What is the network?

According to Merriam-Webster, Network is usually an informally

interconnected group or association of different entities like a person,
computers, radio stations, etc.

For example, Dominos has a network of 1232 branches across India. As

the name suggests the computer network is a system of peripherals or
computers interconnected with each other and has a standard
communication channel established between them to exchange different
types of information and data.

Why is the computer network so important?

Have you ever heard of the Internet or the NET? I guess you have, as you
are already reading this article on Interviewbit surfing the internet. But,
have you ever thought about the internet? The Internet is a network of a
network connecting all different network-enabled devices which enable
data and information sharing between them and that makes computer
networks a core part of our life and technical interviews.

Below is the list of all commonly asked networking questions in

technical interviews from basic to advanced levels.
Basic Networking Interview Questions
1. How are Network types classified?
Network types can be classified and divided based on the area of
distribution of the network. The below diagram would help to understand
the same:

Network Types

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2. Explain different types of networks.

Below are few types of networks:

Type Description

Let devices connect and communicate

PAN (Personal
over the range of a person. E.g.
Area Network)
connecting Bluetooth devices.

It is a privately owned network that

LAN (Local Area
operates within and nearby a single
Network)
building like a home, office, or factory

MAN
It connects and covers the whole city.
(Metropolitan
E.g. TV Cable connection over the city
Area Network)

It spans a large geographical area,

WAN (Wide Area
often a country or continent. The
Network)
Internet is the largest WAN

It is also known as the Internet which

GAN (Global connects the globe using satellites.
Area Network) The Internet is also called the Network
of WANs.
3. Explain LAN (Local Area Network)
LANs are widely used to connect computers/laptops and consumer
electronics which enables them to share resources (e.g., printers, fax
machines) and exchange information. When LANs are used by companies
or organizations, they are called enterprise networks. There are two
different types of LAN networks i.e. wireless LAN (no wires involved
achieved using Wi-Fi) and wired LAN (achieved using LAN cable).
Wireless LANs are very popular these days for places where installing
wire is difficult. The below diagrams explain both wireless and wired LAN.

LAN (Local Area Network)

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Networking Interview Questions. PDF

4. Tell me something about VPN (Virtual Private

Network)
VPN or the Virtual Private Network is a private WAN (Wide Area Network)
built on the internet. It allows the creation of a secured tunnel (protected
network) between different networks using the internet (public network).
By using the VPN, a client can connect to the organization’s network
remotely. The below diagram shows an organizational WAN network over
Australia created using VPN:

VPN (Virtual Private Network)

5. What are the advantages of using a VPN?
Below are few advantages of using VPN:

VPN is used to connect offices in different geographical locations

remotely and is cheaper when compared to WAN connections.
 VPN is used for secure transactions and confidential data transfer
between multiple offices located in different geographical locations.

VPN keeps an organization’s information secured against any

potential threats or intrusions by using virtualization.

VPN encrypts the internet traffic and disguises the online identity.

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6. What are the different types of VPN?

Few types of VPN are:

Access VPN: Access VPN is used to provide connectivity to remote

mobile users and telecommuters. It serves as an alternative to dial-up
connections or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network)
 connections. It is a low-cost solution and provides a wide range of
connectivity.

Site-to-Site VPN: A Site-to-Site or Router-to-Router VPN is

commonly used in large companies having branches in different
locations to connect the network of one office to another in different
locations. There are 2 sub-categories as mentioned below:

Intranet VPN: Intranet VPN is useful for connecting remote offices in

different geographical locations using shared infrastructure (internet
connectivity and servers) with the same accessibility policies as a
private WAN (wide area network).

Extranet VPN: Extranet VPN uses shared infrastructure over an

intranet, suppliers, customers, partners, and other entities and
connects them using dedicated connections.
7. What are nodes and links?
Node: Any communicating device in a network is called a Node. Node is
the point of intersection in a network. It can send/receive data and
information within a network. Examples of the node can be computers,
laptops, printers, servers, modems, etc.

Link: A link or edge refers to the connectivity between two nodes in the
network. It includes the type of connectivity (wired or wireless) between
the nodes and protocols used for one node to be able to communicate
with the other.
 Nodes and Links

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8. What is the network topology?

Network topology is a physical layout of the network, connecting the
different nodes using the links. It depicts the connectivity between the
computers, devices, cables, etc.

9. Define different types of network topology

The different types of network topology are given below:

Bus Topology:

Bus Topology

All the nodes are connected using the central link known as the bus.

It is useful to connect a smaller number of devices.

If the main cable gets damaged, it will damage the whole network.
Star Topology:

Star Topology

All the nodes are connected to one single node known as the central
node.

