Chapter 11: Networking Fundamentals and Devices (Set-3)
When two offices share files through a central machine, the network type is
A Client-server model
B Peer-to-peer model
C PAN setup
D Ring setup
In client–server networks, a dedicated server provides services like file storage, login, and printing. Clients request these services. This improves control, backup, and security compared to fully shared peer systems.
In a peer-to-peer setup, a key limitation is
A Needs huge servers
B Always uses fiber
C Requires IPv6 only
D Harder security control
Peer-to-peer networks have no central administrator device. Each PC shares resources directly, so managing permissions, updates, and security becomes difficult as the number of computers grows.
The best example of “network performance issue” is
A Brighter monitor
B Larger keyboard keys
C Packet loss increase
D More RAM installed
Packet loss means some data packets never reach the destination. This reduces performance and causes buffering, call drops, and slow browsing. It often happens due to interference, congestion, or faulty links.
A practical way to reduce latency for gaming is
A Use wired Ethernet
B Increase monitor size
C Add printer drivers
D Reduce SSD space
Ethernet cables usually give lower latency than Wi-Fi because they avoid wireless interference and retransmissions. Lower latency improves real-time gaming and calls by reducing delays and jitter.
The topology that needs least cable for many nodes is often
A Full mesh topology
B Star topology
C Bus topology
D Ring topology
Bus uses one backbone cable, so it requires less cabling than star or mesh. However, it is less reliable because a backbone fault can stop the entire network and collisions can rise.
A star network using a switch fails mainly when
A SSID is hidden
B Switch stops working
C DHCP is enabled
D IPv6 is used
All devices depend on the central switch in a star topology. If the switch fails, devices cannot communicate. Individual cable failures typically affect only one device, not the whole network.
Ring topology networks are most affected when
A One link breaks
B DNS changes address
C Password is strong
D Modem is upgraded
Ring topology depends on a continuous loop path. If one cable or node fails, the loop breaks and data flow can stop unless a dual-ring or bypass mechanism is used.
Mesh topology is preferred in critical networks because it offers
A Least cable always
B Zero hardware cost
C Multiple backup paths
D Only wireless links
Mesh provides redundant routes between devices. If one connection fails, data can travel through other routes. This reliability is useful in mission-critical networks but increases cost and complexity.
Twisted pair cable mainly reduces
A IP address shortage
B DNS lookup time
C Router overheating
D Crosstalk interference
The twisting of wire pairs helps cancel electromagnetic noise and reduces crosstalk between pairs. This improves signal quality in Ethernet cabling, especially where many cables run together.
Coaxial cable is less common in modern LANs mainly because
A It blocks light signals
B Ethernet shifted to UTP
C It needs satellite only
D It cannot carry data
Modern LAN Ethernet standards widely use UTP cables (Cat5e/Cat6) because they are flexible and cost-effective. Coax remains common for cable TV and some broadband connections.
Fiber optic is most suitable when you need
A Long distance links
B Very short cables
C Only low speeds
D Frequent interference
Fiber supports very high bandwidth and low attenuation over long distances. It is immune to electromagnetic interference, making it excellent for backbones and inter-building connections.
A repeater helps mainly when a signal becomes
A Too encrypted
B Too compressed
C Too weak
D Too colorful
A repeater regenerates weakened signals so they can travel further. It does not change IP settings or increase internet plan speed; it only helps improve signal reach and reduce errors.
A hub creates one shared
A Collision domain
B VLAN segment
C DNS zone
D IP subnet
With a hub, all connected devices share one collision domain because the hub broadcasts data to all ports. Multiple devices transmitting together can collide, reducing speed and efficiency.
A switch reduces collisions because it creates
A One shared backbone
B One broadcast subnet
C One DNS server
D Separate collision domains
Each switch port is its own collision domain, so devices don’t compete on the same shared medium like hubs. This improves performance and allows multiple simultaneous communications.
Switch learning depends on reading the
A Destination IP address
B DNS server name
C Source MAC address
D Subnet mask value
Switches learn MAC addresses by checking the source MAC of incoming frames and storing it in a MAC table with the port number. This helps the switch forward frames efficiently.
If a switch cannot find a destination MAC, it will
A Flood all ports
B Drop all traffic
C Change IP address
D Disable DHCP
When a destination MAC is unknown, the switch floods the frame to all ports except the incoming port. Once the destination responds, the switch learns the MAC and stops flooding.
