CompTIA Network+ N10-009 (V9) Exam Practice Test

1. A security analyst wants to capture and analyze all traffic passing through a specific switch port using a packet analyzer connected to a different port, without disrupting the original traffic flow. Which feature should be configured on the switch?

Port mirroring (SPAN), copying traffic from one port to another for monitoring

802.1Q tagging

Link aggregation

Spanning tree

Port mirroring, often called SPAN, copies traffic from one or more source ports to a designated monitoring port without disrupting the original flow.

Explanation

Port mirroring, often called SPAN, copies traffic from one or more source ports to a designated monitoring port without disrupting the original flow.

2. A security-conscious network administrator wants to scan a subnet to discover which hosts are active and which ports are open on each, to build an inventory of exposed services. Which tool is specifically designed for this purpose?

Ping

Nmap

Tcpdump

Dig

Nmap is specifically designed to scan networks, discovering active hosts and open ports to build an inventory of exposed services.

Explanation

Nmap is specifically designed to scan networks, discovering active hosts and open ports to build an inventory of exposed services.

3. A company upgraded its internet connection to a much higher bandwidth plan, but users still experience slow file transfers because an older, underpowered firewall appliance in the traffic path cannot process traffic at the new higher speed. What does this describe?

Insufficient bandwidth, since the ISP connection is the limiting factor

Bottlenecking, since a single underpowered device in the path is limiting overall throughput despite higher available bandwidth elsewhere

Jitter, since timing is inconsistent

Attenuation, since signal strength is weakening

Bottlenecking occurs when a single component, such as an underpowered firewall, can't keep pace with available bandwidth elsewhere, limiting overall throughput.

Explanation

Bottlenecking occurs when a single component, such as an underpowered firewall, can't keep pace with available bandwidth elsewhere, limiting overall throughput.

4. A user's workstation is physically connected and shows a valid link light, and the switch port is not administratively down, but the workstation cannot reach any other devices, including its own default gateway, and receives no DHCP address. The port was recently reconfigured. What should be checked first?

The workstation's power supply

Whether the switch port was accidentally assigned to the wrong VLAN during the recent reconfiguration

The office's fire suppression system

The building's UPS battery health

A valid physical link with complete failure to reach any network resources following a recent port reconfiguration strongly suggests the port was assigned to the wrong VLAN.

Explanation

A valid physical link with complete failure to reach any network resources following a recent port reconfiguration strongly suggests the port was assigned to the wrong VLAN.

5. In a network running spanning tree, an administrator wants a specific, powerful core switch to always be elected as the root bridge, rather than leaving the selection to default priority values which might elect a less capable access-layer switch instead. What should be configured?

A lower bridge priority value on the desired root bridge switch

A higher bridge priority value on the desired root bridge switch

Disabling spanning tree entirely on that switch

A static route pointing to that switch

In spanning tree, the switch with the lowest bridge priority value is elected root bridge, so configuring a lower priority ensures the desired switch wins the election.

Explanation

In spanning tree, the switch with the lowest bridge priority value is elected root bridge, so configuring a lower priority ensures the desired switch wins the election.

6. A newly terminated fiber cable connects two devices, but the link light never comes on, even though the cable tests fine for continuity. The technician suspects the transmit and receive fibers may have been swapped at one end. What symptom would this specific error typically cause?

Intermittent packet loss only

A complete failure to establish a link, since each device's transmit fiber must align with the other's receive fiber

Slower than normal speeds only

Increased CRC errors only, with a functioning link

Fiber connections require each device's transmit fiber to align with the other's receive fiber; if TX and RX are transposed, the link typically fails to establish at all.

Explanation

Fiber connections require each device's transmit fiber to align with the other's receive fiber; if TX and RX are transposed, the link typically fails to establish at all.

7. A technician troubleshooting a connectivity issue decides to check the middle of the network path first, such as a core switch, rather than starting at either the client device or the destination server, to quickly narrow down which half of the path contains the problem. What troubleshooting approach does this describe?

Top-to-bottom OSI model approach

Divide and conquer

Bottom-to-top OSI model approach

Duplicating the problem

The divide and conquer approach starts troubleshooting at a midpoint in the network path to quickly determine which half of the path contains the problem.

Explanation

The divide and conquer approach starts troubleshooting at a midpoint in the network path to quickly determine which half of the path contains the problem.

