Network Engineer Interview Questions and Answers
Network Engineer Interview Questions and Answers
1) What is a Link?
A link refers to the connectivity between two devices. It includes the type of cables and protocols used for one
device to be able to communicate with the other.
There are 7 OSI layers: 1) Physical Layer, 2) Data Link Layer, 3) Network Layer, 4) Transport Layer, 5)
Session Layer, 6) Presentation Layer, and 7) Application Layer.
A backbone network is a centralized infrastructure that is designed to distribute different routes and data to
various networks. It also handles the management of bandwidth and multiple channels.
4) What is a LAN?
LAN network
LAN stands for Local Area Network. It refers to the connection between computers and other network devices
that are located within a small physical location.
5) What is a node?
A node refers to a point or joint where a connection takes place. It can be a computer or device that is part of a
network. Two or more nodes are needed to form a network connection.
Router
Routers can connect two or more network segments. These are intelligent network devices that store
information in its routing tables, such as paths, hops, and bottlenecks. With this info, they can determine the
best path for data transfer. Routers operate at the OSI Network Layer.
It refers to a direct connection between two computers on a network. A point to point connection does not need
any other network devices other than connecting a cable to the NIC cards of both computers.
Anonymous FTP is a way of granting user access to files in public servers. Users that are allowed access to
data in these servers do not need to identify themselves, but instead, log in as an anonymous guest.
A subnet mask is combined with an IP address to identify two parts: the extended network address and the
host address. Like an IP address, a subnet mask is made up of 32 bits.
A single segment of UTP cable has an allowable length of 90 to 100 meters. This limitation can be overcome
by using repeaters and switches.
Network Topology refers to the layout of a computer network. It shows how devices and cables are physically
laid out, as well as how they connect.
VPN means Virtual Private Network, a technology that allows a secure tunnel to be created across a network
such as the Internet. For example, VPNs allow you to establish a secure dial-up connection to a remote server.
14) Briefly describe NAT
NAT is Network Address Translation. This is a protocol that provides a way for multiple computers on a
common network to share a single connection to the Internet.
15) What is the job of the Network Layer under the OSI reference model?
The Network layer is responsible for data routing, packet switching, and control of network congestion. Routers
operate under this layer.
16) How does a network topology affect your decision to set a network?
Network topology dictates what media you must use to interconnect devices. It also serves as a basis on what
materials, connectors, and terminations that is applicable for the setup.
RIP, short for Routing Information Protocol is used by routers to send data from one network to another. It
efficiently manages routing data by broadcasting its routing table to all other routers within the network. It
determines the network distance in units of hops.
There are several ways to do this. Install a reliable and updated anti-virus program on all computers. Make sure
firewalls are setup and configured correctly. User authentication will also help a lot. All these combined would
make a highly secured network.
NIC is short for Network Interface Card. This is a peripheral card that is attached to a PC in order to connect to
a network. Every NIC has its own MAC address that identifies the PC on the network.
The physical layer does the conversion from data bits to the electrical signal, and vice versa. This is where
network devices and cable types are considered and setup.
Proxy servers primarily prevent external users who are identifying the IP addresses of an internal network.
Without knowledge of the correct IP address, even the physical location of the network cannot be identified.
Proxy servers can make a network virtually invisible to external users.
This layer provides the protocols and means for two devices on the network to communicate with each other by
holding a session. This includes setting up the session, managing information exchange during the session,
and tear-down process upon termination of the session.
A fault tolerance system ensures continuous data availability. This is done by eliminating a single point of
failure.
Private IP addresses are assigned for use on intranets. These addresses are used for internal networks and
are not routable on external public networks. These ensure that no conflicts are present among internal
networks. At the same time, the same range of private IP addresses is reusable for multiple intranets since they
do not “see” each other.
NOS, or Network Operating System, is specialized software. The main task of this software is to provide
network connectivity to a computer in order to communicate with other computers and connected devices.
DoS, or Denial-of-Service attack, is an attempt to prevent users from being able to access the Internet or any
other network services. Such attacks may come in different forms and are done by a group of perpetrators.
One common method of doing this is to overload the system server so it cannot anymore process legitimate
traffic and will be forced to reset.
30) What is OSI, and what role does it play in computer networks?
OSI (Open Systems Interconnect) serves as a reference model for data communication. It is made up of 7
layers, with each layer defining a particular aspect of how network devices connect and communicate with one
another. One layer may deal with the physical media used, while another layer dictates how data is transmitted
across the network.
31) What is the purpose of cables being shielded and having twisted pairs?
