PRACTICE EXAM Actual Exam 2026/2027 –
Complete Exam-Style Questions | Detailed
Rationales – Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
SECTION 1: NETWORK FUNDAMENTALS (Questions 1-18)
Q1: A network administrator needs to identify which OSI layer is responsible for establishing,
managing, and terminating sessions between applications. Which layer of the OSI model
performs this function?
A. Layer 4 - Transport
B. Layer 5 - Session
C. Layer 6 - Presentation
D. Layer 7 - Application
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Session Layer (Layer 5) establishes, manages, and terminates sessions between
communicating applications. It provides dialog control and synchronization services. The
Transport Layer handles segmentation and flow control, while the Presentation Layer handles
data formatting and encryption.
Q2: Which of the following is a valid IPv6 link-local address?
A. 2001:0db8:85a3:0000:0000:8a2e:0370:7334
B. fe80::a9a6:4c53:78d2:1f3e
C. 192.168.1.100
D. 169.254.1.100
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: IPv6 link-local addresses are in the fe80::/10 range. Option B shows a valid link-local
address. Option A is a global unicast address (2001::/3). Option C is IPv4, and Option D is APIPA
(IPv4 link-local).
,Q3: A user reports that they cannot access any network resources, but they can ping 127.0.0.1
successfully. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
A. DNS is not configured correctly
B. The DHCP server is unavailable
C. The physical network interface card is faulty
D. The default gateway is misconfigured
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Successful ping to 127.0.0.1 (loopback) verifies that TCP/IP is installed and
functioning, but does not verify network connectivity. A misconfigured default gateway would
prevent access to resources outside the local subnet. DNS issues would still allow ping to IP
addresses, and a faulty NIC would prevent loopback testing.
Q4: Which protocol operates at the Transport Layer and provides connection-oriented, reliable
data delivery with flow control and error recovery?
A. UDP
B. TCP
C. ICMP
D. IP
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) operates at the Transport Layer and provides
connection-oriented, reliable data delivery with flow control, error recovery, and sequence
numbering. UDP provides connectionless, best-effort delivery. ICMP operates at the Network
Layer, and IP provides addressing and routing.
Q5: A network technician is configuring a new web server and needs to ensure HTTPS traffic is
allowed through the firewall. Which TCP port must be opened?
A. 80
B. 143
C. 443
D. 3389
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: HTTPS (HTTP over SSL/TLS) uses TCP port 443. Port 80 is HTTP (unencrypted), port
143 is IMAP, and port 3389 is RDP.
, Q6: Which of the following correctly identifies the Protocol Data Unit (PDU) at each layer of the
OSI model?
A. Layer 2: Packet, Layer 3: Frame, Layer 4: Segment
B. Layer 2: Frame, Layer 3: Packet, Layer 4: Segment
C. Layer 2: Segment, Layer 3: Frame, Layer 4: Packet
D. Layer 2: Frame, Layer 3: Packet, Layer 4: Data
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct PDU names are: Layer 2 (Data Link) = Frame, Layer 3 (Network) = Packet,
Layer 4 (Transport) = Segment. Layer 1 (Physical) uses bits, and Layer 7 (Application) typically
uses data/message.
Q7: Which of the following is a function of ARP (Address Resolution Protocol)?
A. Resolves domain names to IP addresses
B. Resolves IP addresses to MAC addresses
C. Resolves MAC addresses to IP addresses
D. Assigns IP addresses automatically to hosts
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) resolves IP addresses to MAC addresses on a local
network segment. DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses. DHCP assigns IP addresses
automatically. Reverse ARP (RARP) resolves MAC addresses to IP addresses but is largely
obsolete.
Q8: A technician is using traceroute to troubleshoot network connectivity. The output shows a
series of routers with increasing response times, and one hop shows a significant increase in
latency. Which OSI layer is MOST directly involved in this diagnosis?
A. Layer 1 - Physical
B. Layer 2 - Data Link
C. Layer 3 - Network
D. Layer 4 - Transport
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Traceroute operates at the Network Layer (Layer 3) by manipulating the TTL (Time to