problem
⬜ Establish a plan of action
⬜ Implement the solution
⬜ Verify full system functionality
In the troubleshooting methodology, which step includes finding out what changed in the network before the issue started?
⬜ Document findings, actions and outcomes
⬜ Implement the solution or escalate
⬜ Test the theory to determine the cause
⬜ Identify the problem
Which activity does NOT belong to “identify the problem” in the troubleshooting methodology?
⬜ Question the obvious
⬜ Gather information
⬜ Duplicate the problem
⬜ Determine if anything has changed
As network administrator you get reports of a sudden slowdown across several departments, with no changes you know of. What is your first step?
⬜ Ask the ISP for more bandwidth.
⬜ Determine whether anything has changed in the network configuration or environment.
⬜ Reboot all servers and network devices.
⬜ Upgrade all network hardware.
A technician’s theory about a network slowdown turns out to be wrong. What next?
⬜ Go back and gather more information.
⬜ Escalate immediately.
⬜ Implement preventive measures.
⬜ Establish a new theory or escalate, depending on the situation.
When should the troubleshooting methodology be used?
⬜ Only after random fixes have failed
⬜ Only for outages across several departments
⬜ Only for hardware problems
⬜ For every network issue, whatever its scope or complexity
Wi-Fi users report slow speeds after Access Point 2 (AP2) was replaced following a hardware failure. The network was designed by a consultant and worked well before. The floor plan shows SW1 with AP1, AP2 and AP3, and you must change as few settings as possible. Which device do you log into first?
⬜ AP2
⬜ SW1
⬜ AP1
⬜ AP3
An old laptop with an 802.11b card can’t see the “Corp” SSID from an 802.11g router. What is most likely?
⬜ DHCP isn’t enabled
⬜ WPA2 is enabled
⬜ 802.11b and 802.11g use different frequencies
⬜ SSID broadcast is disabled on the router
A company network running OSPF has a congested internet-facing interface. “show interface” returns the output below. What best fixes the problem?
FastEthernet0/1 is up, line protocol is up
Internet address is 10.20.30.1/25
Half-duplex, 100Mb/s, loopback not set
0 input errors, 0 CRC, 0 collisions, 0 interface resets
⬜ Change the CIDR notation to a classful mask
⬜ Change the duplex from half to full
⬜ Set the loopback address to 127.0.0.1
⬜ Give the interface a public IP address
Users see slow internet and intermittent drops, and a router is badly congested. What is the most likely cause of the poor performance?
⬜ DNS server outage
⬜ ARP cache overflow
⬜ Packet loss
⬜ VLAN misconfiguration
A user is connected to the right SSID but can’t open any internet pages. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ Outdated Ethernet cable
⬜ Incorrect default gateway
⬜ Expired IP address
⬜ Slow DNS server
Users report slow access and drops to the company website, and you find the server hosting it has the wrong default gateway. What do you do?
⬜ Add a static route for the server on the router
⬜ Reconfigure the server’s default gateway
⬜ Reset the server’s switch
⬜ Give the server a new IP address
After a new subnet was added, only devices in that subnet can’t reach the internet. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ The default route is missing or misconfigured
⬜ The DHCP scope is misconfigured
⬜ There is a duplicate IP address
⬜ The ACL is misconfigured
Packets for a newly added remote network are being dropped. What should you check first?
⬜ VLAN configuration
⬜ The ACLs
⬜ Port security
⬜ The routing tables
Two devices can’t communicate, and the cable between them has a single copper conductor with insulation and a metallic shield. What cable is it?
⬜ Fiber Optic
⬜ Cat6
⬜ Cat5e
⬜ Coaxial
You need to find the source of connectivity problems in a cluttered server room full of cables. Which tool helps trace a specific connection?
⬜ Network Installation Kit
⬜ Toner
⬜ Connectivity Analyzer
⬜ Cable Labeling Tool
A company moved into a building where nobody documented which patch panel port goes to which office jack. Which tool do you use to map them?
⬜ Loopback adapter
⬜ Cable tester
⬜ Tone generator
⬜ Time-domain reflectometer
Users of cloud applications see high latency. What should Jake do to best reduce it?
