A Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get CCNA Certification

February 15, 2024August 30, 2023 by Surbhi

How to get CCNA certification is what we will discuss in this article. In today’s interconnected world, where digital highways weave together businesses, individuals, and communities, the art of networking stands as a crucial pillar supporting our modern infrastructure. As organizations rely on seamless data transfer, communication, and information exchange, the demand for skilled networking professionals has reached an all-time high.

Imagine a world where communication ceases, data remains stagnant, and connectivity grinds to a halt. In today’s fast-paced reality, such a scenario is not just inconvenient; it’s almost inconceivable. The heartbeat of our digital age relies on the intricate web of networks that allow information to flow seamlessly, enabling businesses, individuals, and entire industries to thrive.

Thus, let’s discuss the CCNA certification in detail.

NOTE: Know if you can become a Network Engineer without CCNA Here!

What is CCNA?

The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) is a beginner-level certification in networking that Cisco offers. It confirms your core abilities in setting up, running, and resolving issues within smaller to mid-sized networks. It encompasses network fundamentals, routing, switching technologies, network security, and basic wireless principles.

CCNA is a well-respected qualification for those entering IT, networking, and telecom careers. This certification forms a solid base for pursuing more advanced Cisco certifications. By obtaining a CCNA certification, you prove your skill in essential networking tasks, paving the way for success in roles related to network administration and beyond.

Why choose the CCNA training?

Opting for CCNA training is an entry point to networking, furnishing you with crucial proficiencies in configuring networks, overseeing their management, and honing troubleshooting skills. CCNA endows you with expertise spanning routing, switching, security, and wireless technologies. This training acts as a catalyst for prosperous pathways in IT, telecommunications, and beyond.

The globally esteemed CCNA certification enhances your standing, unveiling avenues for advanced Cisco certifications and career advancement. In essence, CCNA training furnishes you with a robust groundwork to stand out in the dynamic domain of network administration, positioning you for triumph in the ever-progressing technology landscape.

What is the scope of CCNA certification?

The CCNA certification expands career possibilities by confirming crucial networking skills. It opens doors to high-earning positions such as network administrator, technician, or support engineer. Those with CCNA expertise can thrive in tasks like setting up, overseeing, and resolving network issues, gaining acknowledgement in IT, telecommunications, and beyond.

This certification is a foundation for advancing to higher-level Cisco certifications, allowing focused learning in fields like security, wireless technology, or data centers. CCNA-equipped professionals are well-prepared for diverse opportunities in our tech-focused society, where their skills are in demand for designing, executing, and sustaining vital network systems across various sectors.

NOTE: Learn the scope of CCNA in detail Here!

What is the importance of CCNA certification?

The CCNA certification is crucial in IT as it validates essential networking skills. It solidifies your credibility in configuring, running, and upholding networks in IT and telecommunications careers. CCNA demonstrates expertise in areas like routing, switching, and network security. This certification acts as a launchpad for career advancement, opening doors to roles like network administrators or support specialists.

It is an internationally recognized benchmark, showing employers your proficiency and creating a path to more advanced certifications. In our rapidly evolving tech world, CCNA provides a strong base, ensuring professionals are well-prepared to make meaningful contributions to network design, implementation, and solving challenges.

What are the benefits of pursuing CCNA training in IT?

The benefits of pursuing the CCNA training in IT are as follows-

Skill Enhancement

CCNA training equips you with practical skills in networking, including configuration, troubleshooting, and management.

Career Opportunities

CCNA certification opens doors to IT roles like network administrator, support engineer, or technician.

Industry Recognition

The CCNA credential is recognized globally as a mark of your networking proficiency.

Foundation for Advancement

CCNA is a foundation for pursuing advanced Cisco certifications in specialized areas like security or wireless.

Higher Earning Potential

CCNA-certified professionals often command higher salaries due to their specialized expertise.

Networking Knowledge

CCNA training imparts in-depth knowledge about routing, switching, protocols, and network security.

Problem-Solving

You learn effective troubleshooting techniques essential for maintaining network reliability.

Adaptability

CCNA training helps you adapt to evolving technologies and stay relevant in the ever-changing IT landscape.

Resourceful Learning

You gain access to Cisco’s educational resources, tools, and community, fostering continuous learning.

Confidence

CCNA certification boosts your confidence in tackling real-world networking challenges and contributes to professional growth.

Is the CCNA certification worth it?

The CCNA certification holds significant value for those venturing into networking and IT fields. It confirms crucial proficiencies in configuring networks, resolving issues, and overseeing their management qualities sought after for positions like network administrator or support specialist.

This certification carries worldwide acknowledgement and serves as a pathway to more advanced Cisco qualifications. The insights gained from CCNA training prove invaluable in tackling practical networking hurdles and fostering your career progression and accomplishments within IT.

What are the prerequisites for the CCNA course?

The prerequisites for the CCNA course are as follows-

Graduation
Basic understanding of the IT industry

Guide on How to get CCNA certification in IT

Step 1: Choose Your Specialization

Before diving into IT training, one must decide on a specialization that aligns with your career goals. For stepping into IT networking, choose CCNA. Cisco offers CCNA certification as an entry-level credential to understand and learn the fundamentals of IT networking.

Step 2: Acquire the Necessary Knowledge

Self-Study Resources (Books, Online Courses, Videos): Begin by accessing self-study materials like books, online courses, and video tutorials. These resources help you grasp networking concepts, protocols, and technologies.
Cisco’s Official Learning Materials: Utilize Cisco’s official study materials to align with the exam objectives. These materials provide a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in the CCNA exam.
Practice Labs and Simulations: Hands-on practice is vital. Set up virtual labs or use simulation tools to emulate real networking scenarios, allowing you to experiment and gain practical experience without affecting actual networks.

Step 3: Hands-On Experience

Utilizing Network Simulation Tools: Network simulation software like Cisco Packet Tracer or GNS3 allows you to build virtual network environments. You can practice different configurations and scenarios without needing physical equipment.

Step 4: Enroll in a CCNA Training Course

Benefits of Structured Courses: Enrolling in a CCNA training course provides structured learning guided by experienced instructors. It ensures comprehensive coverage of exam objectives and enables interaction with fellow learners.
Online vs. In-Person Training: Choose between online and in-person training based on your preferences and availability. Online courses offer flexibility, while in-person classes provide direct interaction with instructors.

Step 5: Review and Practice

Mock Exams and Practice Questions: Access mock exams and practice questions that simulate the CCNA exam environment. These help you gauge your readiness and become familiar with the exam format.
Identifying and Addressing Weak Areas: Analyze your performance in practice exams to identify weak areas. Focus on improving your understanding of these topics through targeted study and practice.

By following these steps, you will be well-prepared to tackle the CCNA certification journey with a strong foundation of knowledge, practical skills, and the confidence to succeed in IT networking.

NOTE: Familiarize yourself with the CCNA certification path Here!

How can I prepare for the CCNA exam?

