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Network Configuration Flashcards

6 cards from real ACSP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. What is the purpose of DNS (Domain Name System) in macOS network configuration?

    Answer: DNS translates human-readable domain names (like apple.com) into numeric IP addresses that computers use to communicate

    DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses. When a Mac connects to apple.com, it first queries a DNS server to get the IP address (e.g., 17.253.144.10), then connects to that IP. Without DNS, users would need to memorize numeric IP addresses.

  2. What is a DHCP reservation (also called a static DHCP or DHCP binding) and why is it useful?

    Answer: A DHCP reservation assigns a specific IP address to a device based on its MAC address, ensuring the device always gets the same IP while still using DHCP

    A DHCP reservation (static lease) tells the DHCP server to always assign the same IP address to a specific device, identified by its MAC (hardware) address. This gives a device a predictable IP without manually configuring static IP settings on the device itself.

  3. What is the difference between 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi bands in terms of macOS network performance?

    Answer: 5GHz offers higher speeds and less interference but shorter range; 2.4GHz offers longer range but slower speeds and more interference from other devices

    5GHz Wi-Fi provides faster speeds (up to Wi-Fi 6 and 6E standards) and less interference (fewer competing devices use 5GHz) but has shorter range and worse penetration through walls. 2.4GHz travels farther through obstacles but is crowded and slower.

  4. How do you configure a Mac to use a specific network interface first when multiple network connections are available?

    Answer: In System Settings > Network, use the three-dot menu to set the service order, placing the preferred interface at the top

    Network service order in macOS determines which interface is used first when multiple connections are active. In System Settings > Network, click the three-dot '...' menu button and choose 'Set Service Order' to drag interfaces into priority order.

  5. What is mDNS (Multicast DNS) and how does it enable local network device discovery on macOS?

    Answer: mDNS allows devices on the local network to announce and discover services without a central DNS server, using the .local domain suffix (e.g., MacBook.local)

    mDNS (Bonjour) enables zero-configuration networking on the local network. Devices announce their services using the .local domain, and other devices can discover them without needing a DNS server — enabling AirPrint, AirPlay, and local network service discovery.

  6. A Mac user reports they can access websites by IP address but not by domain name. What is the most likely cause?

    Answer: DNS resolution is failing — the configured DNS servers are unreachable or returning errors

    If a Mac can reach servers by direct IP address but not by domain name, DNS lookup is failing. This isolates the problem to DNS: either the DNS servers are down/unreachable, the network is blocking port 53, or DNS settings are misconfigured.