Chapter 11: Networking Fundamentals and Devices (Set-4)
A company network linking two nearby buildings with one fiber link is mainly a
A Global WAN link
B Campus LAN link
C Personal PAN link
D Radio MAN link
Two nearby buildings under one organization usually form a campus-style LAN. Fiber is used for fast inter-building connection, keeping low latency and high bandwidth within the same local network.
When a WAN connection is slow during office hours, a common cause is
A Network congestion
B Broken keyboard
C Low screen size
D Extra RAM usage
During peak hours, many users share the same WAN link, causing congestion. Congestion increases delay and packet loss, leading to slower browsing and unstable calls even if local LAN is fine.
A peer-to-peer network is most suitable when
A Central control needed
B Strict auditing required
C Few computers only
D Large server farm
Peer-to-peer works best for small groups because setup is simple and low cost. As users increase, security control, backups, and user management become difficult without a dedicated server.
A client-server network is preferred for offices because it supports
A No admin control
B Centralized management
C Random file access
D No user accounts
Client-server networks allow centralized user accounts, permissions, backups, and updates. A server manages shared resources, improving security and reliability compared to peer-to-peer in medium or large offices.
The “latency” value shown in a speed test mainly affects
A File storage size
B Printer ink usage
C Keyboard response
D Real-time communication
Latency is delay in sending and receiving data. Low latency is important for online gaming, voice calls, and video meetings. High latency causes lag, delay, and poor interaction quality.
Higher bandwidth helps most when
A Typing documents fast
B Changing screen colors
C Downloading large files
D Using offline apps
Bandwidth is the maximum data capacity per second. Higher bandwidth improves large downloads, streaming quality, and multiple users sharing the connection—if latency and packet loss are also under control.
A bus topology network becomes unstable mainly due to
A Strong encryption
B Increased collisions
C Better routing
D Higher fiber speed
In bus topology, all devices share a single cable. When more devices transmit, collisions increase and performance drops. Modern networks avoid bus due to reliability and collision problems.
Star topology troubleshooting is easier because each device has
A Shared backbone cable
B One circular loop
C No physical links
D Separate cable run
Each device connects separately to the central hub/switch. If one cable fails, only that device loses connection, making it easier to locate faults compared to bus or ring structures.
A ring network may use a “token” concept to
A Increase interference
B Stop encryption
C Prevent collisions
D Add IP conflicts
Token passing allows only the token holder to transmit, reducing collisions. This makes communication more orderly, though ring networks are less common today due to cost and failure sensitivity.
Mesh topology is rarely used for every PC mainly because it
A Needs many links
B Uses weak security
C Blocks DHCP server
D Reduces bandwidth
Full mesh requires a large number of connections as devices increase. This becomes expensive and complex. Mesh is often used selectively where high reliability is critical, not for all endpoints.
Twisted pair cable performance is improved by
A Longer cable length
B Proper cable category
C Open Wi-Fi mode
D Weak router power
Cat5e/Cat6 cables support higher speeds and reduce interference compared to older categories. Choosing the right category and keeping within length limits helps maintain stable Ethernet performance.
Coaxial cable shielding mainly protects against
A IP address shortage
B DNS lookup delay
C Electromagnetic noise
D MAC table overflow
Coax has a shielding layer that reduces external electromagnetic interference. This keeps signal quality more stable than unshielded cables, especially in electrically noisy environments.
Fiber optic is safer from interference because it carries
A Electric current
B Magnetic pulses
C Sound waves
D Light signals
Fiber transmits data as light inside glass/plastic. It is immune to electromagnetic interference and has low attenuation, making it ideal for high-speed, long-distance, and stable network links.
Wireless signal strength drops quickly when
A RAM increases
B Distance increases
C DNS changes
D MAC filters on
Wi-Fi signals weaken with distance and obstacles like walls. Lower signal strength can reduce speed and increase packet loss. Better router placement and proper channels help improve coverage.
A repeater in Wi-Fi can help mostly when
A DNS is wrong
B Printer is offline
C Coverage is weak
D IP is static
Wi-Fi repeaters extend coverage by retransmitting signals. They help in dead zones, but they cannot fix slow ISP speed. Placement is important; too far from router reduces effectiveness.
A hub is less secure because it sends traffic
A To one port
B To all ports
C Only to router
D Only to DNS
A hub repeats data to every connected device, so unnecessary devices can see traffic. This increases collisions and reduces privacy compared to switches which forward frames to the correct port.
A switch is more efficient mainly because it uses
A MAC learning table
B DNS cache store
C IP subnet mask
D Wi-Fi SSID list
Switches learn which MAC addresses exist on which ports. They forward frames only to the required port, reducing congestion and collisions, and improving overall LAN speed and performance.