To prepare for the CCNA exam, you must understand the exam pattern first. Hence, the exam details for the CCNA exam are as follows-

Exam Code	CCNA 200-301
Exam Level	Associate
Exam Cost	USD 300
Exam Duration	120 Minutes
Exam Format	MCQ & Multiple Response
Total Questions	90 to 110 Questions
Passing score	Variable (750-850 / 1000 Approx)
Language	English and Japanese

NOTE: Prepare for the exam tips to crack CCNA Here!

What skills will you learn with the CCNA training?

The skills you will learn with the CCNA training are as follows-

Network Configuration

Configure routers, switches, and other network devices for optimal performance

Routing and Switching

Gain expertise in routing protocols, dynamic routing, and Ethernet switching techniques.

IP Addressing and Subnetting

Understand IP addressing schemes, subnetting, and how to allocate IP addresses effectively.

Network Security

Learn about network security concepts, including firewalls, access control, and basic security best practices.

Wireless Networking

Grasp the fundamentals of wireless networking, including setup and security considerations.

Network Troubleshooting

Acquire skills to identify and resolve common networking issues efficiently.

Network Protocols

Gain familiarity with TCP/IP protocols, including DNS, DHCP, HTTP, and more.

Network Design Principles

Understand the network design basics, including segmentation, redundancy, and scalability.

Network Monitoring

Learn to use monitoring tools to track network performance, diagnose problems, and optimize resources.

Basic Command-Line Interface (CLI) Skills

Familiarize yourself with command-line interfaces of networking devices for configuration and management.

NOTE: Get the CCNA tutorial Here!

What is the next step after the CCNA exam?

After completing the CCNA training and earning the certificate, you can go for the CCNP certification. Though there are plenty of CCNP certifications available, namely-

NOTE: Industry experts recommend the CCNP Enterprise course after the CCNA training.

Where to enroll for the best CCNA training?

To enroll for the best CCNA training, one must find the answer to the primary question – where to seek help for training? And to track down a suitable response, one wastes a great deal of time in all quarters. But here we are with the answer.

Network Kings is an ideal yet promising option for candidates aspiring to become an in-demand Network expert.

Why choose Network Kings for the best CCNA training?

Network kings is the best ed-tech platform to pursue the CCNA program online, as you can enhance your knowledge and skills by sitting at home. Courses are available in Hindi and English. Timings are flexible here, so you can learn without affecting your working or study hours.

Network kings has experienced trainers and industry experts who provide in-depth knowledge of the particular course. In the CCNA course, you will get 60+ hours of recordings and 60+ hours of live classes covering-

Basics of network fundamentals
Routing
Switching
Basics of security
IP services
Virtual labs

NOTE: Know the complete CCNA syllabus in detail Here!

What are the available job roles after the CCNA course training?

The top available job roles after the CCNA course training are as follows-

Network Administrator
Network Engineer
Network Analyst
Network Security Analyst
Network Support Engineer
Systems Administrator
Systems Engineer
Technical Support Engineer
IT Manager
IT Project Manager
IT Consultant
Network Consultant
Information Security Analyst
Cybersecurity Analyst
Network Architect
Wireless Network Engineer
VoIP Engineer
Cloud Network Engineer
Network Operations Center (NOC) Technician
Technical Trainer

NOTE: Prepare for the CCNA Interview Questions and Answers Here!

What are the salary aspects after the CCNA course training?

The salary aspects after the CCNA course training are as follows-

United States: USD 50,000 – USD 120,000 per year
Canada: CAD 45,000 – CAD 90,000 per year
United Kingdom: Pounds 20,000 – Pounds 40,000 per year
Australia: AUD 50,000 – AUD 90,000 per year
Germany: EUR 35,000 – EUR 60,000 per year
France: EUR 30,000 – EUR 50,000 per year
India: INR 250,000 – INR 600,000 per year
China: CNY 100,000 – CNY 300,000 per year
United Arab Emirates: AED 70,000 – AED 120,000 per year
Singapore: SGD 45,000 – SGD 90,000 per year
Japan: JPY 3,000,000 – JPY 5,000,000 per year
South Africa: ZAR 200,000 – ZAR 500,000 per year
Brazil: BRL 60,000 – BRL 120,000 per year
Saudi Arabia: SAR 80,000 – SAR 150,000 per year
Mexico: MXN 300,000 – MXN 600,000 per year

Wrapping Up!

From understanding network basics to diving into advanced security measures, CCNA training equips individuals to navigate this evolving terrain. As you embark on this path, remember that your endeavours shape how we connect, communicate, and thrive in the digital age. So, let’s continue this journey, knowing that each skill mastered, each challenge overcome, and each certification earned brings us closer to a world where connectivity knows no bounds.

Happy Learning!

Most Asked CCIE Interview Questions – Answered with Examples

April 20, 2023March 12, 2023 by Aakriti

Hereby, we present you with the simplest CCIE Interview Questions and answers. We hope you find this helpful. We have covered the following topics in our blog. These include

CCIE Routing and Switching
IP Routing
OSPF
BGP
Quality of Service (QoS)

We have often heard and are aware that getting Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification is an uphill task. Although the list of things one needs to know is long, do not worry. We have tried to simplify the same for you.

Firstly, contrary to popular belief you don’t need a hefty number of questionnaires to ace the CCIE exam. Yet, you do need to prepare well for the exam. This blog is all about the basic concepts involved in the CCIE examination. We have included mostly the CCIE enterprise questions. You can get the help of this guide to get going.

At times, it becomes really difficult to keep up with all the concepts. Hence we have made it easy for you here.

Most of the time people run after complex concepts and forget about the basic ones.

We are mostly focusing on the basic concepts in the early part of this blog. Followed by it will be some higher-level questions. If your basics are not clear, you cannot do anything about the difficult concepts. Even the interviewers ask basic questions in a CCIE interview.

1. What is a Firewall?

A firewall is a protection wall (a device) present between a trusted and a non-trusted network.

It is a network security device that filters incoming and outgoing traffic.
It does so by checking out the previous activity on a particular website based on the security policies of that website.
Firewall protects an inside network from unauthorized access by users present outside a network.
It also protects inside networks from each other.
For example, it keeps a management network away from a user network.

2. What are the security levels in Cisco ASA?

The Cisco ASA uses ‘security levels’ to estimate how much can it trust a particular network that is attached to a respective interface.
It looks at the security levels that can be configured anywhere between 0-100.
The higher the number, the higher the trust in that network.
The lower the number, the lesser the trust in that network is.
ASA allows the flow of traffic from higher security level to a lower security level only, ny default.

3. What is DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Server?

Demilitarized zone (DMZ) is a separate network behind the firewall.
It allows you to access some network resources such as Web server or FTP server that are available to outside users.
These are placed in the DMZ server.
DMZ only includes public servers. An attack there can only affect the servers but not the inside network.
The firewall allows limited access to DMZ.

4. What is a Transparent Firewall and what is the need for it?

ASA acts as a Layer 2 device in Transparent Mode like a bridge or switch. It forwards Ethernet frames based on destination MAC-address.

The need of Transparent firewall:

It is difficult to deploy a new firewall in an already existing network.
The process needs address reconfiguration, network topology changes, current firewall, etc.
But transparent firewall can be easily inserted in an existing network.
Transparent firewall insertion does not need any changes.
It does not need to readdress or reconfigure the devices.