8. A network administrator wants to explicitly permit only certain types of traffic through a router interface while denying all other traffic by default. Which security feature should be configured?

An access control list (ACL)

URL filtering

Key management

Content filtering

An ACL defines rules that explicitly permit or deny specific traffic through a device's interface, commonly with an implicit deny for anything not explicitly allowed.

Explanation

An ACL defines rules that explicitly permit or deny specific traffic through a device's interface, commonly with an implicit deny for anything not explicitly allowed.

9. Match each social engineering technique to its correct description.

Phishing

Dumpster diving

Shoulder surfing

Tailgating

Phishing uses deceptive digital communication, dumpster diving searches discarded materials, shoulder surfing observes someone directly, and tailgating follows an authorized person through a secured entry point.

Explanation

Phishing uses deceptive digital communication, dumpster diving searches discarded materials, shoulder surfing observes someone directly, and tailgating follows an authorized person through a secured entry point.

Submit

10. A security team deploys a decoy server designed to look like a legitimate, vulnerable production system, intending to attract and observe attacker behavior without risking real systems. What is this decoy called?

A screened subnet

A honeypot

A jump box

A load balancer

A honeypot is a decoy system designed to look like a legitimate, vulnerable target, attracting attackers so their behavior can be observed without risking real production systems.

Explanation

A honeypot is a decoy system designed to look like a legitimate, vulnerable target, attracting attackers so their behavior can be observed without risking real production systems.

11. A company wants remote users to access certain internal web applications securely through a standard web browser only, without installing any VPN client software on their personal devices. Which VPN approach fits this need?

A site-to-site VPN

A clientless VPN, accessed through a web browser without dedicated client software

A full tunnel client VPN requiring installed software

An in-band management connection

A clientless VPN allows users to securely access specific internal web applications through a standard browser, without installing dedicated VPN client software.

Explanation

A clientless VPN allows users to securely access specific internal web applications through a standard browser, without installing dedicated VPN client software.

12. A network wants IPv6 hosts to automatically generate their own valid IP addresses using information advertised by the local router, without requiring a separate DHCP server. Which technology enables this?

DHCP reservations

SLAAC (Stateless Address Autoconfiguration)

NAT64

A hosts file

SLAAC allows IPv6 hosts to automatically generate their own addresses using router advertisement information, without needing a separate DHCP server.

Explanation

SLAAC allows IPv6 hosts to automatically generate their own addresses using router advertisement information, without needing a separate DHCP server.

13. A company wants to test its disaster recovery plan by walking through a simulated outage scenario in a conference room discussion, without actually taking any production systems offline. What type of DR test does this describe?

A validation test, which actually executes the recovery procedures

A tabletop exercise, which discusses and walks through the plan without live systems being affected

A hot site failover

A live production outage

A tabletop exercise is a discussion-based walkthrough of a DR plan, conducted without affecting live production systems, useful for identifying gaps at low risk.

Explanation

A tabletop exercise is a discussion-based walkthrough of a DR plan, conducted without affecting live production systems, useful for identifying gaps at low risk.

14. A network administrator is explaining why a switch forwards frames based on MAC addresses while a router forwards packets based on IP addresses. At which OSI layer does a switch primarily operate for this forwarding decision?

Layer 1 (Physical)

Layer 2 (Data Link)

Layer 3 (Network)

Layer 4 (Transport)

A switch operates primarily at Layer 2, forwarding frames based on MAC addresses, while a router operates at Layer 3, forwarding packets based on IP addresses.

Explanation

A switch operates primarily at Layer 2, forwarding frames based on MAC addresses, while a router operates at Layer 3, forwarding packets based on IP addresses.

15. Before implementing a significant configuration change to a production router, a network team is required to submit a formal request, have it reviewed and approved, and schedule a maintenance window. What process does this describe?

Configuration management

Change management, including request process tracking and approval before implementation

Asset inventory

Life-cycle management

Change management establishes a formal process for requesting, reviewing, approving, and scheduling changes before implementation, reducing the risk of unplanned outages.

Explanation

Change management establishes a formal process for requesting, reviewing, approving, and scheduling changes before implementation, reducing the risk of unplanned outages.

16. A data center's humidity levels have been fluctuating significantly outside the recommended range. Which two risks does this create for equipment?