It is more robust.

If the central node fails the complete network is damaged.

Easy to troubleshoot.
 Mainly used in home and office networks.
Ring Topology:

Ring Topology

Each node is connected to exactly two nodes forming a ring structure

If one of the nodes are damaged, it will damage the whole network

It is used very rarely as it is expensive and hard to install and manage

Mesh Topology:

Mesh Topology

Each node is connected to one or many nodes.

It is robust as failure in one link only disconnects that node.

It is rarely used and installation and management are difficult.

Tree Topology:
 Tree Topology

A combination of star and bus topology also know as an extended bus

topology.

All the smaller star networks are connected to a single bus.

If the main bus fails, the whole network is damaged.

Hybrid:

It is a combination of different topologies to form a new topology.

It helps to ignore the drawback of a particular topology and helps to

pick the strengths from other.
10. What is an IPv4 address? What are the different
classes of IPv4?
An IP address is a 32-bit dynamic address of a node in the network. An
IPv4 address has 4 octets of 8-bit each with each number with a value up
to 255.

IPv4 classes are differentiated based on the number of hosts it supports

on the network. There are five types of IPv4 classes and are based on the
first octet of IP addresses which are classified as Class A, B, C, D, or E.
 IPv4 Class IPv4 Start Address IPv4 End Address

A 0.0.0.0 127.255.255.255

B 128.0.0.0 191.255.255.255

C 192.0.0.0 223.255.255.255

D 224.0.0.0 239.255.255.255

E 240.0.0.0 255.255.255.254

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11. What are Private and Special IP addresses?
Private Address: For each class, there are specific IPs that are reserved
specifically for private use only. This IP address cannot be used for
devices on the Internet as they are non-routable.
 IPv4 Class Private IPv4 Start Address Private IPv4 E

A 10.0.0.0 10.255.255.25

B 172.16.0.0 172.31.255.25

C 192.168.0.0 192.168.255.2

Special Address: IP Range from 127.0.0.1 to 127.255.255.255 are

network testing addresses also known as loopback addresses are the
special IP address.

Intermediate Interview Questions

1. Describe the OSI Reference Model
Open System Interconnections (OSI) is a network architecture model
based on the ISO standards. It is called the OSI model as it deals with
connecting the systems that are open for communication with other
systems.

The OSI model has seven layers. The principles used to arrive at the
seven layers can be summarized briefly as below:

Create a new layer if a different abstraction is needed.

Each layer should have a well-defined function.

The function of each layer is chosen based on internationally

standardized protocols.
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2. Define the 7 different layers
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Model
Here the 7 layers of the OSI reference model:

Layers of OSI Model

Layer Unit Exchanged Description

Physical Bit It is concerned

with
transmitting raw
Layer Unit Exchanged Description

bits over a
communication
channel.

Chooses which
type of
transmission
mode is to be
selected for the
transmission.
The available
transmission
modes are
Simplex, Half
Duplex and Full
Duplex.,

Data Link Frame The main task

of this layer is
to transform a
raw
transmission
facility into a
line that
appears free of
undetected
Layer Unit Exchanged Description

transmission
errors.

It also allows
detecting
damaged
packets using
the CRC
(Cyclic
Redundancy
Check) error-
detecting, code.

When more
than one node
is connected to
a shared link,
Data Link Layer
protocols are
required to
determine
which device
has control
over the link at
a given time.

It is
implemented by
Layer Unit Exchanged Description

protocols like
CSMA/CD,
CSMA/CA,
ALOHA, and
Token Passing.

It controls the
operation of the
subnet.

The network
Network Packet layer takes care
of feedback
messaging
through ICMP
messages.

Transport TPDU - The basic

Transaction functionality of
Protocol Data
this layer is to
Unit
accept data
from the above
layers, split it
up into smaller
units if needed,
pass these to
the network
Layer Unit Exchanged Description

layer, and
ensure that all
the pieces
arrive correctly
at the other
end.

The Transport
Layer takes
care of
Segmentation
and
Reassembly.

Session SPDU - Session The session

Protocol Data layer allows
Unit
users on
different
machines to
establish
sessions
between them.

Dialogue
control is using
the full-duplex
link as half-
Layer Unit Exchanged Description

duplex. It sends
out dummy
packets from
the client to the
server when
the client is
ideal.

The
presentation
layer is
concerned with
the syntax and
semantics of
the information
PPDU -
Presentation transmitted.
Presentation
Protocol Data It translates a
Unit
message from
a common form
to the encoded
format which
will be
understood by
the receiver.
 Layer Unit Exchanged Description

It contains a
variety of
protocols that
are commonly
APDU - needed by
Application
Application users.
Protocol Data
Unit The application
layer sends
data of any size
to the transport
layer.