5. What features are not supported in Transport mode?

The following features are not supported in Transport mode:

Dynamic routing
Multicasting
QOS
VPNs like IPsec and WebVPN cannot be exited.
ASA cannot act as a DHCP relay agent.

6. What is Unit Health Monitoring in Failover? How does failover happen?

The health of a unit is measured by the ASA unit. It does so by monitoring the failover link. When a unit does not receive three continuous ‘hello’ messages on the failover link, it sends hello messages on each interface.

These interfaces include failover interface. It checks if the other unit responses or not.

On the basis of the responses from other units, it takes the following actions:

If ASA receives a response on the failover interface, then it does not failover.
If the ASA does not receive a response on the failover link, but if it does receive a response on another interface, then the unit does not failover. The failover linked is marked ‘failed’.
If the ASA does not receive a response on any interface, then the standby unit changes to active mode and separates the other unit as failed.

7. Tell us some of the commands that are not replicated to standby unit.

All types of copy commands except for # copy running-config startup-config.

All types of the write command except for # write memory.

8. What is the difference between Stateful failover and Stateless failover?

Stateful failover	Stateless failover
After a failover happens, the same connection information is available at the new active unit.	When a failover happens, all active connections are exited.
Clients do not need to reconnect to keep the same connection session.	Clients need to re-establish connections when the new active unit takes over.

9. What are the various types of ACL in Firewall?

The different types of ACL in Firewall include:

Standard ACL
Extended ACL
Ethertype ACL (Transparent Firewall)
Webtype (SSL VPN)

10. Name some of the concepts that are not possible to configure on ASA.

Line VTY can’t be configured on ASA.
Wildcard mask concept is not present in ASA.
Loopback can’t be configured on ASA.

11. Which routing protocols are application layer protocols?

The application layer is the topmost layer of the OSI model. The users interact through this layer of the OSI model. It is layer 7 and sits at the top of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) communication model.

The application layer is NOT an application. It is a component within an application that takes care of the communications to other devices. It is an abstract layer of services that allows the application from the transmission process.

Application Layer protocol:

1. TELNET:

Telnet means TELetype NETwork.
It helps in terminal emulation, that is, it makes one PC look like another.
It is used for managing files on the Internet.
The TELNET command uses the TELNET protocol to talk with a remote device/system.
The port number of telnet is 23.

Steps to enable Telnet server:

switch# configure terminal
switch(config)# feature telnet
switch(config)# show telnet server
(Optional) switch(config)# show telnet server
(Optional) switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config

2. FTP:

FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol.
It is a standard Internet protocol provided by TCP/IP.
It is used for transmitting files from one host to another.
It is used to transfer web page files from their creator to the computer.
Port number is 20 for data and 21 for control.

Steps to turn on FTP server on Cisco router:

Connect the Cisco router using a telnet client.
Type IP address for the router.
Press the client’s connect button.
Type in the password for the router to complete the connection.
Type “ftp-server enable” on the command line of the terminal.
Tap “Enter” key to enable server capability.
Type “ftp-server topdir <directory>” on the next terminal.
Add directory name for ftp files in place of <directory> to limit ftp access to directory only.
Press “Enter”.

3. TFTP:

TFTP stands for Trivial File Transfer Protocol.
It is the stock version of FTP.
It is a technology for transferring files between network devices.
It is a simplified version of FTP.
The port number is 69.

Steps to start TFTP using commands:

To start TFTP server from the command line, type the tftpd command

tftpd [-l] [-p port] [-t timeout] [-r maxretries] [-c concurrency_limit] [-s maxsegsize] [-f file] [-a archive directory [-a …]] [-b IP address] [directory …]

4. NFS:

It stands for Network File System.
It allows remote hosts to mount file systems over network.
It allows to collect resources onto centralized servers on the network.
The port number for NFS is 2049.

Command to start NFS:

Service nfs start

5. SMTP:

It stands for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
It is a part of the TCP/IP protocol.
The port number for SMTP is 25.

Command to start SMTP:

MAIL FROM: <mail@abc.com>

6. LPD:

It stands for Line Printer Daemon.
It is made for printer sharing.
It is the part that receives the request and then processes it.
Daemon means a server/agent.
The port number is 515.

Starting the LPD remote subsystem:

You can start the lpd remote subsystem with startsrc or mkitab command, or SMIT.
Your system must be configured to communicate with a remote print server.
You need to have root authority.
At the system prompt, you need to type smit mkitab_lpd
You can use the following command to start lpd remote subsystem now;

startsrc –s lpd

7. X window:

It is the base protocol of X Window system.
It is used on Unix, Linux and BSD systems.
It can also be used on Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X and many other systems.
It can be used on any modern operating system.
It can cause versions and distributions of Linux to separate.
The port number starts from 6000 and increases by 1 for every server.

The command used to run it:

Run sdm in runlevel 5

8. DNS:

It stands for Domain Name System.
It translates a domain name into the corresponding IP address.
The port number for DNS is 53.

The command used for DNS:

ipconfig/ flushdns

9. DHCP:

It stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP).
It provides IP addresses to hosts.
Port numbers for DHCP are 67, 68.

The command used for DHCP:

Clear ip dhcp binding {address | *}

10. SNMP:

It stands for Simple Network Management Protocol.
It collects data by polling the devices on the network from a management station.
The port number of SNMP is 161 (TCP) and 162 (UDP).

The command used for SNMP:

Snmpget –mALL -vl -cpublic snmp_agent_Ip_address sysName.0

10. SNMP:

It stands for Simple Network Management Protocol.
It collects data by polling the devices on the network from a management station.
The port number of SNMP is 161 (TCP) and 162 (UDP).

The command used for SNMP:

Snmpget –mALL -vl -cpublic snmp_agent_Ip_address sysName.0

12. What is Unicast Reverse Path Forwarding (uRPF)?

A unicast reverse-path-forwarding (RPF) is a tool that lowers down the forwarding of IP packets.
It takes care of the IP packets that might be copying an address.
It checks the performance of a forwarding table lookup on an IP packet’s source address.
It also checks its incoming interface.
It follows RFC 2827 for ingress filtering.

13. Name the modes of unicast Reverse Path Forwarding.

There are two modes of unicast RPF:

Strict mode
Loose mode

Strict mode is the default mode. This means that the switch forwards a packet only if the receiving interface is the best return path.

14. What is Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF)?

Virtual routing and forwarding (RF) is an IP technology.
It allows users to configure multiple routing tables to co-exist within the same router.
These multiple routing instances are independent and can choose different outgoing interfaces.

15. How does OSPF calculate its metric or cost?

The Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) uses “cost” as a value of metric. It uses a Reference Bandwidth of 100 Mbps for cost calculation.

The formula to calculate the cost is:

Cost = Reference Bandwidth / Interface Bandwidth

For example, if the Ethernet is 10 Mbps, OSPF metric cost value is:

100 Mbps/ 10 Mbps = 10.

16. What is the function of the variable IP-OSPF-Transmit-Delay?

The IP-OSPF-Transmit-Delay variable adds a specific time to the age field of an update.
If the delay is not added before reaching over a link, the time in which the link-state advertisement (LSA) reaches over the link is not considered.
The transmit-delay is the estimated time needed for OPSFv2 to send link-state update packets to the connected interface.

