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Question 261

Which IPv4 subnet mask provides 62 usable host addresses?

1. 255.255.255.192
2. 255.255.255.224
3. 255.255.255.240
4. 255.255.255.128

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

A subnet that requires 62 usable IPv4 host addresses needs 64 total addresses because the network and broadcast addresses are normally reserved. A 64-address block uses a /26 prefix, corresponding to the subnet mask 255.255.255.192. This leaves 62 usable host addresses in each subnet. A /25 provides 126 usable addresses, while /27 provides only 30 and /28 provides 14. Understanding the relationship between prefix length, total addresses, and usable hosts is essential when designing efficient IPv4 networks and determining the correct subnet boundaries.

Question 262

Which protocol allows a Cisco router to dynamically learn routes from neighboring routers using the shortest-path-first algorithm?

1. RIP
2. OSPF
3. BGP
4. FTP

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

Open Shortest Path First, or OSPF, is a link-state routing protocol that uses the Shortest Path First algorithm to calculate optimal routes. OSPF routers exchange link-state information with neighboring routers and build a link-state database representing the network topology. The router then runs the SPF algorithm to determine the best paths based on OSPF cost. RIP uses hop count, BGP uses path attributes, and FTP is a file-transfer protocol rather than a routing protocol. OSPF is widely used in enterprise networks because it supports hierarchical areas and relatively fast convergence.

Question 263

Which command configures a Cisco switch interface as an access port?

1. switchport mode access
2. switchport access enable
3. switchport mode vlan
4. interface access-mode

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

The switchport mode access command forces a switch interface to operate as an access port. Access ports are normally used to connect end devices and carry traffic for a single VLAN. After configuring the interface as an access port, an administrator can use switchport access vlan to assign it to a specific VLAN. This configuration is different from trunk mode, which carries traffic for multiple VLANs. Explicitly configuring access mode also helps prevent the interface from dynamically negotiating a trunk through DTP when trunking is not required.

Question 264

Which IPv6 address is automatically configured on an interface when IPv6 is enabled and is used for local-link communication?

1. Global unicast address
2. Unique local address
3. Link-local address
4. Multicast address

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation

An IPv6 link-local address is automatically generated on an IPv6-enabled interface and uses the FE80::/10 prefix. Link-local addresses allow devices on the same local network segment to communicate without requiring a globally routable IPv6 address. They are essential for Neighbor Discovery and are commonly used by IPv6 routing protocols for communication with directly connected neighbors. Routers do not normally forward packets sourced from a link-local address beyond the local link. Global unicast addresses, unique local addresses, and multicast addresses serve different communication purposes.

Question 265

What is the main function of a DNS server in an IP network?

1. Assigning MAC addresses
2. Translating domain names into IP addresses
3. Encrypting network traffic
4. Selecting routing paths

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

The Domain Name System, or DNS, translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses and can also provide other types of name-resolution information. For example, when a user enters a website domain name, the DNS system can help determine the IP address associated with that name so the client can establish communication. DNS does not assign MAC addresses, encrypt traffic, or calculate routing paths. DHCP commonly provides IP configuration, routing protocols determine network paths, and security protocols provide encryption. Reliable DNS service is important for many applications and network services.

Question 266

Which STP port state allows a switch to learn MAC addresses but does not yet forward user traffic?

1. Blocking
2. Learning
3. Forwarding
4. Disabled

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

In traditional 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol, the Learning state allows a switch to examine incoming frames and populate its MAC address table, but the port does not yet forward normal user traffic. This stage occurs before the port enters the Forwarding state. In the Blocking state, the port does not forward user frames and generally does not learn source MAC addresses. The Forwarding state allows both MAC learning and normal frame forwarding. Understanding these states helps explain how STP transitions ports while building a loop-free Layer 2 topology.

Question 267

Which protocol is commonly used to synchronize network device clocks with an external time source?

1. NTP
2. SNMP
3. TFTP
4. SMTP

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

Network Time Protocol, or NTP, synchronizes the clocks of network devices with reliable time sources. Accurate time is important for troubleshooting, logging, security investigations, authentication systems, and correlating events across multiple devices. NTP uses a hierarchical stratum system to identify the distance from a reference clock. Network devices can act as NTP clients and synchronize their clocks with configured servers. SNMP is primarily used for monitoring, TFTP is a file-transfer protocol, and SMTP is associated with email transport. Proper time synchronization improves the accuracy and usefulness of network logs.