The primary purpose of this is to prevent crosstalk. Crosstalk’s are electromagnetic interferences or noise that
can affect data being transmitted across cables.
By using address translation instead of routing, address sharing provides an inherent security benefit. That’s
because host PCs on the Internet can only see the public IP address of the external interface on the computer.
Instead, it provides address translation and not the private IP addresses on the internal network.
MAC, or Media Access Control, uniquely identifies a device on the network. It is also known as a physical
address or an Ethernet address. A MAC address is made up of 6-byte parts.
34) What is the equivalent layer or layers of the TCP/IP Application layer in terms of the OSI reference
model?
The TCP/IP Application layer has three counterparts on the OSI model: 1) Session Layer, 2) Presentation
Layer, and 3) Application Layer.
By looking at the first octet of any given IP address, you can identify whether it’s Class A, B, or C. If the first
octet begins with a 0 bit, that address is Class A. If it begins with bits 10 then that address is a Class B
address. If it begins with 110, then it’s a Class C network.
OSPF, or Open Shortest Path First, is a link-state routing protocol that uses routing tables to determine the
best possible path for data exchange.
Firewalls serve to protect an internal network from external attacks. These external threats can be hackers who
want to steal data or computer viruses that can wipe out data in an instant. It also prevents other users from
external networks from gaining access to the private network.
Disadvantages:
Gateways provide connectivity between two or more network segments. It is usually a computer that runs the
gateway software and provides translation services. This translation is key in allowing different systems to
communicate on the network.
One major disadvantage of star topology is that once the central Hub or switch gets damaged, the entire
network becomes unusable.
SLIP, or Serial Line Interface Protocol, is an old protocol developed during the early UNIX days. This is one of
the protocols that are used for remote access.
10.0.0.0 with a subnet mask of 255.0.0.0172.16.0.0 with subnet mask of 255.240.0.0192.168.0.0 with subnet
mask of 255.255.0.0
A network administrator has many responsibilities that can be summarized into 3 key functions: installation of a
network, a configuration of network settings, and maintenance/troubleshooting of networks.
Accessing the resources that are shared by one of the workstations on the network takes a performance hit.
A hybrid network is a network setup that makes use of both client-server and peer-to-peer architecture.
DHCP is short for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Its main task is to assign an IP address to devices
across the network automatically. It first checks for the next available address not yet taken by any device, then
assigns this to a network device.
The main task of the ARP or Address Resolution Protocol is to map a known IP address to a MAC layer
address.
TCP/IP is short for Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol. This is a set of protocol layers that is
designed to make data exchange possible on different types of computer networks, also known as a
heterogeneous network.
Routers have a built-in console that lets you configure different settings, like security and data logging. You can
assign restrictions to computers, such as what resources it is allowed access or what particular time of the day,
they can browse the Internet. You can even put restrictions on what websites are not viewable across the entire
network.
51) What protocol can be applied when you want to transfer files between different platforms, such as
UNIX systems and Windows servers?
Use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) for file transfers between such different servers. This is possible because FTP
is platform-independent.
Default gateways provide means for the local networks to connect to the external network. The default gateway
for connecting to the external network is usually the address of the external router port.
Good passwords are made up of not just letters, but by combining letters and numbers. A password that
combines uppercase and lowercase letters is favorable than one that uses all upper case or all lower-case
letters. Passwords must be not words that can easily be guessed by hackers, such as dates, names, favorites,
etc. Longer passwords are also better than short ones.
The proper termination for unshielded twisted pair network cable is 100 ohms.
Netstat is a command-line utility program. It provides useful information about the current TCP/IP settings of a
connection.
For a Class C network, the number of usable Network ID bits is 21. The number of possible network IDs is 2
raised to 21 or 2,097,152. The number of host IDs per network ID is 2 raised to 8 minus 2, or 254.
57) What happens when you use cables longer than the prescribed length?
Cables that are too long would result in signal loss. It means that data transmission and reception would be
affected because the signal degrades over length.
Client-server problems
Application conflicts
Error in configuration
Protocol mismatch
Security issues
User policy and rights issues
ICMP is an Internet Control Message Protocol. It provides messaging and communication for protocols within
the TCP/IP stack. This is also the protocol that manages error messages that are used by network tools such
as PING.
Ping is a utility program that allows you to check connectivity between network devices on the network. You
can ping a device by using its IP address or device name, such as a computer name.
DNS is the Domain Name System. The main function of this network service is to provide host names to
TCP/IP address resolution.
63) What advantages does fiber optics have over other media?