⬜ Add more storage servers
⬜ Implement traffic shaping
⬜ Optimize the routing paths
⬜ Increase bandwidth
Heavy machinery causes strong electromagnetic interference in an industrial network. Which cable offers the BEST protection?
⬜ UTP Cat5e
⬜ STP Cat6
⬜ Coaxial cable
⬜ Single-mode fiber
A company in an industrial area has EMI problems. Which cable is an affordable fix?
⬜ STP cabling
⬜ UTP cabling
⬜ Multi-mode fiber
⬜ Single-mode fiber
Which command verifies an interface’s operational status, speed and duplex settings, and error counters?
⬜ show vlan
⬜ show interfaces
⬜ show version
⬜ show ip interface brief
A new fiber link between a router and a switch shows no connectivity, though all equipment works. What should you try?
⬜ Reconfigure the routing table
⬜ Swap the fiber strands at one end
⬜ Replace the switch
⬜ Change the duplex settings
What does the “show power” command show?
⬜ The power use and status of PoE ports
⬜ Power supply redundancy and health
⬜ Power management settings for interfaces
⬜ Routing protocol status
CRC errors are rising on links between one switch and several end devices. What should the administrator check first?
⬜ The quality and type of the cables
⬜ A possible broadcast storm
⬜ Port speed settings
⬜ The spanning tree configuration
On a VoIP call people say your voice speeds up and slows down at random, though you speak normally. What is happening?
⬜ Jitter
⬜ Bandwidth
⬜ Throughput
⬜ Latency
Which command finds the Layer 3 hops to a remote destination?
⬜ traceroute
⬜ nslookup
⬜ ping
⬜ netstat
Many users can’t reach websites. Which tool shows whether the problem is in your intranet or with the ISP?
⬜ nslookup
⬜ ping
⬜ tracert
⬜ netstat
Which tool locates a break in a single-mode fiber cable?
⬜ OTDR
⬜ Tone generator
⬜ Light meter
⬜ Media converter
Which tool finds out why an 802.11g network keeps dropping traffic?
⬜ WiFi analyzer
⬜ Cable tester
⬜ Tone generator and probe
⬜ Multimeter
Two DHCP clients have duplicate IP addresses. Which command should the technician run?
⬜ ipconfig /dhcp
⬜ ipconfig /renew
⬜ ipconfig /release | ipconfig /renew
⬜ ipconfig /all
Mathan created an A record for his new domain. Which tool checks it was created correctly?
⬜ arp
⬜ tcpdump
⬜ ipconfig
⬜ dig
What does the dig command return for example.com?
⬜ The network’s current bandwidth use.
⬜ The IP address associated with example.com.
⬜ All active connections.
⬜ The physical address of the hosting server.
You suspect a problem with your website’s DNS records. Which dig option asks for all available records for the domain?
⬜ dig -t soa example.com
⬜ dig -t any example.com
⬜ dig -t mx example.com
⬜ dig -t ns example.com
Which tool shows the frequencies being transmitted or received?
⬜ Spectrum analyzer
⬜ WiFi analyzer
⬜ Time-domain reflectometer
⬜ Tone generator
After a new WAP is installed, only 3 of 5 pings succeed over wireless while all 5 succeed over a wired connection. Which tool next?
⬜ Spectrum analyzer tool
⬜ Port scanner tool
⬜ Interface monitoring tool
⬜ Packet capture tool
A T1 stays down even though the router configuration and the cable to the CSU/DSU check out. Which tool tests the CSU/DSU’s interface?
⬜ Cable tester
⬜ Tone generator
⬜ Light meter
⬜ Loopback adapter
Some new Ethernet connections drop intermittently, and some RJ45 connectors weren’t crimped properly. What is the cause?
⬜ Crosstalk interference
⬜ Improper termination
⬜ Cable length mismatch
⬜ Cable jacket damage
In Spanning Tree Protocol, what are blocking, listening, learning and forwarding?
⬜ MAC addresses
⬜ Local VLAN assignments
⬜ IP addresses
⬜ Port states
Which state is a switch port in when STP has made it inactive because it isn’t on the best path to the root bridge?
⬜ Standby
⬜ Idle
⬜ Blocking
⬜ Listening
How is the root bridge ID chosen in STP?
⬜ Model number plus serial number.
⬜ IP address plus subnet mask.
