Looking to pass your CompTIA Network+ exam on the first try? One of the most effective ways to boost your confidence and knowledge is by practising with real-world questions. In this guide, we’ll provide you with over 50 of the most common practice questions and answers to help you get prepared for the 2024 exam. We’ll also explain how practising with these questions can dramatically improve your chances of success—and why our CompTIA Network+ course is the perfect solution to achieve your certification goals.

Practice Test Questions & Answers

Below is a comprehensive list of 50 questions and answers that cover a broad range of topics in the CompTIA Network+ certification. Use these to test your knowledge and readiness.

Which of the following devices operates at the Data Link layer of the OSI model?

• A. Router
• B. Switch
• C. Hub
• D. Repeater
• Answer: B. Switch

2. Which port is used by HTTPS?

• A. 443
• B. 80
• C. 25
• D. 110
• Answer: A. 443

3. What is the maximum distance for a single-mode fibre-optic cable?

• A. 10 km
• B. 40 km
• C. 80 km
• D. 100 km
• Answer: D. 100 km

4. Which command would you use to check the active connections on a Windows machine?

• A. ping
• B. tracert
• C. netstat
• D. ipconfig
• Answer: C. netstat

5. What is the function of a proxy server?

• A. Translates IP addresses into hostnames
• B. Filters traffic based on IP addresses
• C. Intercepts requests from clients and forwards them to the internet
• D. Routes data packets between different networks
• Answer: C. Intercepts requests from clients and forwards them to the internet

6. What is the purpose of a VLAN?

• A. Increase network speeds
• B. Create separate broadcast domains within a network
• C. Allow multiple subnets to share the same switch
• D. Segment a network based on geographic location
• Answer: B. Create separate broadcast domains within a network

7. Which layer of the OSI model handles end-to-end communication between devices?

• A. Transport
• B. Network
• C. Session
• D. Data Link
• Answer: A. Transport

8. What does NAT stand for, and what is its function?

• Answer: NAT stands for Network Address Translation. It allows a single public IP address to represent multiple private IP addresses when accessing external networks like the internet.

9. Which type of cable uses RJ-45 connectors?

• A. Fibre-optic cable
• B. Coaxial cable
• C. Twisted-pair cable
• D. Serial cable
• Answer: C. Twisted-pair cable

10. What is the primary purpose of a DNS server?

• A. Convert domain names into IP addresses
• B. Route traffic between networks
• C. Cache frequently accessed web pages
• D. Block malicious traffic
• Answer: A. Convert domain names into IP addresses

11. Which of the following best describes a ‘trunk’ link in networking?

• A. A link between two switches that carries multiple VLAN traffic
• B. A link from a switch to a router
• C. A single broadcast domain
• D. A direct link between two routers
• Answer: A. A link between two switches that carries multiple VLAN traffic

12. What is the function of the ARP protocol?

• A. Assign dynamic IP addresses to devices
• B. Resolve IP addresses to MAC addresses
• C. Route traffic between different networks
• D. Encrypt data for secure communication
• Answer: B. Resolve IP addresses to MAC addresses

13. Which of the following protocols is connection-oriented?

• A. UDP
• B. IP
• C. TCP
• D. ICMP
• Answer: C. TCP

14. What is the default gateway in a network?

• A. The IP address of the primary router in a network
• B. The IP address of a DNS server
• C. The MAC address of a switch
• D. The subnet mask of the network
• Answer: A. The IP address of the primary router in a network

15. Which wireless encryption standard is considered the most secure?

• A. WEP
• B. WPA
• C. WPA2
• D. WPA3
• Answer: D. WPA3

16. What does DHCP stand for?

• Answer: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol.

17. Which of the following cable types has the highest data transmission speed?

• A. Cat 5e
• B. Cat 6a
• C. Fibre-optic
• D. Coaxial
• Answer: C. Fibre-optic

18. Which of the following commands will show you the IP configuration of a Linux machine?

• A. ifconfig
• B. ipconfig
• C. traceroute
• D. netstat
• Answer: A. ifconfig

19. In a wireless network, what does SSID stand for?

• A. Secure System Identification
• B. Service Set Identifier
• C. System Source Identification
• D. Standard Service Identifier
• Answer: B. Service Set Identifier

20. Which protocol is responsible for email delivery?

• A. POP3
• B. FTP
• C. SMTP
• D. SNMP
• Answer: C. SMTP

21. What is a ‘broadcast storm’?

• A. A failure in routing where all packets are broadcast
• B. An excessive amount of broadcast traffic causing network congestion
• C. A method used to increase broadcast efficiency
• D. A loop in the network topology
• Answer: B. An excessive amount of broadcast traffic causing network congestion

22. What does MTU stand for?

• Answer: Maximum Transmission Unit.

23. Which IPv6 address type is unique to each device and cannot be routed on the global internet?

• A. Link-local address
• B. Global unicast address
• C. Multicast address
• D. Anycast address
• Answer: A. Link-local address

24. What is the purpose of the ping command?

• A. Display the route taken by packets across a network
• B. Determine whether a network device is reachable
• C. Check for open ports on a remote machine
• D. Display the MAC address of a remote host
• Answer: B. Determine whether a network device is reachable

25. Which protocol does SNMP use to monitor and manage network devices?

• A. ICMP
• B. TCP
• C. UDP
• D. IP
• Answer: C. UDP

26. Which layer of the OSI model is responsible for encryption and decryption?

• A. Data Link layer
• B. Application layer
• C. Presentation layer
• D. Transport layer
• Answer: C. Presentation layer

27. What is the primary advantage of using fibre-optic cable over copper cable?

• A. Lower cost
• B. Higher bandwidth and longer distance
• C. Easier installation
• D. Resistance to electromagnetic interference
• Answer: B. Higher bandwidth and longer distance

28. What does TTL stand for, and what is its purpose in networking?

• Answer: Time to Live; it limits the lifespan of data packets to prevent them from circulating indefinitely on a network.