One major advantage of fiber optics is that it is less susceptible to electrical interference. It also supports higher
bandwidth, meaning more data can be transmitted and received. Signal degrading is also very minimal over
long distances.
Hub Switch
A hub operates on the physical layer. A switch operates on the data link layer.
Hubs perform frame flooding that can be It performs broadcast, then the unicast and multicast as
unicast, multicast, or broadcast. needed.
Just a singular domain of collision is present
Varied ports have separate collision domains.
in a hub.
The transmission mode is Half-duplex The transmission mode is Full duplex
Hubs operate as a Layer 1 device per the Network switches help you to operate at Layer 2 of the OSI
OSI model. model.
To connect a network of personal computers
Allow connecting multiple devices and ports.
should be joined through a central hub.
Uses electrical signal orbits Uses frame & packet
Does not offer Spanning-Tree Multiple Spanning-Tree is possible
Collisions occur mostly in setups using hubs. No collisions occur in a full-duplex switch.
Hub is a passive device A switch is an active device
Switches use CAM (Content Accessible Memory) that can be
A network hub can’t store MAC addresses.
accessed by ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Chips).
Not an intelligent device Intelligent device
Its speed is up to 10 Mbps 10/100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 10 Gbps
Does not use software Has software for administration
65) What are the different network protocols that are supported by Windows RRAS services?
There are three main network protocols supported: NetBEUI, TCP/IP, and IPX.
66) What are the maximum networks and hosts in class A, B, and C network?
For Class A, there are 126 possible networks and 16,777,214 hosts. For Class B, there are 16,384 possible
networks and 65,534 hosts. For Class C, there are 2,097,152 possible networks and 254 hosts
68) What protocols fall under the Application layer of the TCP/IP stack?
The following are the protocols under the TCP/IP Application layer: FTP, TFTP, Telnet, and SMTP.
69) You need to connect two computers for file sharing. Is it possible to do this without using a hub or
a router?
Yes, you can connect two computers, using only one cable. A crossover type cable can be used in this
scenario. In this setup, the data transmit pin of one cable is connected to the data receive pin of the other
cable, and vice versa.
Ipconfig is a utility program that is commonly used to identify the addresses information of a computer on a
network. It can show the physical address as well as the IP address.
A straight-through cable is used to connect computers to a switch, hub, or router. A crossover cable is used to
connect two similar devices, such as a PC to PC or Hub, to the Hub.
Client/server is a type of network wherein one or more computers act as servers. Servers provide a centralized
repository of resources such as printers and files. Clients refer to a workstation that accesses the server.
Networking refers to the interconnection between computers and peripherals for data communication.
Networking can be done using wired cabling or through a wireless link.
74) When you move the NIC cards from one PC to another PC, does the MAC address gets transferred
as well?
Yes, that’s because MAC addresses are hard-wired into the NIC circuitry, not the PC. This also means that a
PC can have a different MAC address when another one replaced the NIC card.
Clustering support refers to the ability of a network operating system to connect multiple servers in a fault-
tolerant group. The main purpose of this is the if one server fails, all processing will continue with the next
server in the cluster.
An anti-virus program must be installed on all servers and workstations to ensure protection. That’s because
individual users can access any workstation and introduce a computer virus. You can plug in their removable
hard drives or flash drives.
77) Describe Ethernet.
Ethernet is one of the popular networking technologies used these days. It was developed during the early
1970s and is based on specifications, as stated in the IEEE. Ethernet is used in local area networks.
In case one workstation on the network suffers a malfunction, it can bring down the entire network. Another
drawback is that when there are adjustments and reconfigurations needed to be performed on a particular
network, the entire network must be temporarily brought down.
CSMA/CD, or Collision Detect, retransmits data frames whenever a collision occurred. CSMA/CA, or Collision
Avoidance, will first broadcast intent to send prior to data transmission.
SMTP is short for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. This protocol deals with all internal mail and provides the
necessary mail delivery services on the TCP/IP protocol stack.
Multicast routing is a targeted form of broadcasting that sends a message to a selected group of the user
instead of sending it to all users on a subnet.
Encryption is the process of translating information into a code that is unreadable by the user. It is then
translated back or decrypted back to its normal readable format using a secret key or password. Encryption
ensures that information that is intercepted halfway would remain unreadable because the user must have the
correct password or key for it.
IP addresses are displayed as a series of four decimal numbers that are separated by period or dots. Another
term for this arrangement is the dotted-decimal format. An example is 192.168.101.2
Authentication is the process of verifying a user’s credentials before he can log into the network. It is normally
performed using a username and password. This provides a secure means of limiting access from unwanted
intruders on the network.