⬜ Lowest MAC address plus port number.
⬜ Bridge priority plus the switch’s MAC address.
Several switches are connected without proper STP configuration, and users see intermittent connectivity and slow performance. What is the likely cause?
⬜ Network loop
⬜ ARP spoofing
⬜ Bandwidth saturation
⬜ DHCP server failure
Which protocol on Cisco devices shows neighbouring devices’ type, interface capabilities and management IP?
⬜ SNMP
⬜ LLDP
⬜ STP
⬜ CDP
Which discovery protocols let devices advertise their identity, capabilities and neighbours? (select two)
⬜ FTP
⬜ SNMP
⬜ VLANs
⬜ LLDP
⬜ CDP
⬜ OSPF
Users in a new segment lose connections to shared resources from time to time. What should be checked first?
⬜ Potential duplicate IP addresses
⬜ Switch port configuration
⬜ Speed and duplex settings
⬜ PoE settings
Which cable is LEAST suitable for devices that support Gigabit Ethernet?
⬜ Cat6a
⬜ Cat5e
⬜ Cat5
⬜ Cat6
Which command shows the MAC addresses a switch has learned?
⬜ show mac-address-table
⬜ show arp
⬜ show interface
⬜ show ip interface
You deploy 50 PoE cameras, and some won’t power on even though they are connected properly. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ The PoE switch has exceeded its power budget.
⬜ The cameras need a higher PoE standard.
⬜ The cables are too long.
⬜ The switch isn’t PoE-capable.
A new WAP sporadically drops devices. What should you check first?
⬜ Bandwidth saturation
⬜ WAP SSID
⬜ Encryption type
⬜ WAP placement
A wireless client uses AES but the 802.11ac access point is set to WEP. What problem results?
⬜ Wrong SSID
⬜ Encryption protocol mismatch
⬜ Insufficient wireless coverage
⬜ Incorrect passphrase
A WPA2 access point and an AES client give “Network security key mismatch”. What causes this?
⬜ Encryption protocol mismatch
⬜ Wrong SSID
⬜ Insufficient coverage
⬜ Incorrect passphrase
A student types “TRAININGNET” to join the hidden open network “TrainingNet” and can’t connect, while classmates can. What is the problem?
⬜ Incorrect passphrase
⬜ Encryption protocol mismatch
⬜ Wrong SSID
⬜ Insufficient coverage
The cable test on a Cat 5e run shows each pair with a PASS or FAIL result against the Cat 5e standard, plus the length, wire map and NEXT values. Which tool produced it?
⬜ Crimper
⬜ Protocol analyzer
⬜ Punchdown tool
⬜ Cable certifier
⬜ Multimeter
⬜ OTDR
A fiber link with excessive dB loss was recently moved to the other side of the room with a new patch cable. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ Distance limitations
⬜ Bend radius limitation
⬜ Wavelength mismatch
⬜ Dirty connectors
Excess fiber was coiled tightly and zip-tied to a rack, and the SFP’s transmit signal now reads too weak. What is the best explanation?
⬜ MMF used instead of SMF
⬜ MTRJ used instead of ST
⬜ The bend radius was exceeded
⬜ The SFP has failed
A point-to-point fiber interface won’t come up, though the connectors are clean and light passes both ways without loss. What is most likely?
⬜ Bend radius exceeded
⬜ EMI
⬜ Wavelength mismatch
⬜ Crosstalk
A fiber link is unstable with many CRC errors. What is most likely?
⬜ Incorrect shielding
⬜ Interference from nearby cables
⬜ Insufficient power
⬜ Incompatible transceivers at each end
A new fiber link between two data centers with SFP+ on both ends shows no link light. What is most likely?
⬜ Patch panel isn’t labeled
⬜ Mismatch between the transceivers
⬜ IP addressing doesn’t match
⬜ Fiber isn’t compatible with SFP+
Riser cables between floors must support 10GBaseT for 100 m, and there are no air ducts near the vertical cross-connect. Which cable should you choose?
⬜ Plenum-rated Cat6a
⬜ Riser-rated Cat5e
⬜ Riser-rated Cat6a
⬜ Plenum-rated Cat5e
A Cat 6 cable carries a 10 Gbps link over 60 m and gets frequent errors. What is the cause?