Question 268

Which device is typically responsible for making Layer 3 forwarding decisions between different IP networks?

1. Hub
2. Layer 2 switch
3. Router
4. Access point

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation

A router makes Layer 3 forwarding decisions based on destination IP addresses and its routing table. When a router receives a packet, it examines the destination address, identifies the best matching route, and forwards the packet through the appropriate interface or next hop. Routers also separate broadcast domains and can connect different IP networks. A traditional Layer 2 switch primarily forwards Ethernet frames based on MAC addresses, while a hub repeats signals and an access point provides wireless connectivity. Layer 3 switches can also perform routing functions in modern networks.

Question 269

Which IPv4 address range is commonly used for automatic link-local addressing when a DHCP server is unavailable?

1. 10.0.0.0/8
2. 127.0.0.0/8
3. 169.254.0.0/16
4. 224.0.0.0/4

Correct Answer: 3

Explanation

The IPv4 range 169.254.0.0/16 is reserved for link-local addressing, commonly called APIPA in Microsoft environments. A host may automatically assign itself an address from this range when it is configured for DHCP but cannot obtain a valid address from a DHCP server. Link-local addresses allow limited communication on the local network but are not intended for normal routed communication across different networks. The 10.0.0.0/8 range is private, 127.0.0.0/8 is reserved for loopback, and 224.0.0.0/4 is used for IPv4 multicast.

Question 270

Which protocol can be used to securely manage a Cisco device through a remote command-line session?

1. Telnet
2. SSH
3. TFTP
4. SNMP

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

SSH, or Secure Shell, provides encrypted remote command-line access to Cisco network devices. It protects administrative credentials and session information from being transmitted in plaintext. SSH is preferred over Telnet because Telnet does not encrypt the management session. To configure SSH, administrators typically establish a hostname and domain name, generate RSA keys, create authentication credentials or use AAA, and configure the appropriate VTY lines. TFTP is used for basic file transfer, while SNMP is primarily designed for monitoring and management rather than interactive command-line administration.

Question 271

Which IPv6 multicast address represents all routers on the local link?

1. FF02::1
2. FF02::2
3. FF02::5
4. FF02::A

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

The IPv6 multicast address FF02::2 represents all IPv6 routers on the local link. Routers listen to this multicast group for certain IPv6 control and discovery traffic. The address FF02::1 represents all IPv6 nodes on the local link, while FF02::5 is associated with OSPFv3 routers and FF02::A is associated with EIGRP for IPv6. IPv6 uses multicast extensively instead of traditional broadcast communication. Recognizing common multicast addresses helps administrators understand Neighbor Discovery and IPv6 routing protocol operations.

Question 272

Which command can be used to verify the status of a specific Cisco interface in detail?

1. show interface
2. show interfaces
3. show interface status brief
4. display interface

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

The show interfaces command provides detailed operational information about Cisco interfaces. The output can include physical and protocol status, bandwidth, duplex, speed, input and output statistics, errors, packet counts, and other interface information. Administrators can specify a particular interface, such as show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/1, to focus on one port. This command is useful for identifying physical problems, duplex mismatches, excessive errors, and interface utilization. For a shorter summary, show ip interface brief is generally more appropriate.

Question 273

Which type of route is manually configured by a network administrator rather than learned dynamically?

1. Connected route
2. Static route
3. OSPF route
4. EIGRP route

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

A static route is manually configured by a network administrator and remains in the routing table as long as its destination and next-hop conditions remain valid. Static routes are useful for simple networks, specific paths, default routing, or situations where administrators need precise control over forwarding. Connected routes are automatically created for directly connected networks, while OSPF and EIGRP routes are learned dynamically from neighboring routers. Static routing can reduce protocol overhead but may require more administrative effort when network topology changes frequently.

Question 274

Which security feature protects a switch against MAC address flooding by limiting the number of secure MAC addresses on a port?