29. Which of the following routing protocols is considered distance-vector?

• A. OSPF
• B. EIGRP
• C. RIP
• D. BGP
• Answer: C. RIP

30. What is the purpose of a DMZ (Demilitarised Zone) in networking?

• A. Provide a secure area for network testing
• B. Act as an extra layer of security between an internal network and the internet
• C. Serve as a backup server location
• D. Allow internal network traffic to be isolated from external traffic
• Answer: B. Act as an extra layer of security between an internal network and the internet

31. Which type of firewall filters traffic based on port numbers and IP addresses?

• A. Stateless firewall
• B. Stateful firewall
• C. Packet-filtering firewall
• D. Application firewall
• Answer: C. Packet-filtering firewall

32. What does the tracert command do?

• A. Displays the IP configuration of a device
• B. Tests the reachability of a device
• C. Shows the route a packet takes to reach its destination
• D. Measures the speed of the network
• Answer: C. Shows the route a packet takes to reach its destination

33. Which protocol operates on port 22?

• A. FTP
• B. Telnet
• C. SSH
• D. SMTP
• Answer: C. SSH

34. Which of the following is a private IP address range?

• A. 8.8.8.8
• B. 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255
• C. 192.0.2.0
• D. 2001:db8::/32
• Answer: B. 172.16.0.0 – 172.31.255.255

35. What does PoE stand for?

• Answer: Power over Ethernet.

36. Which wireless standard operates at both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz?

• A. 802.11g
• B. 802.11b
• C. 802.11ac
• D. 802.11n
• Answer: D. 802.11n

37. What is a subnet mask used for in networking?

• Answer: To determine the network and host portions of an IP address.

38. Which command is used on a Windows system to release and renew a DHCP lease?

• A. ipconfig /renew
• B. ifconfig /release
• C. tracert /release
• D. netstat /renew
• Answer: A. ipconfig /renew

39. What does a VLAN trunk allow in a network?

• Answer: It allows multiple VLANs to pass through a single physical link between network devices.

40. Which type of IPv6 address is designed for one-to-many communication?

• A. Unicast
• B. Multicast
• C. Anycast
• D. Broadcast
• Answer: B. Multicast

41. Which of the following uses encryption to secure data transmission over the internet?

• A. HTTP
• B. SSL/TLS
• C. FTP
• D. SMTP
• Answer: B. SSL/TLS

42. What is the purpose of QoS in networking?

• A. To prioritise certain types of network traffic
• B. To block unauthorised traffic
• C. To increase the bandwidth of a network
• D. To allocate IP addresses dynamically
• Answer: A. To prioritise certain types of network traffic

43. Which of the following protocols is used for secure file transfer?

• A. FTP
• B. SFTP
• C. HTTP
• D. SMTP
• Answer: B. SFTP

44. What does IGMP stand for?

• Answer: Internet Group Management Protocol.

45. Which of the following is a common network topology for office LANs?

• A. Star topology
• B. Mesh topology
• C. Bus topology
• D. Ring topology
• Answer: A. Star topology

46. What does the nslookup command do?

• A. Displays routing tables
• B. Resolves domain names to IP addresses
• C. Traces the route packets take to their destination
• D. Pings remote servers
• Answer: B. Resolves domain names to IP addresses

47. What is a VPN used for in networking?

• Answer: A Virtual Private Network (VPN) provides a secure connection over a public network.

48. Which routing protocol is used for internet-wide routing?

• A. RIP
• B. OSPF
• C. BGP
• D. EIGRP
• Answer: C. BGP

49. Which OSI layer is responsible for the compression of data?

• Answer: The Presentation Layer.

50. What is the function of ICMP in networking?

Answer: Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) is used for error reporting and diagnostics, such as with the ping command.

How Can CompTIA Network+ Practice Questions Help You Pass the Exam?

Taking practice tests is one of the most effective study methods when preparing for a certification like CompTIA Network+. Here’s why:

1. Familiarise Yourself with the Exam Format
   Practice questions mimic the real exam, giving you a chance to get comfortable with the types of questions, their format, and the pacing. This will help alleviate exam-day anxiety.

2. Identify Knowledge Gaps
   By working through practice questions, you’ll quickly see which areas you need to focus on more. Whether it’s OSI layers, troubleshooting network issues, or identifying different types of network hardware, these tests highlight your weaknesses.

3. Reinforce Your Learning
   Practising helps you retain the information better. After reading theory and watching videos, applying what you’ve learned by answering questions is a proven way to cement knowledge.

4. Improve Time Management
   One of the challenges of the Network+ exam is managing your time. By taking practice tests, you’ll learn how to balance speed with accuracy and ensure you can answer all questions within the allocated time.

5. Boost Your Confidence
   There’s no better feeling than going into an exam knowing you’ve prepared well. Completing multiple practice tests boosts your confidence and ensures you’re ready to pass the exam on your first attempt.
   
   

Conclusion: Pass Your CompTIA Network+ Exam with Confidence

Passing the CompTIA Network+ exam is a crucial step towards a career in IT, and practice questions are your best ally in ensuring you’re fully prepared. But beyond practice, having a solid study plan with comprehensive materials is key.

Our CompTIA Network+ course is designed to give you everything you need to succeed. Not only will you get access to in-depth lessons, but we’ll also provide plenty of real-world examples, video content, and—of course—an extensive set of practice questions like the ones you’ve seen here.

We’re confident our course will help you pass your CompTIA Network+ exam the first time around. Ready to take the next step? Enrol in our CompTIA Network+ course today and get certified in 2024!