17. How often does OSPF send out link-state advertisements (LSAs)?

OSPF sends out LSAs when the LSA that are originated by OSPF itself.
It sends out LSAs when LSA age reaches link-state refresh time, that is 1800 seconds.

18. How does OSPF use two Multilink paths to transfer packets?

OSPF uses the metric costs.
The metric cost is related to the bandwidth.
If there are equal cost paths, OSPF installs both routes in the routing table.
If one of the links fails out of multilink, OSPF does not send all the traffic to the second multilink.
If the first multilink reaches 100% of its bandwidth, OSPF does not send any traffic to the second multilink.
OSPF tries to use both the links equally without any interface use.
The second multilink is only used when the first multilink is down.

19. What are the debugging abilities of EIGRP?

There are two types of debug commands:

Protocol-dependent debug commands
Protocol-independent debug commands

There are also a bunch of show commands that show us the table status, topology table status and EIGRP traffic statistics.

Some of these commands are:

show ip eigrp neighbors
show ip eigrp interfaces
show ip eigrp topology
show ip eigrp traffic

20. What does the EIGRP stuck in active message mean?

EIGRP is a trustworthy protocol.
Any query sent by EIGRP to its neighbors must get a reply within 3 minutes.
If no response is received to all its outstanding queries, it will put the route in Stuck in Active (SIA) state.
This will kill the adjacent neighbors.
The SIA is caused by two events:
The route reported by the SIA has disappeared.
An EIGRP neighbor has not responded to that route’s query.

21. How do you configure BGP?

This is how to configure device as a node in BGP network:

Configure network interfaces.
Configure point-to-point peering sessions.
Configure IBGP sessions between peers.
Configure BGP session attributes such as the autonomous systems for the BGP peers.
Configure routing policy to advertise BGP routes.

There are also some optional steps to follow. Yet these are the necessary steps to configure BGP.

22. What is Quality of Service (QoS)?

Quality of Service (QoS) is the use of technologies that work on a network to regulate traffic. It makes sure that the performance of critical applications does not suffer with the limited network capacity.

It also allows organizations to adjust their network traffic by serving high-performance applications first.

23. What is MQC?

Cisco Modular Quality of Service (MQC) gives a modular and highly extensible framework for deploying QoS. It does so by standardizing the CLI and semantics for QoS features across all platforms. It uses all those platforms that are supported by Cisco IOS software.

Wrapping it Up!

So, we have summed up all the basic concepts that are included in Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) exam. You can easily prepare for your interview exam with these questions. All these topics are very important. As already mentioned, you cannot skip to the difficult concepts without clearing your basic concepts.

You can also check out our other interview questions and answers in our blog section. The questions mentioned are not exhaustive. Please do not rely on these questions to clear your interview. These are the basic answers you need to know.

Also, this blog is all free with answers. You do need to download any pdf and waste your time. We wish you all the best for your interview.

CCNA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

May 2, 2023February 7, 2023 by Aakriti

Looking for the CCNA interview Questions to prepare for the CCNA interview? Well, you have landed to the very right place. Cisco Certified Network Associate popularly known as CCNA is a certification exam that qualifies IT professionals to perform various entry-level tasks within the IT industry. The CCNA certification deals with validating the skill, ability and expertise of an individual to fix, configure and troubleshoot networks.

In this blog we have listed the most frequently asked CCNA interview questions and answers to ace your interview with confidence.

CCNA Interview Questions - for Beginners

#1. What is routing?

Routing is the process of finding the right path for transferring data from the original source to the destination. Routing is carried by using a device known as a route, which is a network layer device.

#2. How many layers are there in an OSI reference model? Name them.

There are 7 layers in an OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) reference model. They are:

Physical layer
Data link layer
Network layer
Transport layer
Session layer
Presentation layer
Application layer

#3. Explain HDLC.

HDLC (High-Level Data Link Control) is a group of communication protocols that usually provides reliable delivery of data frames over communication or network link. It is a proprietary protocol for CISCO and is the default encapsulation operated within CISCO routers. It also ensures the error-free transmission of data and can provide both connection-oriented and connectionless services.

#4. What is CDP?

CDP, short for “Cisco Discovery Protocol,” is a layer 2 protocol that works on a Media Access Control (MAC) address. CDP may be used to identify port numbers, iOS details, router models, device IDs, and switch models.

#5. What is BootP?

BootP, short for “Boot Program,” is a protocol that is mostly used to boot diskless work areas that are connected to one network. A diskless workstation may also use BootP to determine its IP address and the IP address of the server PC.

#6. What is the purpose for the Data Link layer?

The data link layer of the OSI model (Layer 2), prepares network data for the physical network. The data link layer is responsible for network interface card (NIC) to network interface card communications. Along with this the data link layer serves the following purposes:

Enables upper layers to access the media.
Accepts data, usually Layer 3 packets (i.e., IPv4 or IPv6), and encapsulates them into Layer 2 frames.
Controls how data is placed and received in the media.
Exchanges frames between endpoints over the network media.
Performs error detection and rejects any corrupt frame.

#7. What does the LLC sublayer do?

Logical Link Control (LLC) is a sublayer usually providing the logic for the data link as it controls the synchronization, multiplexing, flow control, and even error-checking functions of DLL (Data Link Layer). DLL is divided into two sublayers i.e. LLC sublayer and MAC (Medium Access Control) sublayer.

#8. What is MTU?

A maximum transmission unit also called MTU defines the largest size of the packet that can be transmitted as a single entity in a network connection. The size of the MTU defines the amount of data that can be transmitted in bytes over a network.

#9. What is the role of the LLC sublayer?

The LLC sublayer stands for Logical Link Control. It can provide optional services to an application developer. One option is to provide flow control to the Network layer by using stop/start codes. The LLC can also provide error correction.

#10. What is OSPF? Describe it.

OSPF stands for Open Shortest Path First. It uses the Dijkstra algorithm and is a link-state routing protocol that is used to connect to a large number of networks without having any limitation on the number of hops.

#11. What is subnetting?

Subnetting is when smaller networks are created from a larger parent network. Each subnet is given an identifier or certain parameters within the network to indicate its subnet number.

#12. Give some benefits of LAN switching.

– allows full-duplex data transmission and reception

– media rate adaption

– easy and efficient migration

#13. Define ARP.

The Address Resolution Protocol is a communication protocol used for discovering the link layer address, such as a MAC address, associated with a given internet layer address, typically an IPv4 address. This mapping is a critical function in the Internet protocol suite.

#14. What is Spanning Tree Protocol?

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a protocol which prevents layer 2 loops. STP enables switches to become more aware of each other so that they can negotiate a Loop-free path through the network. It chooses a reference point (Route Bridge) in the network and calculates all the paths that are no longer useful (known as redundant links) to that reference point. Then it selects one path to forward frames and blocks other redundant paths. When blocking happens, loops are prevented.

#15. Define Network Congestion.