Electrostatic discharge (ESD) damage at very low humidity

Condensation or corrosion at very high humidity

Increased noise levels from cooling fans

Slower network cable transmission speeds

Reduced UPS battery capacity

Very low humidity increases the likelihood of ESD damaging sensitive components, while very high humidity increases the risk of condensation and corrosion.

Explanation

Very low humidity increases the likelihood of ESD damaging sensitive components, while very high humidity increases the risk of condensation and corrosion.

Submit

17. A company is designing a server room and wants a fire suppression system that will not damage sensitive electronic equipment the way traditional water-based sprinklers would. What type of system should be considered?

A traditional water sprinkler system

A clean agent gas-based fire suppression system designed for electronic equipment

No fire suppression system at all, since none are safe for electronics

A foam-based fire suppression system

Clean agent gas-based fire suppression systems extinguish fires without leaving residue or using water, protecting sensitive electronic equipment.

Explanation

Clean agent gas-based fire suppression systems extinguish fires without leaving residue or using water, protecting sensitive electronic equipment.

18. A coffee shop wants guests connecting to its free Wi-Fi to first see a web page requiring them to accept terms of service before being granted internet access. Which feature should be configured on the wireless network?

WPA3 encryption

A captive portal

Band steering

MIMO

A captive portal redirects newly connected wireless clients to a web page, such as a terms-of-service agreement, before granting full internet access.

Explanation

A captive portal redirects newly connected wireless clients to a web page, such as a terms-of-service agreement, before granting full internet access.

19. A storage network wants to reduce the CPU overhead of processing many small frames by increasing the maximum frame size well beyond the standard 1500-byte Ethernet MTU. What should be configured?

Native VLAN tagging

Jumbo frames, increasing the maximum transmission unit (MTU) beyond the standard size

Spanning tree

Link aggregation

Jumbo frames increase the MTU well beyond the standard 1500-byte size, reducing the number of frames needed to transmit the same data, common in storage networks.

Explanation

Jumbo frames increase the MTU well beyond the standard 1500-byte size, reducing the number of frames needed to transmit the same data, common in storage networks.

20. Two different internet service providers need to exchange routing information between their separate autonomous systems across the public internet. Which routing protocol is specifically designed for this purpose?

OSPF, since it is designed for use between different autonomous systems

BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), since it is designed for routing between different autonomous systems

EIGRP, since it is a vendor-neutral standard for internet routing

Static routing, since it scales best for internet-wide routing

BGP is specifically designed for exchanging routing information between different autonomous systems, such as separate ISPs, making it the backbone protocol of internet routing.

Explanation

BGP is specifically designed for exchanging routing information between different autonomous systems, such as separate ISPs, making it the backbone protocol of internet routing.

21. A company is adopting a security model where no device or user is automatically trusted, even if they are already inside the corporate network perimeter, and every access request must be authenticated and authorized based on least privilege. Which architecture describes this approach?

A traditional perimeter-based security model

Zero trust architecture (ZTA), based on policy-based authentication and least privilege access

A flat, unsegmented network model

A hub-and-spoke topology

Zero trust architecture assumes no implicit trust for any device or user regardless of network location, requiring continuous authentication and least privilege access.

Explanation

Zero trust architecture assumes no implicit trust for any device or user regardless of network location, requiring continuous authentication and least privilege access.

22. A company connects all of its branch offices directly to a single central headquarters location, with no direct connections between branch offices themselves. If the central headquarters connection fails, what happens to communication between two branch offices?

The branch offices can still communicate directly with each other

Communication between branch offices is lost, since all traffic depends on the central hub in this topology

Communication automatically reroutes through a third branch office

This topology has no single point of failure

In a star/hub-and-spoke topology, all spokes connect only to the central hub, so if the hub fails, communication between spokes is lost since there is no direct path between them.

Explanation

In a star/hub-and-spoke topology, all spokes connect only to the central hub, so if the hub fails, communication between spokes is lost since there is no direct path between them.

23. Match each management/remote-access protocol to its correct port number.

SSH

LDAP

SNMP

NTP

SSH uses port 22 for secure remote access, LDAP uses port 389 for directory queries, SNMP uses port 161 for management queries, and NTP uses port 123 for time synchronization.

Explanation

SSH uses port 22 for secure remote access, LDAP uses port 389 for directory queries, SNMP uses port 161 for management queries, and NTP uses port 123 for time synchronization.

Submit

24. Fill in the blank: automatically scaling cloud resources up or down in response to real-time demand, without manual intervention, is called ____.