1. Port Security
2. DHCP Snooping
3. BPDU Guard
4. ACL

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

Port Security helps protect a switch port by limiting the number of MAC addresses that can be learned or configured on that port. This can reduce the impact of unauthorized devices and certain MAC address flooding attacks. Administrators can specify a maximum number of secure MAC addresses and define what happens when a violation occurs. Depending on the configured mode, the switch may drop violating traffic, generate notifications, or place the port into an error-disabled state. DHCP Snooping, BPDU Guard, and ACLs provide different types of network protection.

Question 275

Which protocol is used by Cisco devices to automatically negotiate an EtherChannel when supported on both sides?

1. LACP
2. FTP
3. STP
4. VTP

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

Link Aggregation Control Protocol, or LACP, is an IEEE standard used to negotiate and maintain EtherChannel link aggregation. It allows multiple compatible physical Ethernet links to operate as one logical channel. LACP uses active and passive modes to determine whether negotiation occurs. At least one side generally needs to operate in active mode for an LACP channel to form. EtherChannel improves available bandwidth and redundancy between devices while STP treats the logical bundle as a single link. VTP manages VLAN information, while FTP transfers files.

Question 276

Which IPv4 address is a valid private address?

1. 8.8.8.8
2. 172.20.10.5
3. 169.254.10.1
4. 224.0.0.5

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

The address 172.20.10.5 is a valid RFC 1918 private IPv4 address because it falls within the 172.16.0.0/12 range. Private IPv4 addresses are commonly used within internal networks and are not globally routable across the public Internet. The address 8.8.8.8 is a public address, 169.254.10.1 belongs to the IPv4 link-local range, and 224.0.0.5 is an IPv4 multicast address used by OSPF routers. Recognizing private ranges is important when planning internal addressing and troubleshooting NAT-related connectivity.

Question 277

What is the primary function of an SVI on a multilayer switch?

1. To provide a Layer 3 interface associated with a VLAN
2. To create a physical trunk
3. To replace the switch’s MAC table
4. To disable inter-VLAN routing

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

A Switch Virtual Interface, or SVI, is a logical Layer 3 interface associated with a VLAN on a multilayer switch. An SVI can provide the default gateway for devices in that VLAN and enable inter-VLAN routing when the switch is configured for Layer 3 operation. SVIs can also be used for switch management. Unlike physical interfaces, an SVI is virtual and represents the Layer 3 interface for a VLAN. This allows multilayer switches to perform routing efficiently without requiring a separate external router for every VLAN.

Question 278

Which protocol is used to automatically obtain an IPv4 address, subnet mask, default gateway, and other configuration information from a DHCP server?

1. DNS
2. DHCP
3. ARP
4. ICMP

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, or DHCP, automatically provides IPv4 configuration information to clients. Depending on the server configuration, a DHCP response can provide an IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS server addresses, lease duration, and other options. The common DHCPv4 process follows the DORA sequence: Discover, Offer, Request, and Acknowledge. DNS resolves names, ARP maps IPv4 addresses to MAC addresses, and ICMP provides control and diagnostic messaging. DHCP reduces manual configuration and helps administrators manage address allocation efficiently across large networks.

Question 279

Which command can be used to verify which VLANs are allowed and active on a trunk interface?

1. show interfaces trunk
2. show vlan access
3. show switchport vlan
4. show trunk database

Correct Answer: 1

Explanation

The show interfaces trunk command provides important information about switch trunk interfaces, including the VLANs allowed on the trunk and VLANs that are active and forwarding. This is particularly useful when troubleshooting a situation where devices in the same VLAN cannot communicate across switches. Administrators can compare the allowed VLAN list with the VLANs required by the network. The command can also display the native VLAN and trunk encapsulation. Verifying trunk configuration helps identify VLAN filtering, native VLAN, and trunk negotiation problems.

Question 280

Which protocol is commonly used to provide centralized authentication for network access and uses UDP ports 1812 and 1813?

1. TACACS+
2. RADIUS
3. SSH
4. HTTPS

Correct Answer: 2

Explanation

RADIUS is a widely used AAA protocol for centralized authentication, authorization, and accounting. It commonly uses UDP port 1812 for authentication and UDP port 1813 for accounting. Network access devices such as wireless controllers, switches, VPN gateways, and access servers can communicate with a centralized RADIUS server to verify user credentials and apply access policies. TACACS+ is another AAA protocol but uses TCP, commonly on port 49. SSH and HTTPS provide secure management or application access but are not centralized AAA protocols in themselves.