Computer Network Interview Questions with Answers

Now that we have covered all the important topics of computer networks, we shall look at some Computer Network Interview Questions with Answers that are important when learning about the aforementioned topics. Thus, below is a list of a few interview questions pertaining to the broad topic of computer networks.

Computer Network Interview Questions with Answers

1. How does dynamic host configuration protocol help in network administration?

Ans. Instead of visiting each client computer to configure a static IP address, the network administrator uses the dynamic host configuration protocol to create a pool of IP addresses. Clients receive IP addresses from this pool of addresses.

2. What is the best place to install an antivirus program in a network containing twenty workstations and two servers?

Ans. The best option is to install antivirus software on all of the network’s computers. This will protect all devices from other devices if a virus infects the server.

3. 10Base2 can populate how many network segments?

Ans. A 10Base2 network can have up to five segments, but it only populates three of them. A maximum of 30 nodes can attach themselves to each of the three populated segments.

4. Is it possible to connect a computer network with RG59 and RG6 cables?

Ans. RG59 or RG6 connections do not find use in the field of computer networks. These cables provide connectivity to cable television systems.

5. Is there any difference between router and gateway?

Ans. There is a distinction between the two. Although both the router and the gateway operate at the networking layer of the OSI stack, the router interfaces the same set of protocols while the gateway interfaces two different sets.

6. When would you not prefer a star topology and why?

Ans. We do not prefer star topologies in cases where the central computer is unable to handle the load of the network. This is because in case the central computer fails, the entire network will go down.

7. What happens when you use cables longer than the prescribed length?

Ans. Signal loss would occur if the cables were too long. Because the signal degrades over time, it has an impact on data transmission and reception.

8. In what situation would you prefer an optical fibre cable over other media?

Ans. Optical fibre finds use in situations where there is a need for higher transfer speeds, or in situations where there is threat of electrical interference. Electrical interference does not affect optical fibre cables.

9. What will you keep in mind when implementing a ring topology?

Ans. If one of the network’s workstations fails, the entire network can fail. Another disadvantage is that if we want to make adjustments and reconfigurations to a network, we have to take the entire network offline for a brief period of time.

10. In what situation will Tunnel mode in IPSec be applicable?

Ans. Tunnel mode is a data transfer mode in which two communicating computers do not use IPsec. Instead, tunnel mode creates a virtual tunnel using the gateway that connects their LANs to the transit network. As a result, it employs the IPsec protocol to encrypt all data passing through it.

11. How will you fix signal attenuation problems?

Ans. Repeaters and hubs are a common way of dealing with such a problem because they help regenerate the signal and thus prevent signal loss. It’s also a good idea to double-check that cables are properly terminated.

12. How will you differentiate between broadband and baseband technology?

Ans. Wires transit signals using both of these technologies. Baseband technology transmits data using bidirectional digital signals, which means that sending and receiving data both happen through a single channel. Broadband transmits data using unidirectional analogue signals, which means sending and receiving data happen through 2 separate channels.

13. Using what technology would you disguise private IP addresses in the public domain?

Ans. To avoid exposing private IP addresses on the internet, we can use Network Address Translation (NAT). Network Address Translation (NAT) is a method of representing an entire group of computers with a single, unique IP address. A network device, such as a router or NAT firewall, assigns a public address to a computer or computers inside a private network in network address translation.

14. In Bus topology, to remove a workstation from the network, we remove a T connector from the NIC. Will this network work normally?

Ans. Yes, this network will function normally because we will not interrupt the signal flow in the main cable by removing the T connector.

15. How will you solve a signal bouncing issue?

Ans. In bus topology, signal bouncing is a problem. Coaxial cable connects computers in a bus topology. When a computer sends a signal in this topology, the signal travels in both directions from the sending computer. When this signal reaches the cable’s end, it bounces back and returns in the same direction it came from. This is the signal bouncing problem. We can use terminators on both ends of the cable to solve this problem. When the signals reach it, the terminator absorbs them. The signal bouncing problem is now solved.

