Networking Interview Questions for Experienced

This article lists the most commonly asked networking interview questions with detailed answers for experienced job seekers. Going through these interview questions and answers will boost your confidence to face networking interviews effectively.

Suppose there are four routers. How many connections do we need to connect these routers in a fully meshed topology?

The following formula counts the total required connections in a fully meshed topology.

Total required number of connections = N*(N-1)

Here, N is the total number of devices.
We need 4*(4-1) = 12 connections for four routers.

What is the difference between a server and a dedicated server?

A dedicated server is also a server, but it provides a specific service. For example, if a server offers all regular network services, it is considered a server. But if it is providing only a particular service, such as a web server that provides only web service and nothing else, then it is considered a dedicated server.

Based on the application access, what are the differences between the Internet, Intranet, and Extranet?

Anyone can access the application on the Internet from anywhere in the world.
Only authorized users on the Intranet can access the application.
On the Extranet, selected external users can access the application built for the Intranet.

How does a ring topology network work?

In a ring topology network, all computers connect in a circle. When a computer has data packets for another computer, it puts them in the circle. Each computer looks at each packet to determine whether it is for it. If the packet is for it, it will process the packet. Otherwise, it will ignore the packet.

In a bus topology network, a loose terminator detaches from the coaxial cable and leaves it open at one end. Will this network work as expected?

No, this network will not work. Signals will bounce back from the open end and collide with other signals, bringing the entire network down.

In a star topology network, a cable pulls out from the hub. Will this network work?

Yes, only the connected device will lose connectivity. The remaining devices usually work.

In a star topology network, a centralized hub fails due to fluctuation in light. Although all connected devices and cables are unaffected, will these devices be able to access the network?

No, all devices will lose connectivity in a star topology network if the centralized hub fails.

Does the number of computers matter in LAN and WAN?

No, the number of computers does not matter in LAN and WAN. This categorization depends on the geographical location of the network. For example, we may have 1000 computers connected to a network. If this network is located in a building or on campus, it will be considered a LAN network. Just like this, we may have a network of only two computers. If one computer is in one city and another in another town, this network will be considered a WAN network.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a networking device or application software that, based on preconfigured rules, filters the data that passes through it. There are two types of firewalls: hardware firewalls and software firewalls.

What are the differences between a hardware firewall and a software firewall?

A hardware firewall is installed and operates on a dedicated device. Since the firewall is integrated at the hardware level and uses all processing power and memory of the device, it is faster than a software firewall. On the negative side, it is too expensive and complex.

A software firewall is installed on the host OS and works as the software application. On the negative side, it is slow and less effective than a hardware firewall. On the positive side, it is less expensive. Some open-source firewalls are available even free of cost.

What is the difference between the operating system and application software?

The operating system is the main program, while application software is an add-on program. The operating system is installed on the computer and directly accesses resources such as CPU, RAM, and hard disk. While application software installs on the operating system and accesses system resources through the operating system.

What are some popular IEEE standards?

The following table lists some popular IEEE standards.

What is the Kerberos?

Kerberos is an authentication mechanism developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It uses encryption to prevent intruders from discovering passwords and gaining unauthorized access to files.

What is the difference between the Half-Duplex mode and Full-Duplex mode?

In the half-duplex mode, a NIC can send or receive data simultaneously. In full-duplex mode, it can perform both operations simultaneously.

What is an anonymous FTP account?

An anonymous FTP account is a special FTP account that allows guest users to access the FTP server anonymously.

What is a computer bus?

A computer bus is a logical system that allows multiple peripherals or components to connect with the system through a single wire or cable. We can categorize a computer bus based on where it works and how it transmits data.

Based on data transmission, there are two types of buses: parallel and serial. A parallel bus transmits several bits simultaneously. A serial bus transmits only one bit at a time.

Based on the usage location, there are two types of buses: internal and external. An internal bus transfers data between internal components, such as CPU and RAM and any integrated or installed component on the motherboard.

An external bus transfers data between internal components and peripherals. Peripherals are the devices that connect with the motherboard through the cables, such as Hard disks and DVD Writer.

Why can't a straight-through UTP cable connect two systems directly?

A straight-through cable arranges pins in the same order at both ends. A system uses pins 1 and 2 for the sending data and pins 3 and 6 for the receiving data.

If we use a straight-through cable to connect two systems, pins 1, 2, 3, and 6 of one system will connect with pins 1, 2, 3, and 6 of another system. Since, instead of connecting to the receiving pins, the sending pins connect to the sending pins, the data transmission will fail. For a successful data transmission, the sending pins must connect to the receiving pins. For this reason, we use a cross cable to connect two systems directly.

A cross cable connects the sending pins to the receiving pins.

What are the reserved IP addresses in IPv4?

IPv4 reserves the following IP addresses.

It reserves the following IP ranges.

What is a Trojan horse?

A Trojan horse is a malicious code hidden in a legitimate application. Hackers use it to gain unauthorized access and steal sensitive information.

What is a virus?

A is a small malicious computer program designed to damage the system and annoy the users. Usually, it hides in another program and travels with that program. When we install the program, it also installs with the program.

What is an antivirus?

An antivirus program is a program that scans and eliminates malicious programs from stored data and installed applications.

How is a cross-over cable made?

In a cross-over cable, data-sending pins from one end connect with data-receiving pins at the other. Pins 1 and 2 (sending pins) connect to three, and pin 6 (receiving pins).

What is the network relationship type?

The term network relationship type defines how the nodes communicate with each other on the network. There are two types of network relationships: peer-to-peer and server/client.

In the peer-to-peer network relationship, all nodes are equal. Any node can share its resources in the network and can access any shared resource from the network. In this type of relationship, data is stored on each node individually.

In the client/server network relationship, all nodes are treated based on their roles on the network. The server node has the highest privilege. It shares resources and information on the network. Client nodes have less privilege. They access the shared resources from the server. In this type of relationship, data is usually stored only on the server system.