⬜ Crosstalk
⬜ Signal attenuation
⬜ TX/RX transposition
⬜ Incorrect cable category
You are installing a Cat 6a network in an old building. Which condition decides between plenum and PVC cable?
⬜ Air duct placement
⬜ Workstation models
⬜ Window placement
⬜ Floor composition
A cable was pulled past a sharp edge, exposing copper on several conductors. What happens if they touch?
⬜ Open circuit
⬜ Short
⬜ Electrostatic discharge
⬜ Crosstalk
After you replaced the second-floor switch, one user has no network and no NIC lights. What do you check next?
⬜ That the NIC works
⬜ That the switch connects to the router
⬜ That the network cable is attached to the new switch
⬜ That the right cable type is used
A new subnetting scheme was rolled out, and some employees can’t reach shared folders and printers despite connectivity. What is the likely cause?
⬜ Incorrect subnet mask
⬜ Interference from neighbouring Wi-Fi
⬜ Misconfigured DNS server
⬜ Outdated switches
After an upgrade, a client can’t reach the internet, and its IP isn’t in any configured subnet. What is the most likely cause?
⬜ Wrong subnet mask
⬜ Duplicate IP
⬜ DHCP server offline
⬜ A static IP outside the DHCP scope
Wireless clients are slow with high latency, while wired clients on the same 1 Gbps fiber WAN are fast. What is most likely?
⬜ RF interference on the access point
⬜ 802.11g APs would be faster
⬜ Fiber doesn’t support wireless
⬜ High signal-to-noise ratio
In a new office area, users have intermittent Wi-Fi and slow speeds, but signal strength is good everywhere. What is the main reason?
⬜ Roaming misconfiguration
⬜ Client disassociation
⬜ Insufficient coverage
⬜ Signal degradation
In some areas of the office, wireless devices often lose their connection, though the network works. What is most likely?
⬜ Client disassociation issues
⬜ Signal degradation
⬜ Insufficient wireless coverage
⬜ Roaming misconfiguration
An old wireless printer won’t connect to a new 802.11ac access point configured exactly like the old AP. Why?
⬜ Transmit power too low
⬜ Frequency mismatch
⬜ Wrong channel
⬜ Wrong password
A plane’s Wi-Fi network opens a browser and returns 404 “page not found”. What is likely?
⬜ Insufficient coverage
⬜ Wrong SSID
⬜ Captive portal issue
⬜ Incorrect passphrase
Your laptop worked yesterday but today shows no Wi-Fi networks; nobody else has a problem. What do you check first?
⬜ The access point configuration
⬜ The DHCP address
⬜ The wireless controller
⬜ The wireless switch on your laptop
Most 802.11n clients reach 300 Mbps, but a few with 802.11n cards are stuck at 108 Mbps. What should be done?
⬜ Install a vulnerability patch
⬜ Upgrade the WLAN card driver
⬜ Upgrade the OS to 64-bit
⬜ Roll back the WLAN firmware
You can’t ping external websites, but users can browse them. Why do pings fail?
⬜ VLAN hopping
⬜ TACACS+ misconfigured
⬜ The firewall blocks ICMP
⬜ Jumbo frames disabled
An attacker floods the network with ping requests. What prevents this in future?
⬜ Upgrade router firmware
⬜ Delete a user account
⬜ Change the ACL to block ICMP
⬜ Update antivirus
A cybersecurity analyst wants a copy of all traffic between the router and firewall without placing a device in-line. What is needed?
⬜ Fiber light meter
⬜ Fusion splicer
⬜ Tone generator
⬜ Network tap
A new DMZ web server should allow only HTTPS and block HTTP. Which tool checks it is hardened?
⬜ Port scanner
⬜ NetFlow analyzer
⬜ Nslookup
⬜ IP scanner
A remote office has poor performance, and you want to compare its traffic patterns with the baselines. Which tool?
⬜ Terminal emulator
⬜ IP scanner
⬜ Spectrum analyzer
⬜ NetFlow analyzer
Which tool measures the throughput between two new switches to build a performance baseline?
⬜ iPerf
⬜ Traceroute
⬜ Protocol analyzer
⬜ Bandwidth speed test
A home user’s speed test shows Download 99.79 Mbps and Upload 116.61 Mbps. What is correct?