Network congestion refers to a reduction in quality of service (QOS) that causes packet loss, queueing delay, or the blocking of new connections. It occurs when the traffic flowing through a network exceeds its maximum capacity meaning when a link or network node is handling data in excess of its capacity.

Effects of network congestion :

Queueing delay
Packet Loss
Slow Network
Blocking of new connections
Low throughput

Ways to fix network congestion :

Divide your network into subnets that can be resized to meet traffic.
TCP/IP settings should be adjusted to balance packet send/request speeds.
Upgrade your Internet plan to allow for more devices and increased bandwidth.

#16. What is the difference between User Mode and Privileged Mode?

User Mode is commonly utilized for performing regular tasks on a CISCO router. For example, User Mode may be used to connect to remote devices or check the status of a router.

Privileged Mode is used to perform higher-level tasks on the router such as debugging and making configurations. Privileged Mode also includes all of the options that are available for use in User Mode.

#17.What is a MAC address?

A MAC address is the abbreviation for a Media Access Control address. This address is the identification used to depict a media access control layer in a network’s architecture. It’s most commonly stored in the ROM and is different for each device.

#18. What is EIGRP?

EIGRP stands for Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol; it is a routing protocol designed by Cisco Systems. It is available on a router to share routes with other routers within the same autonomous system. Unlike other routers like RIP, EIGRP only sends incremental updates, decreasing the workload on the router and the amount of data that needs to be transferred.

EIGRP protocol consists of :

Bandwidth
Load
Delay
Reliability
MTU
Maximum Transmission Unit

#19. What are the different memories used in a CISCO router?

Different memories used in a CISCO router are:

– NVRAM stores the startup configuration file.

– DRAM stores the configuration file that is being executed.

– Flash Memory – stores the Cisco IOS.

#20. What is the function of the Application Layer in networking?

The Application Layer supports the communication components of an application and provides network services to application processes that span beyond the OSI reference model specifications. It also synchronizes applications on the server and client.

CCNA Interview Questions - for Experts

Qus1:-What does cat stands for in networking?

Ans :- Cat stands for “CATEGORY“. Which started from Cat1 (Category1) and now extend up to Cat7 (Category 7). Improved version/category of cable improve the quality of data transmission and make enhancement in bandwidth .provide more stability.

Cat 1 ? used for voice only

Cat 2 ? used for voice telephone & data communication, maximum?bandwidth?is 4?Mbit/s.?Cat?2 cable contains 4 pairs of wires, or 8 wires total.

Cat 3 – used for voice & data communication .Category?3 cable, commonly known as?Cat 3?or?station wire .carry data up to 10?Mbit/s.

Cat 4 – It is used in telephone networks which can transmit voice and data up to 16?Mbit/s

Cat 5 – The cable provides performance of up to 100?MHz and Cat?5 is also used to carry other signals such as?telephony and?video.Cat5 does not support exact 100 MHz . but Cat5e provide exact 100 MHz bandwidth.

Cat 6 ? It increase the performance of up to 250?MHz compared to 100?MHz for Cat?5 and Cat?5e.

Cat7– ?Ethernet cable is the newest cable category, operating at speeds of 10 Gb/s at 100 meters of cable and transmitting frequencies up to 600 Mhz.

Qus2 :- What is APIPA

Ans :- Automatic Private IP addressing with this , A DHCP client can automatically configured an IP address & subnet mask when no DHCP server is available .

It was random address ranging of Class B from 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254 . default subnet mask of 255.255.0.0

Qus3 :- Private IP Address Range of IPV4

Ans :- 3 group of Private IP addresses —-

Class A ? 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255.254

Class B ? 172.16.0.0 to 172.31.255.254

Class C ? 192.168.0.0 to 192.168.255.254

Qus4 :- Broadcast Domain and Collision Domain

Ans :-

HUB? Single Broadcast Domain and Single Collision Domain

SWITCH? Single Broadcast Domain and Multiple Collision Domain. But can also separate Broadcast Domain by using VLAN’s

ROUTER? Multiple Broadcast and Multiple Collision Domain

Qus5:-What is cat stands for in networking?

Ans:-?A?collision domain?is a network segment with two or more devices sharing the same bandwidth (where there is a chance of collision)

A?broadcast domain?is a logical division of a computer network, in which all nodes can reach other by broadcast at the data link layer.

Qus6:- OSI and TCP/IP Model

Ans:- OSI stands for Open System Interconnection developed by International Standard Organization ISO . It is just a reference model.

Consist 7 layers which has bottom to top approach ?

Application Layer
Presentation Layer
Session Layer
Transport Layer
Network Layer
Data Link Layer
Physical Layer

TCP/IP came 10 years before then OSI Model and it actually works in real scenarios.

Consist 4 layers —

Application Layer
Transport Layer
Internet layer
Network Interface layer/Link Layer /Network Link Layer

Qus7:- Port numbers of TCP and UDP Protocole

Ans:- Server provide their services on the basis of port numbers .we have two types of connections ?

Transmission control protocol (TCP) & User datagram Protocol (UDP)

TCP ? Connection Oriented

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) ? 21
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) — 80
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS)– 443
Secure Shell -22
Telnet ? 23
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP? 161/162
SMTP – 25
DNS-53
Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)? 143
Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) — 179

UDP ? Connection Less

Domain Name System (DNS) ? 53
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) ? 67/68
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) ? 69
Network Time Protocol (NTP) ? 123
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) ? 161/162

Qus8:- What is Firewall ?

Ans : – Firewall is a network security device or network security systemwhich help to provide security to intranet (private Network) . So, that not any unauthorized user can enter into their area .we can also apply security on routers (networking device) as well but only for some extend. Routers provide very less security (Layer 3 device, work on Internet Layer).

Firewall separate the internal (private) & external (public) network.It establishes a barrier between a trusted internal network and untrusted external network.

Firewalls can be either hardware or software or combination of both.

Types of firewall —

network firewalls?or?host-based firewalls

list of some company who provide?Network Security Services&?Appliances

Qus9:- What is Router ?

Ans:- Router is L3 -Network Layer device . it basically use for routing purpose . every router has it’s own brain . they choose the best path from source to destination by checking the information/best suitable path in their routing information table(RIB).

Types of Routing ?

Static Routing
Default Routing
Dynamic routing
Interior gateway routing protocol
Distance vector routing
RIP,RIPV2
Link state routing
OSPF ,IS-IS
Advance Distance vector routing
EIGRP (extended version of IGRP)
Exterior gateway routing protocol
BGP

Qus10:- Difference between OSPF multicast address 224.0.0.5 and 224.0.0.6?

Ans:- 224.0.0.5 – AllSPFRouters: Used to send OSPF messages to all OSPF routers on the same network. The AllSPFRouters address is used for Hello packets. The DR and BDR use this address to send Link State Update and Link State Acknowledgment packets.

224.0.0.6 – AllDRouters: Used to send OSPF messages to all OSPF DRs (the DR and the BDR) on the same network. All OSPF routers except the DR use this address when sending Link State Update and Link State Acknowledgment packets to the DR.

Qus11: - AD value of Dynamic Routing Protocols -- RIP, EIGRP &OSPF.