If a switch receives a broadcast frame, it usually
A Drops it always
B Sends to ISP
C Forwards to all
D Converts to IP
Broadcast frames are meant for all devices in the same broadcast domain. A switch forwards broadcasts to all ports in that VLAN, which is why controlling broadcast traffic is important.
A router separates networks by creating different
A Keyboard layouts
B Broadcast domains
C File extensions
D Monitor pixels
Routers do not forward Layer-2 broadcasts by default, so they separate broadcast domains. This reduces unnecessary broadcast traffic across networks and improves security and performance.
The routing table in a router is used to decide
A Switch port number
B MAC address value
C Wi-Fi password
D Next hop path
Routing tables list network destinations and where to send packets next. Routers use this to forward IP packets efficiently toward the destination network, using the best available route.
A modem is required with DSL because DSL uses
A HDMI cable signals
B USB data signals
C Telephone line signals
D VGA output signals
DSL runs over telephone lines, so a modem converts digital data to line-compatible signals and back. Without modem functionality, the computer cannot communicate properly with the ISP over DSL.
A bridge can help a LAN by
A Increasing WAN latency
B Filtering local traffic
C Changing DNS names
D Creating IP conflicts
A bridge connects LAN segments and filters frames based on MAC addresses. It forwards only necessary traffic, reducing congestion and improving performance in networks with heavy local communication.
A gateway is needed when a network must
A Translate protocols
B Reduce collisions
C Boost Wi-Fi only
D Test cables only
Gateways can translate between different protocols or systems. They are used when networks are not directly compatible, acting as an entry and translation point for communication.
The main role of a NIC is to provide
A Extra storage space
B Antivirus protection
C Network connection interface
D Screen resolution
A NIC connects a device to a network and handles sending/receiving frames. It has a MAC address, supports Ethernet or Wi-Fi, and is essential for any network communication.
A subnet mask of 255.255.255.0 is commonly used for
A /8 networks
B /24 networks
C /16 networks
D /32 networks
255.255.255.0 corresponds to a /24 network, meaning 24 bits for network and 8 bits for hosts. It is common in small LANs like homes and offices.
If two devices have same IP, the issue is called
A DNS cache miss
B VLAN trunking
C MAC learning
D IP address conflict
An IP conflict happens when two devices use the same IP address on the same network. This causes connection drops and errors. Proper DHCP setup or unique static IP assignments prevent it.
A private IP cannot be reached directly from internet because it is
A Too fast always
B Fully encrypted
C Not publicly routable
D Only IPv6 based
Private IP ranges are reserved for internal networks and are not routed on the public internet. NAT translates private addresses into a public IP so devices can access online services.
NAT is commonly performed by a
A Ethernet hub only
B Home router device
C Printer driver
D Monitor adapter
Home routers typically do NAT, translating multiple private LAN addresses into one public address. This allows many devices to share one ISP connection and adds a basic layer of hiding internal IPs.
DNS server address is important because it helps resolve
A MAC to port
B Cable to speed
C Wi-Fi to LAN
D Domain to IP
DNS converts human-friendly website names into IP addresses. Without working DNS, users may reach sites by IP but fail to open websites by name, causing browsing issues.
A ping reply confirms that the destination is
A Virus-free always
B Using VLAN only
C Reachable on network
D On same switch
Ping shows basic connectivity and measures round-trip time. It does not confirm application health or security. It simply indicates that the destination can respond over the network path.
If traceroute shows timeouts at first hop, likely problem is
A Remote DNS issue
B Local gateway issue
C Website coding issue
D Cloud storage full
The first hop is usually the local router/gateway. If timeouts occur there, the issue may be local network, router problem, or firewall settings. Checking router and local link is needed.
Wi-Fi SSID “hidden” setting mainly does
A Stops name broadcast
B Encrypts all traffic
C Changes IP format
D Boosts signal strength
Hiding SSID prevents the network name from being openly broadcast. It does not replace strong encryption. WPA2/WPA3 with a strong password remains the real security requirement.
The best Wi-Fi encryption choice among common options is
A WEP preferred
B Open network
C No password
D WPA3 preferred
WPA3 offers stronger security and better protection against password guessing. If WPA3 is not supported, WPA2 is still acceptable with a strong password. Avoid WEP and open networks.
WPS is often disabled because it can allow
A Faster DNS resolution
B Lower ping always
C Unauthorized connection attempts
D More bandwidth always
WPS makes connecting easier but can be attacked, especially PIN-based methods. Disabling WPS reduces risk. Using WPA2/WPA3 with strong passwords and updated firmware is safer.