⬜ The PC downloaded 99.79 MB and uploaded 116.61 MB.
⬜ The website downloads at 99.79 Mbps.
⬜ The PC receives data at 99.79 Mbps and sends at 116.61 Mbps.
⬜ The connection is asymmetric with faster download.
Three access points serve a new building: AP1 on the left outer wall, AP2 in the center and AP3 on the right outer wall. Which antennas keep the signal inside?
⬜ Directional Right for AP1, Omnidirectional for AP2, Directional Left for AP3
⬜ Directional Left for AP1, Omnidirectional for AP2, Directional Right for AP3
⬜ Omnidirectional for AP1, Directional Left for AP2, Directional Right for AP3
⬜ Directional Right for AP1, Directional Left for AP2, Omnidirectional for AP3
Which command checks whether DHCP snooping is enabled on a network device?
⬜ show config
⬜ show interface
⬜ show diagnostic
⬜ show route
Which command shows the active configuration on a Cisco device?
⬜ show startup-config
⬜ show running-config
⬜ show system
⬜ description
Which command lists the VLANs on a switch with their assigned ports?
⬜ show vlan brief
⬜ show ip interface brief
⬜ show running-config
⬜ show interfaces trunk
What does “show arp” show?
⬜ Active TCP connections
⬜ Interface packet statistics
⬜ IP-to-MAC address mappings
⬜ The routing table
What sends ICMP echo requests to check if a server is reachable and measure round-trip time?
⬜ traceroute
⬜ ping
⬜ nslookup
⬜ tcpdump
To investigate intermittent network issues, which tool captures live traffic with protocols, ports and contents?
⬜ nslookup
⬜ ping
⬜ traceroute
⬜ tcpdump
A server can’t reach some IP addresses. Which command shows its established connections and listening ports?
⬜ ipconfig
⬜ arp
⬜ dig
⬜ netstat
An Ubuntu workstation has intermittent connectivity. Which command quickly shows its IP configuration from DHCP?
⬜ nslookup
⬜ netstat
⬜ ipconfig
⬜ ifconfig
A DNS server won’t resolve a hostname. Which command queries DNS and gives diagnostic detail?
⬜ tcpdump
⬜ ping
⬜ traceroute
⬜ nslookup
Which Nmap flag runs a TCP connect scan?
⬜ -sU
⬜ -O
⬜ -sV
⬜ -sT
Which Nmap flag gives the most accurate operating system information?
⬜ -sT
⬜ -sV
⬜ -O
⬜ -sU
What does “nmap -p 22,80,443 10.50.30.2” return?
⬜ All connected devices and their MAC addresses.
⬜ An error for multiple ports.
⬜ The status of ports 22, 80 and 443 on the server.
⬜ The versions of services on those ports.
Users report slow access, and you suspect congestion. Which tool pinpoints the cause?
⬜ Protocol Analyzer
⬜ Toner
⬜ Wi-Fi Analyzer
⬜ Cable Tester
One department has slow speeds, especially during video calls, and hardware and configuration check out. What is the most likely problem?
⬜ Incorrect VLAN settings
⬜ Misconfigured firewall
⬜ Congestion from increased video traffic at peak times
⬜ Slow DNS resolution
Vera disabled a switch port before connecting a new firewall to it. Now the firewall won’t connect. Why?
⬜ The port is still administratively down.
⬜ The firewall isn’t compatible with the switch OS.
⬜ The port is error-disabled due to CRC errors.
⬜ The MAC address isn’t in the table.
Some company resources should be reachable only by finance devices. What should the administrator implement?
⬜ More wireless encryption
⬜ Rules that allow only specific devices to reach the accounting server
⬜ A VPN for finance
⬜ A new firewall for finance
CRC errors on a printer’s port grow with traffic. The printer is on a 90 m cable. What is the likely cause?
⬜ The cable category is too low.
⬜ Wrong VLAN.
⬜ The cable is too long.
⬜ A duplex mismatch between the port and the printer.
Users can’t reach resources in other VLANs, and VLAN assignments on some switch ports are wrong. What should be checked first?
⬜ DNS server settings
⬜ DHCP scope options
⬜ The switch’s VLAN database
⬜ The router’s routing table