Ans :-Admistrative Distance (AD) Value of RIP is 120 with maximum of 15 hop count as linear .Broadcast address of RIPV1 is 255.255.255.255 and it doesn’t carry the subnet mask value .Multicast address of RIPV2 is 224.0.0.9 and it does support subnetting .RIP Timers are ? update timer ? 30 sec , invalid timer/hold down timer ? 180 sec and last one flush timer is 240 seconds .

AD value of EIGRP is 90 and multicast address is 224.0.0.10.It maintain the 3 tables ? Teighbor table , topology table and Routing table .

Packet types are ?

Hello pkt ? 5 sec
Update pkt ?15 sec
Query
Reply
Acknowledgment

It uses Reliable Transport Protocol with 88 protocol number

AD value of OSPF is 110 and multicast address is 224.0.0.5 &224.0.0.6 .It maintain the 3 tables ? Neighbor table , Database table and Routing table .

Packet types are ?

Hello pkt
DBD (Data Base Description)
LSR (Link State Request)
LSU (Link State Update)
LSA (Link State Acknowledgment)

Less AD value is always reliable/preferable.

Qus12:- How many States are there in OSPF ?

Ans:-OSPF has to go through 7 states in order to become neighbors. There are 8 states in OSPF.

DOWN
INIT
2-WAY
ExSTART
EXCHANGE
LOADING
FULL

Qus13:- Maximum HOP Count in RIP, EIGRP and OSPF

Ans:-RIP , EIGRP and OSPF all three are Dynamic Routing Protocol .

RIP Maximum hop count value is 15 as linear
EIGRP Maximum hop count value is 255
OSPF can use unlimited number of hop counts, but it is recommended to use
Maximum up to 100 hop count.

Qus14:- Which protocol support equal and unequal load balancing?

Ans : – EIGRP support Equal and Unequal load balancing , RIP and OSPF only support Equal load balancing .

Qus15:- Router-ID selection in OSPF

Ans :- the highest IP address of the active physical interface of the router is Router-ID .

If logical interface loopback is configured ,the highest IP address of the logical interface is Router-ID .

Physical interface can down any time but logical not .

If we add one more loopback 20.1.1.1 higher than 1.1.1.1, here 20.1.1.1 will become your Router-ID

Qus16 :- EIGRP work on which algorithm and it's metric calculation

Ans:- EIGRP work on Defusing Update Algorithm (DUAL)

Metric Calculation formula —

10^7/(Min Bandwidth)
Sum of delays/10
Metric =( Bandwidth + Delay)*256

Qus17:- Working of Switch

Switch is an interconnecting device with 16 or 24 ports in common. All other devices are connected to these ports. Whenever any machine sends packet to any other machine, source machine send packet to switch, switch then forwards it to destination machine. Each packet which comes to switch contains source and destination physical address in it, on basis of which switch forwards packet to other machine. Switch always sent packet based on destination MAC address. Its process is as follows:

(process also known as Switching)

1. When switch receives a packet from any device, it checks for its destination MAC address.

2. Then switch compares destination MAC address with its MAC Address Table for corresponding MAC address.

a. If MAC Address is found, packet is sent out to port against which MAC Address was matched.

b. If entry is not found, Unknown unicasts (when the switch doesn’t have a port mapping for a destination mac address in the frame) are treated like broadcasts by Layer Two devices, and are flooded out of all ports except the port on which the frame originated.

Now question comes, how does switch knows on which port destination machine is connected? — For this switch uses one table in its cache memory called MAC Address table or Forwarding Table in which switch stores that at which port which machine is connected by storing its physical address (MAC Address). So table contains two columns (Physical Address and Port Number) and rows equal to number of ports in switch.

When switch is turned ON, by default there is no entry in MAC address table, as communication starts, based on devices involved entries are created in table.

Qus18:- Working of Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

ARP is a layer 2 protocol, used for obtaining MAC address of any devices within a network. Host machines use ARP protocol to obtain MAC Address. ARP protocol in conjunction with Layer 3 IP Protocol addressing (IP Address).

Host machine uses ARP because when machine needs to send packet to another device, destination MAC address is needed to be written in packet sent, so host machine should know the MAC Address of destination machine. Operating Systems also maintain ARP Table (MAC Address Table).

To obtain MAC address, ARP performs following process: (ARP request by host machine)

1. Source machine generate ARP REQUEST packet with source MAC address (of this machine), source IP address (of this machine) and destination IP address and forwards this packet to switch.

2. Switch receives the incoming packet and reads the source MAC address and checks its MAC address table, if entry for packet at incoming port is found then it checks its MAC address with the source MAC address and updates it, if entry not found then switch add and entry for incoming port with MAC address.

3. All ARP REQUEST packets are broadcasted in network, so switch broadcast ARP REQUEST packet in network, because destination for ARP packet will be 255.255.255.255. (Broadcast are those packets which are sent to everyone in network except the sender, only in network to which it belongs, it cannot span multiple networks)

4. All devices in network receives ARP packet and compare their own IP address with the destination IP address in that packet.

5. Only the machine which matches the both will reply with ARP reply packet. This packet will have source IP of this machine (which was destination machine in previous packet, as now its replying this machine will be the source machine) , source MAC address, destination MAC address (same as source MAC address in REQUEST packet) and destination IP address (same as source IP address in REQUEST packet).

6. Then switch reads the ARP reply message and add entry in its MAC Address Table for port number on which it has received packet by reading its source MAC address field and forwards that packet to destination machine (source machine in REQUEST packet) as its MAC is indestination MAC address.

7. Further host machine add destination machine entry into its ARP table. This using ARP resolution switch and other devices in network obtain MAC address of any other device in a network. Remember ARP works on broadcast, so it works only in single network.

Qus19:- Difference between access link and trunk link ?

Ans :-Access link ? access link carry only one VLAN information .It does not tag the frame . Mainly this link is established in between computer/PC/Node and Switch.

Trunk Link ? trunk link carry information of multiple VLAN’s. It tags the frame. So, that receiving switch would know which VLAN’s information it has carried and transfer/pass that information accordingly.Mainly this link is established in between the Switches.

Qus20 :- Native VLAN

Ans :- Native VLAN is the only VLAN which is not tagged in the trunk. Native VLAN frames are transmitted unchanged .by default VALN 1 is the NATIVE VLAN. if your switch receives a frame with no VLAN information , it assumes this frame belongs to the NATIVE VLAN .

Types of VLANs ?

Default VLAN
Native VLAN
DATA VLAN
VOICE VLAN
PRIVATE VLAN
MANAGEMENT VLAN

Qus 21: – If on 2 switches different VLAN’s are configured and have access link between the switches. Can the PC’s ping each other?

Ans :- They both can ping each other.The issue is that the switch interlink are both access ports. An access port will not send or accept tagged traffic. Hence when SW1 sends PC1’s traffic over the link, the tag is removed. When that packet comes into SW2’s fa0/8 interface, that interface is part of vlan 20. SW2 will allow that frame to flow to PC2. The same happens vice-versa.

Qus22: - Trunking protocols

Ans : – There are two trunking protocols ?