16. A firm has offices in Mumbai and Bangalore. What type of computer network will it use to connect these offices?

Ans. The WAN (Wide Area Network) network connects networks that are spread across multiple geographical locations. Thus, the firm would use WAN as a network type.

17. A company’s budget for a lease line connection is insufficient. Which less expensive option would you recommend for this company?

Ans. VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a more cost-effective leased line alternative.

18. A business wants to expand its intranet network to include some of its partners. What kind of network does it need to create?

Ans. When we need to extend the intranet to external parties for operational purposes, we’ll use the extranet.

19. Would you classify SMTP as a push protocol? If yes, why?

Ans. SMTP is a push protocol, meaning it sends data from the client to the server. SMTP sends email twice: once between the sender and the sender’s mail server, and once between the two mail servers. We require a client MTA (Message transfer agent) to send mail, and a server MTA to receive mail. To transfer messages between an MTA client and an MTA server, SMTP uses commands and responses. The client sends commands to the server, and the server sends responses to the client. SMTP does not pull the message.

20. When would you call a switch ‘congested’?

Ans. Occasionally, a switch receives packets faster than the shared link can accommodate. These packets are kept in memory for a while. However, after a while, this depletes the buffer space, resulting in the dropping of some packets. In this state, we term the switch as “congested”.

21. Suppose you are given the task of evaluating a network. What criteria would you use to determine the reliability of the network?

Ans. Downtime: It is the amount of time it takes for a network to recover from a failure.
Failure Frequency: This is the number of times a network fails.
Catastrophe: It denotes that the network has been harmed as a result of an unforeseen event, such as a fire or an earthquake.

22. How would you determine the connection path between a local host and a server?

Ans. The Traceroute command can be used to determine the connection path between your computers and the destination server. It’s a network diagnostic tool that’s used to figure out what’s wrong with a network’s routing. It keeps track of all the routers a data packet passes through on its way to its destination, as well as any transit delays.

23. Can a bridge divide a network into multiple smaller sections?

Ans. That may not be entirely accurate. A bridge’s purpose is to filter a large network without affecting the network’s size in any way.

24. Which IP address would you use for a loopback address and why?

Ans. Loopback addresses and local testing are the most common uses for the IP address 127.0.0.1. Loopback refers to checking an organisation’s internal systems by looping back to its own network. A loopback address can also be used to see if the TCP/IP stack is correctly installed.

25. If you were told to use only 10BaseT architecture, what topology would you choose?

Ans. In a star topology, the 10BaseT architecture is useful. It has a maximum speed of 10 Mbps. It uses UTP (CAT-3) cable and Baseband transmission technology.

26. For what reasons would you elect to use a modem in your network?

Ans. It’s better for connecting a LAN to the Internet. The speed is determined by the price. The modem is the most common mode of data communication.

27. What hardware related problems would you expect while operating a network?

Ans. Hardware makes up a large portion of a network. Hard drive failures, NIC failures, and even hardware startup issues can all occur in these areas. One of the culprits to investigate is incorrect hardware configuration.

28. Why do you think authentication is an important component of computer networks?

Ans. The process of verifying a user’s credentials before allowing him to log into a network is known as authentication. It’s usually done with the help of a username and password. This provides a secure method of limiting network access to unwanted intruders.

29. In what circumstances would you choose not to implement a ring topology?

Ans. If one of the network’s workstations fails, the entire network can be brought down with it. Another disadvantage is that when adjustments and reconfigurations are required on a network, the entire network must be brought down for a period of time.

30. Give an example of a technique you would implement in a network to make the network fault tolerant?

Ans. Clustering: A network operating system’s ability to connect multiple servers in a fault-tolerant group is referred to as clustering support. The main benefit of this is that if one of the servers in the cluster fails, all processing will be carried out by the next server in the cluster.

Summary:

In this article, we looked at a few challenging interview questions from the field of computer networks. These questions are a frequent part of interviews for a job position involving the use of computer networks.