Basic & Tricky Network Interview Questions
Q: What is a computer network?
A: A computer network is a collection of devices connected together to share data and
resources like files, printers, or internet access.
Q: Difference between LAN, MAN, WAN?
A: LAN: Local area network (small area like office), MAN: Metropolitan area network
(city), WAN: Wide area network (internet).
Q: What is an IP address?
A: A unique numerical label assigned to each device on a network for identification and
communication.
Q: Difference between IPv4 and IPv6?
A: IPv4 is 32-bit (e.g., [Link]), IPv6 is 128-bit (e.g., 2001:db8::1) with more
address space.
Q: What is DNS?
A: Domain Name System converts domain names into IP addresses.
Q: What is DHCP?
A: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol automatically assigns IP addresses to devices on a
network.
Q: What is a MAC address?
A: A hardware address unique to each network interface card, used for communication within
local network.
Q: What is subnetting and why is it used?
A: Subnetting divides large networks into smaller subnets for efficient IP management and
security.
Q: Explain TCP vs UDP?
A: TCP is reliable, connection-oriented (web, email). UDP is fast, connectionless (gaming,
streaming).
Q: What is the OSI model?
A: A 7-layer conceptual framework for network communication: Physical, Data Link, Network,
Transport, Session, Presentation, Application.
Q: Difference between switch, hub, and router?
A: Hub: broadcasts data; Switch: forwards based on MAC; Router: connects different
networks using IP.
Q: What is ping used for?
A: To test network connectivity and measure response time (latency).
Q: What is traceroute?
A: A command to trace the path packets take to reach a destination.
Q: What is NAT?
A: Network Address Translation translates private IPs to public IPs for internet
communication.
Q: Difference between public and private IP?
A: Public IP is internet-facing; private IP is used inside a local network.
Q: What is a firewall and types?
A: A firewall filters network traffic; types: hardware, software, cloud-based.
Q: Explain port numbers?
A: Port numbers identify specific services on a device (e.g., HTTP-80, HTTPS-443).
Q: What is ARP?
A: Address Resolution Protocol maps IP addresses to MAC addresses.
Q: Explain VLAN?
A: Virtual LAN segments network into separate broadcast domains for better security and
management.
Q: What is bandwidth?
A: Maximum data transfer rate of a network connection measured in Mbps/Gbps.
Q: Explain latency?
A: Delay in data transmission from source to destination.
Q: What is the difference between unicast, multicast, and broadcast?
A: Unicast: One-to-one, Multicast: One-to-many specific, Broadcast: One-to-all.
Q: What are sockets?
A: Endpoints for sending and receiving data in a network (combination of IP and port).
Q: What is MTU?
A: Maximum Transmission Unit - largest size packet that can be transmitted without
fragmentation.
Q: Explain difference between HTTP and HTTPS?
A: HTTP is unencrypted; HTTPS uses SSL/TLS for encryption and security.
Q: What is SSL/TLS?
A: Protocols to secure communication over a network by encrypting data.
Q: What is load balancing?
A: Distributing network traffic across multiple servers to ensure reliability and
performance.
Q: Explain proxy server?
A: A server that acts as an intermediary between user and internet, providing caching and
filtering.
Q: What is reverse proxy?
A: A proxy that sits in front of servers and handles client requests on behalf of servers.
Q: What is DMZ in networking?
A: Demilitarized Zone, a network area that adds extra security between internal network
and internet.
Q: Difference between IPv4 classes (A, B, C)?
A: Class A: 1-126, Class B: 128-191, Class C: 192-223 IP ranges for different sized
networks.
Q: What is packet sniffing?
A: Monitoring and capturing network traffic for analysis using tools like Wireshark.
Q: Explain man-in-the-middle attack?
A: Attacker intercepts communication between two parties to steal or alter data.
Q: What is VPN and its purpose?
A: Virtual Private Network creates secure encrypted connection over internet to protect
data.
Q: Explain IDS and IPS?
A: IDS: Intrusion Detection System (detects threats); IPS: Intrusion Prevention System
(detects and blocks threats).
Q: What is a honeypot?
A: A decoy system used to lure attackers and study their methods.
Q: What is QoS?
A: Quality of Service prioritizes certain network traffic to ensure performance (e.g.,
VoIP).
Q: Explain difference between symmetric and asymmetric encryption?
A: Symmetric uses one key for encryption/decryption; Asymmetric uses public/private key
pairs.
Q: What is port forwarding?
A: Redirecting traffic from one port to another for services running internally.
Q: What is network topology and types?
A: Physical/logical arrangement of network (star, bus, ring, mesh).
Q: Explain traceroute working?
A: It uses TTL (time-to-live) values to trace each hop to the destination.
Q: What is DNS poisoning?
A: Corrupting DNS cache to redirect users to malicious websites.
Q: What is default gateway?
A: A router address used by a device to send traffic outside its local network.
Q: Difference between collision domain and broadcast domain?
A: Collision domain: devices compete for same bandwidth; Broadcast domain: devices receive
same broadcast traffic.
Q: What is IPsec?
A: A protocol suite for securing IP communications by authenticating and encrypting each
packet.
Q: What are sticky sessions?
A: Method where a user’s session is tied to a particular server in load balancing.
Q: What is the difference between active and passive FTP?
A: Active FTP: server connects back to client; Passive FTP: client initiates both
connections.
Q: Explain 3-way handshake in TCP?
A: SYN, SYN-ACK, ACK sequence to establish a TCP connection.
Q: What is split tunneling in VPN?
A: Allows traffic to be divided, some goes through VPN, rest uses local internet directly.
Q: What is MAC flooding?
A: Overloading a switch’s MAC table to force it into hub mode, allowing packet sniffing.