Elasticity refers to automatically scaling resources up and down in response to real-time demand, distinct from scalability, which more broadly refers to the potential to grow.

Explanation

Elasticity refers to automatically scaling resources up and down in response to real-time demand, distinct from scalability, which more broadly refers to the potential to grow.

Submit

25. A school wants to filter which websites students can access and also cache frequently visited pages to improve browsing speed for the whole network. Which appliance should be deployed?

A proxy server

A load balancer

Network-attached storage (NAS)

A storage area network (SAN)

A proxy server sits between clients and the internet, filtering website access and caching frequently visited content. A load balancer distributes traffic, and NAS/SAN provide storage.

Explanation

A proxy server sits between clients and the internet, filtering website access and caching frequently visited content. A load balancer distributes traffic, and NAS/SAN provide storage.

CompTIA Network+ N10-009 (V9) Exam Practice Test 3

1. A security analyst wants to capture and analyze all traffic passing through a specific switch port using a packet analyzer connected to a different port, without disrupting the original traffic flow. Which feature should be configured on the switch?

2.

What first name or nickname would you like us to use?

2. A security-conscious network administrator wants to scan a subnet to discover which hosts are active and which ports are open on each, to build an inventory of exposed services. Which tool is specifically designed for this purpose?

3. A company upgraded its internet connection to a much higher bandwidth plan, but users still experience slow file transfers because an older, underpowered firewall appliance in the traffic path cannot process traffic at the new higher speed. What does this describe?

5. In a network running spanning tree, an administrator wants a specific, powerful core switch to always be elected as the root bridge, rather than leaving the selection to default priority values which might elect a less capable access-layer switch instead. What should be configured?

6. A newly terminated fiber cable connects two devices, but the link light never comes on, even though the cable tests fine for continuity. The technician suspects the transmit and receive fibers may have been swapped at one end. What symptom would this specific error typically cause?

8. A network administrator wants to explicitly permit only certain types of traffic through a router interface while denying all other traffic by default. Which security feature should be configured?

9. Match each social engineering technique to its correct description.

10. A security team deploys a decoy server designed to look like a legitimate, vulnerable production system, intending to attract and observe attacker behavior without risking real systems. What is this decoy called?

11. A company wants remote users to access certain internal web applications securely through a standard web browser only, without installing any VPN client software on their personal devices. Which VPN approach fits this need?

12. A network wants IPv6 hosts to automatically generate their own valid IP addresses using information advertised by the local router, without requiring a separate DHCP server. Which technology enables this?

13. A company wants to test its disaster recovery plan by walking through a simulated outage scenario in a conference room discussion, without actually taking any production systems offline. What type of DR test does this describe?

14. A network administrator is explaining why a switch forwards frames based on MAC addresses while a router forwards packets based on IP addresses. At which OSI layer does a switch primarily operate for this forwarding decision?

15. Before implementing a significant configuration change to a production router, a network team is required to submit a formal request, have it reviewed and approved, and schedule a maintenance window. What process does this describe?

16. A data center's humidity levels have been fluctuating significantly outside the recommended range. Which two risks does this create for equipment?

17. A company is designing a server room and wants a fire suppression system that will not damage sensitive electronic equipment the way traditional water-based sprinklers would. What type of system should be considered?

18. A coffee shop wants guests connecting to its free Wi-Fi to first see a web page requiring them to accept terms of service before being granted internet access. Which feature should be configured on the wireless network?

19. A storage network wants to reduce the CPU overhead of processing many small frames by increasing the maximum frame size well beyond the standard 1500-byte Ethernet MTU. What should be configured?

20. Two different internet service providers need to exchange routing information between their separate autonomous systems across the public internet. Which routing protocol is specifically designed for this purpose?

21. A company is adopting a security model where no device or user is automatically trusted, even if they are already inside the corporate network perimeter, and every access request must be authenticated and authorized based on least privilege. Which architecture describes this approach?

22. A company connects all of its branch offices directly to a single central headquarters location, with no direct connections between branch offices themselves. If the central headquarters connection fails, what happens to communication between two branch offices?

23. Match each management/remote-access protocol to its correct port number.

24. Fill in the blank: automatically scaling cloud resources up or down in response to real-time demand, without manual intervention, is called ____.

25. A school wants to filter which websites students can access and also cache frequently visited pages to improve browsing speed for the whole network. Which appliance should be deployed?