220-1201: Domain 2 - Networking

Question 1

What is the function of DNS?

Answer 1

DNS (Domain Name System) resolves domain names to IP addresses.

Question 2

What do the following DNS record types represent?

A:

AAAA:

CNAME:

MX:

TXT:

Answer 2

A: Maps a domain to an IPv4 address

AAAA: Maps a domain to an IPv6 address

CNAME: Alias of one domain to another (canonical name)

MX: Mail exchanger for email delivery

TXT: Holds text info; used for spam/security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)

Question 3

What are SPF, DKIM, and DMARC used for in DNS TXT records?

Answer 3

Spam management and email authentication to prevent spoofing.

Question 4

What is a DHCP lease?

Answer 4

A time-based agreement for assigning an IP address to a device.

Question 5

What is a DHCP reservation?

Answer 5

A permanent IP address assigned to a specific MAC address.

Question 6

What is a DHCP scope and exclusion?

Answer 6

Scope: Range of IPs available for lease

Exclusion: IPs in the range that are reserved and won’t be assigned

Question 7

What is a VLAN?

Answer 7

A Virtual LAN segments networks logically without requiring physical separation.

Question 8

What is a VPN?

Answer 8

A Virtual Private Network creates a secure, encrypted tunnel over the internet.

Question 9

What’s the difference between a router and a switch?

Answer 9

Routers connect different networks; switches connect devices within a single network.

Question 10

What’s the difference between managed and unmanaged switches?

Answer 10

Managed switches offer control/configuration; unmanaged do not.

Question 11

What is an access point?

Answer 11

A device that allows wireless devices to connect to a wired network.

Question 12

What is a patch panel?

Answer 12

A hardware assembly with ports to manage incoming/outgoing LAN cables.

Question 13

What is a firewall used for?

Answer 13

To block unauthorized access and allow permitted communications.

Question 14

What is Power over Ethernet (PoE)?

Answer 14

Technology that delivers power and data through the same Ethernet cable.

Question 15

What are PoE injectors and switches?

Answer 15

Devices that provide power through Ethernet cables—injectors add it; switches have it built in.

Question 16

What are common PoE standards?

Answer 16

IEEE 802.3af (PoE) and 802.3at (PoE+)

Question 17

What does a cable modem do?

Answer 17

Provides internet access via a coaxial cable.

Question 18

What does DSL stand for and do?

Answer 18

Digital Subscriber Line; provides internet over telephone lines.

Question 19

What is an Optical Network Terminal (ONT)?

Answer 19

A device used with fiber-optic internet to convert fiber signals to usable internet.

Question 20

What is a NIC and MAC address?

Answer 20

Network Interface Card allows network access; MAC address is the unique hardware ID.

Question 21

What are private vs. public IPv4 addresses?

Answer 21

Private addresses are for local use (e.g., 192.168.x.x); public are routable on the internet.

Question 22

What is APIPA?

Answer 22

Automatic Private IP Addressing (169.254.x.x) used when DHCP fails.

Question 23

What’s the difference between static and dynamic IPs?

Answer 23

Static: manually assigned and fixed; Dynamic: assigned by DHCP.

Question 24

What is a subnet mask used for?

Answer 24

It defines the network and host portions of an IP address.

Question 25

What is a default gateway?

Answer 25

A router that a device uses to send traffic outside its local network.

Question 26

What are the pros and cons of satellite internet?

Answer 26

Pros: Available in rural areas Cons: High latency, weather interference

Question 27

What are the benefits of fiber internet?

Answer 27

Very high speed and low latency; great for high-bandwidth needs.

Question 28

How does cable internet work?

Answer 28

Uses coaxial cable; faster than DSL but shared bandwidth can reduce speed.

Question 29

What is DSL and how does it compare to cable?

Answer 29

Uses telephone lines; typically slower than cable and fiber.

Question 30

How is cellular internet used?

Answer 30

Mobile data via 3G/4G/5G networks—flexible but dependent on signal strength.

Question 31

What is a Wireless Internet Service Provider (WISP)?

Answer 31

Delivers internet via radio signals—often used in rural areas.

Question 32

What is a LAN?

Answer 32

Local Area Network—covers a small area like a home or office.

Question 33

What is a WAN?

Answer 33

Wide Area Network—spans a large area, like the internet.

Question 34

What is a PAN?

Answer 34

Personal Area Network—short-range network, e.g., Bluetooth devices.

Question 35

What is a MAN?

Answer 35

Metropolitan Area Network—covers a city or campus area.

Question 36

What is a SAN?

Answer 36

Storage Area Network—used to access and manage large data storage.

Question 37

What is a WLAN?

Answer 37

Wireless Local Area Network—wireless version of a LAN, often using Wi-Fi.

Question 38

What is a crimper used for?

Answer 38

Attaches connectors to cables (e.g., RJ45).

Question 39

What does a cable stripper do?

Answer 39

Removes insulation from cables without damaging the wires.

Question 40

What is a Wi-Fi analyzer used for?

Answer 40

Detects wireless networks and analyzes signal strength/interference.

Question 41

What does a toner probe do?

Answer 41

Locates cables in walls or bundles using a tone generator and probe.

Question 42

What is a punchdown tool?

Answer 42

Secures wires into patch panels or keystone jacks.

Question 43

What is a cable tester used for?

Answer 43

Tests cable connectivity and pinouts.

Question 44

What is a loopback plug used for?

Answer 44

Tests ports by sending data back to itself—great for diagnostics.

Question 45

What is a network tap?

Answer 45

Captures and monitors network traffic without interrupting the flow.