3. Describe the TCP/IP Reference Model

It is a compressed version of the OSI model with only 4 layers. It was
developed by the US Department of Defence (DoD) in the 1980s. The
name of this model is based on 2 standard protocols used i.e. TCP
(Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol).

4. Define the 4 different layers of the TCP/IP Reference

Model
 Layers of TCP/IP

Layer Description

Decides which links such as serial lines or

Link classic Ethernet must be used to meet the
needs of the connectionless internet layer.

The internet layer is the most important

layer which holds the whole architecture
Internet together.

It delivers the IP packets where they are

supposed to be delivered.

Its functionality is almost the same as the

Transport OSI transport layer. It enables peer entities
on the network to carry on a conversation.

Application It contains all the higher-level protocols.

5. Differentiate OSI Reference Model with TCP/IP

Reference Model
 OSI Vs TCP/IP

OSI Reference Model TCP/IP Reference Model

7 layered architecture 4 layered architecture

Fixed boundaries and Flexible architecture with no

functionality for each strict boundaries between
layer layers

Low Reliability High Reliability

Vertical Layer Approach Horizontal Layer Approach

6. What are the HTTP and the HTTPS protocol?

HTTP is the HyperText Transfer Protocol which defines the set of rules
and standards on how the information can be transmitted on the World
Wide Web (WWW). It helps the web browsers and web servers for
communication. It is a ‘stateless protocol’ where each command is
independent with respect to the previous command. HTTP is an
application layer protocol built upon the TCP. It uses port 80 by default.

HTTPS is the HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure or Secure HTTP. It is an

advanced and secured version of HTTP. On top of HTTP, SSL/TLS
protocol is used to provide security. It enables secure transactions by
encrypting the communication and also helps identify network servers
securely. It uses port 443 by default.
7. What is the SMTP protocol?
SMTP is the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. SMTP sets the rule for
communication between servers. This set of rules helps the software to
transmit emails over the internet. It supports both End-to-End and Store-
and-Forward methods. It is in always-listening mode on port 25.
 SMTP Protocol
8. What is the DNS?
DNS is the Domain Name System. It is considered as the devices/services
directory of the Internet. It is a decentralized and hierarchical naming
system for devices/services connected to the Internet. It translates the
domain names to their corresponding IPs. For e.g. interviewbit.com to
172.217.166.36. It uses port 53 by default.

9. What is the use of a router and how is it different

from a gateway?
The router is a networking device used for connecting two or more
network segments. It directs the traffic in the network. It transfers
information and data like web pages, emails, images, videos, etc. from
source to destination in the form of packets. It operates at the network
layer. The gateways are also used to route and regulate the network traffic
but, they can also send data between two dissimilar networks while a
router can only send data to similar networks.

Advanced Interview Questions

1. What is the TCP protocol?
TCP or TCP/IP is the Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol. It is
a set of rules that decides how a computer connects to the Internet and
how to transmit the data over the network. It creates a virtual network
when more than one computer is connected to the network and uses the
three ways handshake model to establish the connection which makes it
more reliable.

2. What is the UDP protocol?

UDP is the User Datagram Protocol and is based on Datagrams. Mainly, it
is used for multicasting and broadcasting. Its functionality is almost the
same as TCP/IP Protocol except for the three ways of handshaking and
error checking. It uses a simple transmission without any hand-shaking
which makes it less reliable.

3. Compare between TCP and UDP

TCP/IP UDP

Connection-Oriented
Connectionless Protocol
Protocol

More Reliable Less Reliable

Slower Transmission Faster Transmission

TCP/IP UDP

Packets order can be Packets order is not fixed and

preserved or can be packets are independent of
rearranged each other

Uses three ways

No handshake for
handshake model for
establishing the connection
connection

TCP packets are heavy-

UDP packets are light-weight
weight

Offers error checking No error checking

mechanism mechanism

Protocols like HTTP, FTP, Protocols like DNS, RIP,

Telnet, SMTP, HTTPS, etc SNMP, RTP, BOOTP, TFTP,
use TCP at the transport NIP, etc use UDP at the
layer transport layer
 TCP VS UDP
4. What is the ICMP protocol?
ICMP is the Internet Control Message Protocol. It is a network layer
protocol used for error handling. It is mainly used by network devices like
routers for diagnosing the network connection issues and crucial for error
reporting and testing if the data is reaching the preferred destination in
time. It uses port 7 by default.

