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Troubleshooting and Networking 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 'ping' command used for in macOS network troubleshooting?

    Answer: Ping sends ICMP Echo Request packets to a destination and measures round-trip time; used to verify connectivity, test if a host is reachable, and identify latency or packet loss

    'ping hostname' or 'ping IP_address' sends ICMP Echo Requests and reports replies with round-trip times. No replies = host unreachable or blocking ICMP. High latency or packet loss indicates network issues. Essential first-step connectivity test.

  2. A Mac can connect to the local network but cannot reach the internet. What systematic troubleshooting steps should be taken?

    Answer: Test local gateway ping, check DNS resolution, test internet IP ping, verify default route, then check ISP-side issues — narrowing from local to remote systematically

    Systematic network troubleshooting follows the OSI model from local to remote: ping the default gateway (local connectivity), ping 8.8.8.8 (ISP/routing), ping google.com (DNS), check 'networksetup' settings, check router for blocked MAC, verify with another device.

  3. What does 'traceroute' show in macOS network diagnostics?

    Answer: Traceroute shows each network hop (router) between the Mac and destination, with latency at each hop — revealing where packets are delayed or dropped along the path

    'traceroute hostname' (or 'traceroute -n IP_address' to skip DNS lookups) sends packets with incrementing TTL values, revealing each router hop with its IP/hostname and round-trip latency — showing exactly where high latency or packet loss occurs along the network path.

  4. What is Wireless Diagnostics in macOS and how does a technician access it?

    Answer: Wireless Diagnostics is a built-in macOS tool for analyzing Wi-Fi environment, logging connections, scanning channels, and capturing packets; accessed by Option-clicking the Wi-Fi menu bar icon and selecting 'Open Wireless Diagnostics'

    Wireless Diagnostics (/System/Library/CoreServices/Applications/Wireless Diagnostics.app) is accessed via Option+click on the Wi-Fi menu bar icon. It offers guided troubleshooting, Wi-Fi environment scanning (nearby networks and channels), performance graphs, and packet capture.

  5. What does a 'Self-Assigned IP Address' (169.254.x.x) mean on macOS and how should it be resolved?

    Answer: 169.254.x.x is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) address assigned when DHCP fails; indicates the Mac cannot reach the DHCP server — check cable/Wi-Fi connection, router DHCP status, and try 'Renew DHCP Lease'

    A 169.254.x.x address (APIPA/link-local) is self-assigned by macOS when DHCP fails — the Mac couldn't get an IP from the router. The Mac cannot reach internet or other DHCP-assigned devices until the DHCP issue is resolved.

  6. What is Network Quality (networkQuality) command in macOS Monterey and later?

    Answer: networkQuality is a built-in macOS command that measures internet connection quality including upload/download speed, latency under load (RPM), and responsiveness using Apple's infrastructure

    'networkQuality' (built into macOS Monterey+) measures internet connection download/upload speed and 'Responsiveness' (RPM - Requests Per Minute) — a measure of latency under load that better reflects real-world browsing performance than traditional ping tests.