This is a mode of data exchange wherein two communicating computers do not use IPsec themselves. Instead,
the gateway that is connecting their LANs to the transit network creates a virtual tunnel. So, it uses the IPsec
protocol to secure all communication that passes through it.
86) What are the different technologies involved in establishing WAN links?
The mesh topology has a unique network design in which each computer on the network connects to every
other. It is developing a P2P (point-to-point) connection between all the devices of the network. It offers a high
level of redundancy, so even if one network cable fails, data still has an alternative path to reach its destination.
Partial Mesh Topology: In this type of topology, most of the devices are connected almost similarly as full
topology. The only difference is that few devices are connected with just two or three devices.
A large percentage of a network is made up of hardware. Problems in these areas can range from
malfunctioning hard drives, broken NICs, and even hardware startups. Incorrect hardware configuration is also
one of those culprits to look into.
A common way of dealing with such a problem is to use repeaters and hubs because it will help regenerate the
signal and therefore prevent signal loss. Checking if cables are properly terminated is also a must.
90) How does dynamic host configuration protocol aid in network administration?
Instead of having to visit each client computer to configure a static IP address, the network administrator can
apply dynamic host configuration protocol to create a pool of IP addresses known as scopes that can be
dynamically assigned to clients.
Profiles are the configuration settings made for each user. A profile may be created that puts a user in a group,
for example.
Sneakernet is believed to be the earliest form of networking wherein data is physically transported using
removable media, such as disk, tapes.
IEEE, or the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, is an organization composed of engineers that
issues and manages standards for electrical and electronic devices. This includes networking devices, network
interfaces, cablings, and connectors.
There are 4 protocols that are being managed by this layer. These are ICMP, IGMP, IP, and ARP.
Rights refer to the authorized permission to perform specific actions on the network. Each user on the network
can be assigned individual rights, depending on what must be allowed for that user.
A VLAN is required because at the switch level. There is only one broadcast domain. It means whenever a new
user is connected to switch. This information is spread throughout the network. VLAN on switch helps to create
a separate broadcast domain at the switch level. It is used for security purposes.
IPv6, or Internet Protocol version 6, was developed to replace IPv4. At present, IPv4 is being used to control
internet traffic but is expected to get saturated in the near future. IPv6 was designed to overcome this limitation.
RSA is short for the Rivest-Shamir-Adleman algorithm. It is the most commonly used public-key encryption
algorithm in use today.
Mesh topology is a setup wherein each device is connected directly to every other device on the network.
Consequently, it requires that each device has at least two network connections.
The maximum allowable length for a network segment using 100Base-FX is 412 meters. The maximum length
for the entire network is 5 kilometers.
Here are some major differences between TCP and UDP protocols:
TCP UDP
It is a connection-oriented protocol. It is a connectionless protocol.
UDP messages contain packets that were sent one
TCP reads data as streams of bytes, and the message
by one. It also checks for integrity at the arrival
is transmitted to segment boundaries.
time.
TCP messages make their way across the Internet It is not connection-based, so one program can
from one computer to another. send lots of packets to another.
UDP protocol has no fixed order because all
TCP rearranges data packets in the specific order.
packets are independent of each other.
The speed for TCP is slower. UDP is faster as error recovery is not attempted.
Header size is 20 bytes The header size is 8 bytes.
TCP is heavy-weight. TCP needs three packets to set
UDP is lightweight. There are no tracking
up a socket connection before any user data can be
connections, ordering of messages, etc.
sent.
TCP does error checking and also makes error UDP performs error checking, but it discards
recovery. erroneous packets.
Acknowledgment segments No Acknowledgment segments
Using handshake protocol like SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK No handshake (so connectionless protocol)
TCP is reliable as it guarantees delivery of data to the The delivery of data to the destination can’t be
destination router. guaranteed in UDP.
TCP offers extensive error checking mechanisms
UDP has just a single error checking mechanism
because it provides flow control and acknowledgment
that is used for checksums.
of data.
The maximum length for a network segment using 100Base-FX is 412 meters.
The decoder is a type of circuit that converts the encoded data to its original format. It also converts the digital
signal into an analog signal.
Brouter is also known as Bridge Router. It is a device that acts as both a bridge and a router. As a bridge can
forwards data between the networks. It also routes the data to specified systems within a network.
107) How to use VPN?
By using a Virtual Private Network (VPN), users can connect to the organization’s network. Corporate
companies, educational institutions, government offices.
The OSI model was started in February 1980. In 802.XX, ’80’ stands for the year 1980, and ‘2’ represents the
month of February.