A router is required when you must connect
A Two USB devices
B Two different subnets
C Two printers only
D Two keyboards
Routers connect different IP networks (subnets) and forward packets between them. Switches and hubs mainly work inside the same network, while routing is needed across networks.
Routing decisions are based mainly on
A MAC address
B File extension
C IP address
D SSID name
Routers examine destination IP addresses and use routing tables to decide the next hop. MAC addresses are used for local delivery on a LAN, not for routing across networks.
A modem is essential mainly when internet service uses
A Analog signal line
B Only LAN cable
C USB keyboard
D VGA connector
A modem converts digital data to signals suitable for certain ISP lines and converts back at the other end. This is common in DSL/cable systems where signal types differ from pure Ethernet.
The device that connects wired LAN to Wi-Fi clients is usually
A Repeater only
B Bridge only
C Coax splitter
D Access point
An access point links wireless clients to the wired network. It broadcasts an SSID and enforces wireless security. It is used to provide or extend Wi-Fi coverage in offices and campuses.
A gateway is best described as
A Collision reducer
B Signal booster
C Protocol translator
D Cable tester
A gateway can translate data between different networks or protocols. It is often used where systems are not directly compatible. In many networks, the gateway also acts as the exit point.
A common reason for “limited connectivity” is incorrect
A Default gateway
B Screen resolution
C Mouse driver
D Print settings
If default gateway is wrong or missing, a device may access local LAN but fail to reach other networks like the internet. Correct gateway points traffic to the router for external access.
Subnet mask helps a PC decide whether a destination is
A Safe or unsafe
B Fast or slow
C Wired or wireless
D Local or remote
Subnet mask separates the network and host part of an IP. The device uses it to decide if the destination is on the same subnet (local) or must go through the gateway (remote).
IPv4 address shortage is mainly solved by
A Bigger monitors
B Faster keyboards
C NAT and IPv6
D Extra RAM slots
NAT allows many private devices to share one public IPv4 address, while IPv6 provides a huge address space. Together they reduce the impact of limited IPv4 availability.
DHCP “lease time” means
A Duration of IP use
B Router password age
C Cable lifetime
D Wi-Fi signal power
DHCP assigns an IP for a lease time. When the lease expires, the device renews it. This helps manage addresses efficiently and reduces conflicts when devices join and leave.
A static IP is preferred for a network printer because
A Latency becomes zero
B Address stays fixed
C Bandwidth becomes unlimited
D DNS becomes faster
Printers and servers are easier to access when their IP does not change. A static IP prevents connection issues caused by changing addresses and makes configuration consistent for all users.
DNS caching mainly helps by
A Faster repeated lookups
B Longer cable distance
C Higher Wi-Fi power
D Lower MAC address
DNS caching stores recent domain-to-IP results. When the same site is opened again, the device can use cached results, reducing lookup delay and improving browsing speed.
A common tool to verify DNS resolution is
A format command
B tree command
C nslookup command
D paint command
nslookup queries DNS servers and shows the IP for a domain. It helps troubleshoot website access issues caused by wrong DNS settings or DNS server failures.
If ping works but a website name fails, the likely issue is
A RAM problem
B Monitor problem
C Printer problem
D DNS problem
Ping to an IP shows network connectivity is fine. If domain names still don’t open, DNS may be wrong or unavailable. Changing DNS server settings often fixes such issues.
Traceroute output is most useful to locate
A Keyboard stuck keys
B Where delay occurs
C File corruption
D RAM leakage
Traceroute shows each hop along the path and response times. High delays or timeouts at specific hops help identify where routing or network congestion is causing slow performance.
Wi-Fi channel interference is common in
A Crowded apartment areas
B Empty offline rooms
C Only fiber networks
D Bluetooth PAN only
Many nearby routers often use the same channels, causing interference and reduced speed. Selecting a less crowded channel or using 5 GHz/6 GHz bands can improve performance.
Strong Wi-Fi security begins with
A Same default login
B Open network mode
C Strong router password
D Shared WPS PIN
A strong Wi-Fi password and changed admin credentials prevent unauthorized access. Default router logins are easy to guess. Strong security reduces hacking, data theft, and misuse of your internet.
Router firmware updates are important mainly to fix
A Security vulnerabilities
B Keyboard layout
C Printer drivers
D Monitor pixels
Firmware updates patch security issues and improve stability. Outdated routers can be exploited. Regular updates, disabling unused features, and changing default admin logins keep networks safer.
A guest Wi-Fi network is recommended to
A Remove encryption
B Share admin access
C Stop DHCP service
D Isolate visitors
Guest networks keep visitor devices separate from your main network. Visitors can access the internet but not your personal computers or smart devices, improving privacy and reducing security risks.