ISL and IEEE DOT1Q/802.1Q

ISL ? Inter Switch Link is Cisco proprietary protocol. That is 30 bytes in length. It add 30 bytes info in it’s frame that obviously increase the size of frame. Even cisco also recommend to use IEEE 802.IQ for encapsulation.

IEEE DOT1Q/802.1Q ? It is open standard .defined by IEEE . All vendor support this .it add 4 byte tag to the original frame .it doesn’t tag frames that belong to native VLAN.

Qus23 :- Why VTP is needed ? Their modes and which mode use extended vlan ?

Ans :- Virtual Trunking Protocol use for propagate VLAN Database . Database creates in Vlan.dat file and store in flash memory.

VTP Modes ?

Client Mode ? can not use extended vlan .

Server Mode ?can not use extended vlan , by default VTP is in server mode

Transparent Mode ? can use extended vlan ranges from <1006-4096>

Off Mode ? VTP Off

Qus24 :- DHCP

Ans :- DHCP stands for Dynamic host configuration protocol , It assign IP addresses to node/computer/PC automatically .It work on Discover offer request acknowledgment DORA process. It is a UDP connectionless and support port number 67/68 .

Qus25:- PC/Computer/Node doesn't not have an IP address how it will contact DHCP server?

Ans :- PC/Computer/node will send request to all the connected devices via broadcast but only the DHCP server will accept this request and assign IP address from pool to the system . It works on “DISCOVER OFFER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGMENT (DORA) “Process.

Qus26:- What is NAT?

Ans :- “ Network Address Translation“ It is a process where a network device , usually a firewall , assign a public address to a computer (or group of computers )inside a public network (intranet).

The main use of NAT is to limit the no. of public addresses an organization or company must use for both economy and security purpose.

It allow multiple private IP addresses to represent into by a smaller number of public IP addresses.

Types of NAT

Static NAT
Dynamic NAT
Port Address Translation PAT

Qus27:- In Ether Channel /Port Channel /Link Aggregation, two switches are connected. On one switch lacP is running and on another switch pagP is running. Will they be able to establish communication?

Ans :-
“NO” all ports in an ether channel must use the same protocol , you can not use two protocols on two ends . In other words pagP and lacP are not compatible so , both ends of a channel must use the same protocol .

Qus28:- Main difference between Standard and Extended Access- list? How packet filtering is done?

Ans :- Access-List provide L3 security. There are of 2 types ACL’s

Numbered
Named

Numbered Standard Access list range is from 1-99
It blocks a network, host and subnet.
All services are blocked
Implement closest to the destination
Packet filtering is based on only source IP address.
Numbered Extended Access list range is from 100-99.
Can block a network, host, subnet and services.
Can block any specific service as per requirement
Implement closest to the source
Packet filtering is based on source, destination address and protocol and port number.

“Named Access-List mainly preferable because it has editing feature”

Qus29:- IPV4 and IPV6 address types

Ans : – IPV4 —

Broadcast
Multicast
Unicast

IPV6 ?

Multicast
Unicast
Anycast ? Good feature in IPV6

“IPV6 is 128 bit long , having 8 octets/blocks . Each block contain 16 bits . It got implemented to reduce address shortage in IPV4” IP address is given to every device in the network and it is used to identify the device with in the network.

Qus30:- STP States and how Root Bridge, Root port and Designated Port got select?

Ans : – Spanning Tree Protocol is a loop prevention technique defined by IEEE 82.1d .Switches run STP by default , Switches use spanning tree algorithm STA to decide which port should be shut down.

STP States ?

Disable
Blocking
Listening
Learning
Forwarding

The selection of Root Bridge is based on Bridge_ID , Bridge_ID consist bridge priority and MAC address .by default priority is 32768. If all switches have same priority then root bridge selection will be based on MAC address. Bridge_ID go in BPDU packet. Every switch share Bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) after 2 seconds.

All ports of Root Bridge are designated ports

The ports that are connected directly with Root Bridge become root port.

Convergence time of STP is 32 seconds

Basics of networking

CCNA INTERVIEW QUESTION

July 18, 2023October 8, 2021 by Atul

CCNA INTERVIEW QUESTION

In this article, I am going to share the most commonly asked CCNA interview questions.

What is OSI model?

OSI model stands for open system interconnection. OSI model is a reference model that helps us to understand how does internet work? As a whole, it is tough to understand the internet, that’s why to make things simple protocols and standards are divided into different layers. (OSI model is most common question in CCNA interview)

OSI model has 7 layers:

Application layer (layer 7)
Presentation layer (layer 6)
Session layer (layer 5)
Transport layer (layer 4)
Network Layer (layer 3)
Data Link layer (layer 2)
Physical layer (layer 1)

If you are fresher, then most of the time interviewer will ask OSI model questions from you. So, prepare well before going to the interview, check out the OSI model detailed article.

How TCP/IP is different from OSI Model?

As we saw above OSI model has 7 layers, while the TCP/IP model has 5 layers. In TCP/IP model first three layers of the OSI model (application layer, presentation layer and session layer) are merged and resulted layer is known as the application layer only.

The transport layer and physical layer are the same in both models.

Network layer of the OSI model is replaced by the Internet layer.

The data link layer is replaced by the Network interface layer.

TCP/IP layers

Application layer
Transport layer
Internet Layer
Network Interface layer
Physicallayer

What is the difference between TCP and UDP?

TCP and UDP both are transport layer protocol; both are responsible for transmission of data.

TCP

UDP

1. TCP stands for transmission control protocol.

2. TCP is connection oriented; it means before start transmission, a connection is established between sender and receiver.

3. TCP is reliable protocol. In TCP protocol, receiver sends an acknowledge to the sender when any packet is lost to retransmit the packet.

4. TCP is used in secure application transmission. Example: web browsing and E-mail.

5. TCP header size is 20 bytes.

1. UDP stands for User datagram protocol.

2. UDP is connectionless protocol.

3. UDP is unreliable, there is no acknowledge, if a packet is lost, it means packet is lost.

4. UDP is used in VoIP application. (VoIP stands for voice over internet).

5. UDP header size is 8 bytes.

Explain TCP 3-way handshake process?

In TCP protocol, before data transmission a connection is established. To establish, this connection there is a 3-way handshake process.

First, the Client sends a syn message to the server.

Then, in the response of syn message, the server sends a syn/ack message to the client.

Now, again client sends an ack message to the server in the response of syn/ack message.

Here syn stands for synchronise and ack stands for acknowledge.

In the whole process, there are 3 messages that client and server exchanged to form a connection.

Synmessage
Syn/ack message
ack message

What is ARP? How it works?

ARP stands for address resolution protocol. ARP is used to know the MAC address of the device.

There are two ARP messages-

1. ARP request

ARP request is broadcast in nature when a host sends an ARP request, it first goes to the switch, as host is connected via a switch, then switch broadcasts the message to all devices in the network, then all devices check the IP address field and drop the frame, only one host accept the message whose IP address is matched with that IP address.

2. ARP reply:

In the response of ARP request, device sends an ARP reply. It is unicast in nature.