5. What do you mean by the DHCP Protocol?

DHCP is the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

It is an application layer protocol used to auto-configure devices on IP

networks enabling them to use the TCP and UDP-based protocols. The
DHCP servers auto-assign the IPs and other network configurations to the
devices individually which enables them to communicate over the IP
network. It helps to get the subnet mask, IP address and helps to resolve
the DNS. It uses port 67 by default.
6. What is the ARP protocol?
ARP is Address Resolution Protocol. It is a network-level protocol used to
convert the logical address i.e. IP address to the device's physical address
i.e. MAC address. It can also be used to get the MAC address of devices
when they are trying to communicate over the local network.

ARP Protocol

7. What is the FTP protocol?

FTP is a File Transfer Protocol. It is an application layer protocol used to
transfer files and data reliably and efficiently between hosts. It can also be
used to download files from remote servers to your computer. It uses port
27 by default.
8. What is the MAC address and how is it related to
NIC?
MAC address is the Media Access Control address. It is a 48-bit or 64-bit
unique identifier of devices in the network. It is also called the physical
address embedded with Network Interface Card (NIC) used at the Data
Link Layer. NIC is a hardware component in the networking device using
which a device can connect to the network.

9. Differentiate the MAC address with the IP address

The difference between MAC address and IP address are as follows:

MAC Address IP Address

Media Access Control

Internet Protocol Address
Address

6 or 8-byte 4 (IPv4) or 16 (IPv6) Byte

hexadecimal number address

It is embedded with
It is obtained from the network
NIC

Physical Address Logical Address

Operates at Data Link

Operates at Network Layer.
Layer

Helps to identify the Helps to identify the device

device connectivity on the network.
10. What is a subnet?
A subnet is a network inside a network achieved by the process called
subnetting which helps divide a network into subnets. It is used for getting
a higher routing efficiency and enhances the security of the network. It
reduces the time to extract the host address from the routing table.

Subnet

11. Compare the hub vs switch

Hub Switch

Operates at Data Link

Operates at Physical Layer
Layer

Full-Duplex transmission
Half-Duplex transmission mode
mode

Ethernet devices can be LAN devices can be

connectedsend connected

Less complex, less intelligent,

Intelligent and effective
and cheaper
 Hub Switch

No software support for the Administration software

administration support is present

Supports high speed in

Less speed up to 100 MBPS
GBPS

Less efficient as there is no More efficient as the

way to avoid collisions when collisions can be
more than one nodes sends avoided or reduced as
the packets at the same time compared to Hub

12. What is the difference between the ipconfig and the

ifconfig?

ipconfig ifconfig

Internet Protocol
Interface Configuration
Configuration

Command used in
Command used in MAC,
Microsoft operating
Linux, UNIX operating
systems to view and
systems to view and
configure network
configure network interfaces
interfaces

Used to get the TCP/IP summary and allows to changes the

DHCP and DNS settings

13. What is the firewall?

The firewall is a network security system that is used to monitor the
incoming and outgoing traffic and blocks the same based on the firewall
security policies. It acts as a wall between the internet (public network)
and the networking devices (a private network). It is either a hardware
device, software program, or a combination of both. It adds a layer of
security to the network.

Firewall
14. What are Unicasting, Anycasting, Multicasting and
Broadcasting?
Unicasting: If the message is sent to a single node from the source
then it is known as unicasting. This is commonly used in networks to
establish a new connection.

Anycasting: If the message is sent to any of the nodes from the

source then it is known as anycasting. It is mainly used to get the
content from any of the servers in the Content Delivery System.

Multicasting: If the message is sent to a subset of nodes from the

source then it is known as multicasting. Used to send the same data
to multiple receivers.
 Broadcasting: If the message is sent to all the nodes in a network
from a source then it is known as broadcasting. DHCP and ARP in the
local network use broadcasting.
15. What happens when you enter google.com in the
web browser?
Below are the steps that are being followed:

Check the browser cache first if the content is fresh and present in
cache display the same.

If not, the browser checks if the IP of the URL is present in the cache
(browser and OS) if not then request the OS to do a DNS lookup
using UDP to get the corresponding IP address of the URL from the
DNS server to establish a new TCP connection.

A new TCP connection is set between the browser and the server
using three-way handshaking.

An HTTP request is sent to the server using the TCP connection.

The web servers running on the Servers handle the incoming HTTP
request and send the HTTP response.

The browser process the HTTP response sent by the server and may
close the TCP connection or reuse the same for future requests.

If the response data is cacheable then browsers cache the same.

Browser decodes the response and renders the content.