MAC filtering on Wi-Fi means allowing only
A Approved IP masks
B Approved DNS names
C Approved device MACs
D Approved subnet sizes
MAC filtering lets the router permit only listed MAC addresses. It adds some control, but MAC addresses can be spoofed, so it should not replace strong WPA2/WPA3 passwords.
WEP is unsafe mainly because it is
A Easily cracked
B Too slow printing
C Too bright screen
D Too large keyboard
WEP uses weak encryption that attackers can break quickly. Using WPA2 or WPA3 with a strong password is recommended to protect Wi-Fi traffic from unauthorized access and spying.
WPA3 improves security mainly by
A Shorter SSID names
B Stronger handshake protection
C Faster Ethernet speed
D Bigger router antenna
WPA3 offers stronger encryption and better protection against password guessing attacks compared to older standards. It improves the security of Wi-Fi authentication and data confidentiality.
A hotspot is best described as
A Cable testing tool
B Routing table entry
C Internet sharing point
D VLAN trunk port
A hotspot lets a phone or device share internet connection wirelessly with other devices. It creates a Wi-Fi network using cellular data or another link, so security settings still matter.
NAT changes private IP traffic into
A Public IP traffic
B MAC table traffic
C DNS zone traffic
D VLAN tag traffic
NAT translates private IP addresses into a public IP when accessing the internet. It helps conserve IPv4 addresses and hides internal devices from direct inbound access, adding basic protection.
A proxy server can improve browsing speed by
A Increasing monitor pixels
B Reducing RAM voltage
C Blocking all routers
D Caching web pages
A proxy can store copies of frequently used pages. When users request them again, the proxy serves cached data faster, reducing bandwidth use and improving response time in organizations.
Load balancing helps high-traffic websites mainly by
A Changing SSID name
B Blocking DNS server
C Spreading user requests
D Disabling firewall
Load balancers distribute incoming requests across multiple servers. This prevents overload, improves performance, and increases availability. If one server fails, traffic can shift to other servers.
Network documentation is useful because it records
A Keyboard shortcuts
B IPs and device map
C Wallpaper images
D Screen brightness
Network documentation lists IP ranges, device names, configurations, and physical connections. It helps troubleshooting, upgrades, and maintenance by giving clear information about how the network is designed.
A basic troubleshooting first step for “no internet” is
A Check link lights
B Change monitor color
C Delete system files
D Disable antivirus always
Link lights on NIC, switch, or router show physical connectivity. If lights are off, the issue may be cable, port, or power. This simple check prevents unnecessary complex troubleshooting.
If an Ethernet cable is damaged, a common symptom is
A Bigger download always
B Faster ping always
C Stronger Wi-Fi always
D Intermittent connection
Damaged or loose cables can cause random disconnections, slow speed, or packet loss. Testing with another cable or using a cable tester helps confirm whether the physical link is faulty.
A collision domain problem is most common in a network using
A Hubs only
B Switches only
C Routers only
D Fiber only
Hubs broadcast to all ports and create a single collision domain. With many devices, collisions increase and performance drops. Switches avoid this by isolating collisions per port.
Broadcast traffic is reduced effectively by using
A Bigger antenna
B Extra keyboard
C VLAN separation
D More speakers
VLANs split a switch into separate logical networks. Broadcast frames stay within their VLAN, reducing unnecessary broadcast load across all devices and improving both performance and security.
Remote access means controlling a computer from
A Another location
B Same keyboard only
C Same monitor only
D Same printer only
Remote access allows a user to connect to and control a computer over a network from a different place. It is used for IT support, work-from-home, and server administration.
Network sharing in Windows usually requires enabling
A Screen saver mode
B Keyboard repeat rate
C Monitor refresh rate
D File and printer sharing
To share folders or printers, file and printer sharing must be enabled and permissions set. Proper security is important so only intended users can access shared resources on the network.
An IP conflict is avoided best by
A Turning off router
B Hiding SSID always
C Using DHCP properly
D Using WEP only
DHCP assigns unique IPs automatically, reducing conflicts. Conflicts often occur when static IPs overlap with DHCP range. Planning IP ranges and reserving addresses prevents such problems.
A speed test showing high download but low upload often affects
A Offline typing speed
B Video uploading quality
C Printer ink saving
D Mouse movement
Upload speed controls sending data out, like video calls, uploads, and cloud backups. Low upload can cause poor video quality and slow file uploads, even if downloads appear fast.