How many types of ARP are there?

There are 5 types of ARP :

Normal ARP
Reverse ARP
Inverse ARP
Proxy ARP
Gratuitous ARP

What is the full form and default size of MTU?

MTU stands for maximum transmission unit. The default size of MTU is 1500 bytes.

Explain DHCP?

DHCP stands for Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. The DHCP server assigns IP addresses automatically to the hosts. In a smaller network, there is no need to configure a DHCP server, you can manually configure IP address. But in a larger network, you can’t assign IP addresses manually, it is a time-consuming job.

Explain DORA process?

When a host gets an IP address through a DHCP server, there are 4 messages that DHCP server and client send each other to communicate. The word, DORA came from the combination of the first alphabet of these messages (D for Discover, O for offer, R for request, A for acknowledge).

Discover: DHCP client sends this message to discover the DHCP server.

Offer: DHCP server sends this message to the client. In this message, the server sends an IP address.

Request: DHCP client sends this message to the server, to convey the message that I am Ok with the IP address that you sent me in the offer message and now please send the IP address and other configuration details (like default gateway address and DNS server address).

Acknowledge: This message is sent by the DHCP server. In this message, the server sends IP address along with the configuration.

So, the DHCP client sends 2 messages: discover and Request. And DHCP server sends offer and acknowledge message.

Explain STP?

STP stands for spanning tree protocol. STP is used to reduce layer 2 loops. In general, we add extra links to assure 24/7 network availability. These extra links are also known as redundant links.

The purpose of adding redundant links is that if any active link fails due to some problem, then these links act as active links (backup links). So, this way, you can understand redundant links are good.

But these extra links also form layer 2 loops, which is not good. Because layer 2 loops are responsible for the broadcast storm.

Difference between router and firewall?

Router: Router is a layer 3 device. The primary function of a router is to forward the packets. Router is used to connect the 2 different networks. Router doesn’t perform filtering if there is no ACL configuration inside the router.

Firewall: Firewall is a filtering device that allows or denies the traffic based on the filtering rule. Firewall is used to secure the LAN networks from outer attacks.

How many bits are in IPv6 address?

IPv6 is 128 bits address and IPv4 is 32 bits address.

What is OSPF?

OSPF stands for open shortest path first. OSPF is a dynamic protocol. It is an interior gateway routing protocol. Here dynamic protocol means, it learns routes dynamically, there is no need to configure manual routes.

OSPF works on Dijkstra algorithm, also known as shortest path first algorithm (SPF).

How many states are in OSPF?

There are 7 states in OSPF.

Down state
Init State
2-way state
Ex start state
Exchange State
Loading State
Full State

How many states are in OSPF?

There are 5 messages in OSPF.

Hello message
DBD message (database description)
LSR (Link State Request) message
LSU (Link State Update) message
LSACK(Link State Acknowledge) message

Hello message:

Initially routers send hello message to directly connected routers. In hello message routers send their router id. When 1 side hello message is sent, this is an init state. When both side hello message are exchanged that state is called as a 2-way state.

After the successful exchange of hello messages, neighborship form.

DBD message: After becoming neighbors, both routers send DBD summary to synchronize LSDB data. 

LSR message:

Router compares their link-state database with DBD summary and then sends a request message to the neighbor to send the details of missing routes.

LSU message: In the response to the LSR message, the neighbor sends requested routes in the LSU message.

LSACK message:

This is a acknowledge message, it doesn’t carry any useful information, it is just to confirm the neighbor that I successfully received LSU data. When both routers have the same LSDB, then adjacency will form.

How many states are in OSPF?

For static value, AD value is 1. Many times, interviewer directly ask AD value for different routes.

Here is the table

Route Type	AD value
Directly connected route	0
Static Route	1
EIGRP	90
OSPF	110
RIP	120
BGP	20

What is port number of HTTP?

HTTP port number is 80.

Here are the commonly asked port number ccna question.

Protocol	Port Number
HTTP	80
HTTPs	443
FTP	20/21
SSH	22
Telnet	23
DNS	53
DHCP	67, 68

Explain static address and dynamic address?

When we configure IP address manually, then we use term static address, this address will not change until we will not change the configuration manually.

When a host gets IP address from DHCP server, address changes with time. This is called as dynamic address.

What is CCNA?

Why choose the CCNA training?

What is the scope of CCNA certification?

What is the importance of CCNA certification?

What are the benefits of pursuing CCNA training in IT?

Skill Enhancement

Career Opportunities

Industry Recognition

Foundation for Advancement

Higher Earning Potential

Networking Knowledge

Problem-Solving

Adaptability

Resourceful Learning

Confidence

Is the CCNA certification worth it?

What are the prerequisites for the CCNA course?

Guide on How to get CCNA certification in IT

Guide on How to get CCNA certification in IT

Step 1: Choose Your Specialization

Step 2: Acquire the Necessary Knowledge

Step 3: Hands-On Experience

Step 4: Enroll in a CCNA Training Course

Step 5: Review and Practice

How can I prepare for the CCNA exam?

What skills will you learn with the CCNA training?

Network Configuration

Routing and Switching

IP Addressing and Subnetting

Network Security

Wireless Networking

Network Troubleshooting

Network Protocols

Network Design Principles

Network Monitoring

Basic Command-Line Interface (CLI) Skills

What is the next step after the CCNA exam?

Where to enroll for the best CCNA training?

Why choose Network Kings for the best CCNA training?

What are the available job roles after the CCNA course training?

What are the salary aspects after the CCNA course training?

Wrapping Up!

Wrapping Up!

1. What is a Firewall?

2. What are the security levels in Cisco ASA?

3. What is DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) Server?

4. What is a Transparent Firewall and what is the need for it?

5. What features are not supported in Transport mode?

6. What is Unit Health Monitoring in Failover? How does failover happen?

7. Tell us some of the commands that are not replicated to standby unit.

8. What is the difference between Stateful failover and Stateless failover?

9. What are the various types of ACL in Firewall?

10. Name some of the concepts that are not possible to configure on ASA.

11. Which routing protocols are application layer protocols?

12. What is Unicast Reverse Path Forwarding (uRPF)?

13. Name the modes of unicast Reverse Path Forwarding.

14. What is Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF)?

15. How does OSPF calculate its metric or cost?

16. What is the function of the variable IP-OSPF-Transmit-Delay?

17. How often does OSPF send out link-state advertisements (LSAs)?

18. How does OSPF use two Multilink paths to transfer packets?

19. What are the debugging abilities of EIGRP?

20. What does the EIGRP stuck in active message mean?

21. How do you configure BGP?

22. What is Quality of Service (QoS)?

23. What is MQC?

Wrapping it Up!

CCNA Interview Questions - for Beginners

#1. What is routing?

#2. How many layers are there in an OSI reference model? Name them.

#3. Explain HDLC.

#4. What is CDP?

#5. What is BootP?

#6. What is the purpose for the Data Link layer?

#7. What does the LLC sublayer do?

#8. What is MTU?

#9. What is the role of the LLC sublayer?

#10. What is OSPF? Describe it.

#11. What is subnetting?

#12. Give some benefits of LAN switching.