NVT is a set of pre-defined rules to very simple virtual terminal interaction. This terminal helps you to start a
Telnet session.
The source route is a sequence of IP addresses that helps you to identify the route a datagram. You can
include the source route in the IP datagram header.
Pipelining describes the sequencing of processes. When any new task begins before an ongoing task is
finished, it is called sequencing.
112) Which measurement unit is used to measure the transmission speed of Ethernet?
It is a host that has multiple network interfaces that multiple IP addresses is called a Multi-homed Host.
The full form of EGP is Exterior Gateway Protocol. It is the protocol of the routers. It is the neighboring
autonomous systems that help you to identify the set of networks that you will able to reach within or via each
independent system.
119) Explain the term Passive Topology
When a computer in the network listen and receive the signal, they are called passive topology.
It is a false terminal which allows you external machines to connect through Telnet or log in. Without this, no
connection can take place.
Redirector is a kind of software which intercepts file or prints I/O requests and translates them into network
requests. This component comes under the presentation layer.
TCP
Three-Way Handshake
THREE-WAY handshake or a TCP 3-way handshake is a process that is used in a TCP/IP network to make a
connection between the server and client. It is a three-step process that requires both the client and server to
exchange synchronization and acknowledgment packets before the real data communication process starts.
Hamming code is a liner code that is useful for error detection up to two immediate bit errors. It is capable of
single-bit errors.
In Hamming code, the source encodes the message by adding redundant bits in the message. These
redundant bits are mostly inserted and generated at certain positions in the message to accomplish the error
detection and correction process.
Satellites
Computer Memory
Modems
PlasmaCAM
Open connectors
Shielding wire
Embedded Processor
125) What are the benefits of the Hamming code?
The Hamming code method is effective on networks where the data streams are given for the single-
bit errors.
Hamming code not only provides the detection of a bit error but also helps you to indent bit containing
error so that it can be corrected.
The ease of use of hamming codes makes it suitable for use in computer memory and single-error
correction.
MAC address is a unique identifier that is assigned to a NIC (Network Interface Controller/ Card). It consists of
a 48 bit or 64-bit address, which is associated with the network adapter. MAC address can be in hexadecimal
format. The full form of MAC address is Media Access Control address.
129) What are the important differences between MAC address and IP address
MAC IP address
The MAC address stands for Media Access Control
IP address stands for Internet Protocol Address.
Address.
It consists of a 48-bit address. It consists of a 32-bit address.
IP address works at the network layer of OSI
MAC address works at the link layer of the OSI model.
model.
It is referred to as a physical address. It is referred to as a logical address.
You can retrieve the MAC address of any device using You can retrieve the MAC address of any device
ARP protocol. RARP protocol.
Classes are not used in MAC address. In IP, IPv4 uses A, B, C, D, and E classes.
130) What is an Analog Signal?
Analog Signal
Analog signal is a continuous signal in which one time-varying quantity represents another time-based variable.
These kind of signals works with physical values and natural phenomena such as earthquake, frequency,
volcano, speed of wind, weight, lighting, etc.
Digital Signal
A digital signal is a signal that is used to represent data as a sequence of separate values at any point in time.
It can only take on one of a fixed number of values. This type of signal represents a real number within a
constant range of values.
132) What are the differences between analog and digital signal?
Here are the main differences between Analog and Digital Signal:
Analog Digital
An analog signal is a continuous signal that Digital signals are time separated signals which are
represents physical measurements. generated using digital modulation.
It is denoted by sine waves It is denoted by square waves.
It uses a continuous range of values that help you The Digital signal uses discrete 0 and 1 to represent
to represent information. information.
The analog signal bandwidth is low The digital signal bandwidth is high.
Analog hardware never offers flexible
Digital hardware offers flexibility in implementation.
implementation.
It is suited for audio and video transmission. It is suited for Computing and digital electronics.
The Analog signal doesn’t offer any fixed range. Digital signal has a finite number, i.e., 0 and 1.
133) What is MAN?
MAN network
A Metropolitan Area Network or MAN is consisting of a computer network across an entire city, college
campus, or a small region. This type of network is large than a LAN, which is mostly limited to a single building
or site. Depending upon the type of configuration, this type of network allows you to cover an area from several
miles to tens of miles.
A modem (modulator-demodulator) is a device that modulates an analog signal to digital information. It also
decodes carrier signals to demodulates the transmitted information.
The main aim of the Modem is to produce a signal that can be transmitted easily and decoded to reproduce the
digital data in its original form. Modems are also used for transmitting analog signals, from Light Emitting
Diodes (LED) to radio.
Modem