Microsoft Networking Essentials Exam Microsoft Networking Essentials 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which protocol operates at the Network layer of the OSI model and is responsible for logical addressing and routing?
- TCP
- IP (Correct answer)
- Ethernet
- ARP
Correct answer: IP
IP (Internet Protocol) operates at Layer 3 (Network) and handles logical addressing and packet routing between networks.
Question 2: A network administrator needs to segment a Class C network 192.168.10.0 into at least 6 subnets. Which subnet mask achieves this with the most host addresses per subnet?
- /27 (Correct answer)
- /28
- /29
- /26
Correct answer: /27
/27 (255.255.255.224) creates 8 subnets with 30 usable host addresses each, satisfying the requirement of at least 6 subnets.
Question 3: What is the primary function of the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)?
- Load-balance traffic across multiple routers
- Prevent Layer 2 switching loops (Correct answer)
- Encrypt traffic between switches
- Assign IP addresses dynamically
Correct answer: Prevent Layer 2 switching loops
STP prevents Layer 2 loops by placing redundant switch ports in a blocking state so only one active path exists between any two network nodes.
Question 4: Which Windows command displays the current TCP/IP configuration including IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for all adapters?
- netstat -a
- ping /all
- ipconfig /all (Correct answer)
- nslookup /config
Correct answer: ipconfig /all
ipconfig /all displays detailed TCP/IP configuration for every network adapter, including IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers.
Question 5: At which OSI layer does a standard network switch primarily operate?
- Layer 1 – Physical
- Layer 2 – Data Link (Correct answer)
- Layer 3 – Network
- Layer 4 – Transport
Correct answer: Layer 2 – Data Link
A standard (unmanaged or Layer 2) switch operates at the Data Link layer, forwarding frames based on MAC addresses stored in its CAM table.
Question 6: What type of DNS record maps a hostname to an IPv4 address?
- MX record
- CNAME record
- A record (Correct answer)
- PTR record
Correct answer: A record
An A (Address) record maps a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) to a 32-bit IPv4 address.
Question 7: Which protocol uses port 443 and provides encrypted web communications?
- HTTP
- FTP
- HTTPS (Correct answer)
- SMTP
Correct answer: HTTPS
HTTPS (HTTP Secure) uses port 443 and encrypts web traffic using TLS/SSL to protect data in transit.
Which protocol operates at the Network layer of the OSI model and is responsible for logical addressing and routing?