Channel overlap in 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi often causes
A More RAM free
B Interference and slow
C More storage space
D Better encryption
When nearby routers use overlapping channels, signals interfere and reduce throughput. Choosing less crowded channels and using 5 GHz (or 6 GHz) can improve speed and stability.
A “guest Wi-Fi” is safer because it
A Removes encryption
B Shares admin login
C Stops router updates
D Separates main devices
Guest Wi-Fi isolates visitors from your main LAN devices. It helps protect shared folders, printers, and smart devices from unknown user access while still allowing internet usage for guests.
MAC filtering provides security by allowing only
A Listed DNS servers
B Listed subnet masks
C Listed device addresses
D Listed web pages
MAC filtering permits only approved device MAC addresses. It adds some control but can be bypassed by spoofing, so it should be used with WPA2/WPA3 and strong passwords.
VLAN tagging is mainly used on
A Mouse cable
B Trunk links
C HDMI cable
D Printer ink
Trunk links carry traffic for multiple VLANs between switches. VLAN tags identify which VLAN a frame belongs to, allowing separate logical networks on shared physical infrastructure.
A broadcast storm can occur when
A Too many broadcasts
B Too many printers
C Too many keyboards
D Too many monitors
Excessive broadcast traffic can overload the network, slowing communication. Loops, misconfiguration, or poor segmentation can worsen it. VLAN design and proper switching features reduce storm risks.
A collision domain is mainly relevant to
A DNS name lookup
B IPv6 formatting
C Shared Ethernet medium
D Fiber light path
Collisions happen when devices share the same communication channel, like in hubs or old half-duplex Ethernet. Switches reduce collisions by isolating ports, improving performance.
A proxy server can be used in offices to
A Increase monitor pixels
B Replace network cable
C Create MAC address
D Control web access
Proxy servers can filter websites, log access, enforce policies, and cache content. They help organizations manage browsing, improve security, and sometimes reduce bandwidth by serving cached resources.
Load balancing increases reliability because it can
A Remove all routers
B Redirect during failure
C Disable encryption
D Increase collisions
If one server fails, a load balancer can send traffic to other healthy servers. This improves uptime and handles heavy traffic better by distributing requests across multiple resources.
Network troubleshooting often starts by checking
A Wallpaper settings
B Keyboard backlight
C Physical connections first
D Font size setting
Basic checks like power, cables, link lights, and correct port connections solve many issues quickly. After confirming physical layer, move to IP settings, gateway, DNS, and other higher-layer checks.
A cable continuity test confirms
A Wire path intact
B DNS server working
C Router firmware updated
D SSID hidden mode
Continuity testing checks whether wires are properly connected end-to-end without breaks. It helps detect damaged cables or wrong pinouts that cause slow Ethernet, packet loss, or disconnections.
If internet works on cable but not Wi-Fi, likely issue is
A Hard disk failure
B Wi-Fi settings problem
C DNS server down
D IPv6 disabled
Working wired internet shows ISP and router WAN are fine. Wi-Fi issues may be weak signal, wrong password, interference, disabled wireless, or bad channel selection. Checking Wi-Fi configuration fixes it.
A common safe router step is disabling
A Screen lock feature
B File explorer access
C Remote admin access
D Office updates
Disabling remote administration prevents attackers from trying to access router settings from the internet. Combined with strong admin passwords and firmware updates, it significantly improves overall router security.
A default router admin login is risky because it is
A Too complex
B Very encrypted
C Always changing
D Publicly known
Default admin usernames and passwords are widely known or easily guessed. Attackers can take over routers if defaults remain unchanged. Changing admin credentials is a basic but critical security step.
Network sharing can be safer by using
A Open guest access
B Proper permissions set
C Same password all
D WEP encryption
Shared folders should have controlled permissions so only authorized users can access them. Using least privilege and strong passwords reduces the risk of data leakage or unauthorized file changes.
A “ping” to default gateway failing usually indicates
A Website server down
B Email password wrong
C Local network issue
D Cloud storage full
If the gateway cannot be pinged, the problem is usually local: cable/Wi-Fi link, wrong IP settings, disabled adapter, or router LAN issue. Fix local connectivity before checking internet.
A speed test showing poor results on Wi-Fi but good on cable suggests
A Wireless interference issue
B ISP plan is zero
C DNS is disabled
D MAC address changed
Good wired speed proves the ISP and router WAN are fine. Poor Wi-Fi speed often comes from weak signal, channel congestion, interference, or old Wi-Fi standard. Improving placement and channels helps.