Network Protocols and Routing
Questions with Answers
Neighbor Discovery - Answer-A process whereby routers learn about all of the devices
on their networks. On IPv4 networks, this process is managed by ARP with help from
ICMP. On IPv6 networks, NDP (Neighbor Discovery Protocol) automatically detects
neighboring devices and automatically adjusts when nodes fail or are removed from the
network.
Netstat - Answer-A TCP/IP troubleshooting utility that displays statistics and the state of
current TCP/IP connections. It also displays ports, which can signal whether services
are using the correct ports.
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) - Answer-An IGP and link-state routing protocol that
makes up for some of the limitations of RIP and can coexist with RIP on a network.
packet sniffer - Answer-Software or hardware used to collect data travelling over a
network.
Pathping - Answer-A Windows utility that combines the functionality of the tracert and
ping utilities to provide deeper information about network issues along a route; similar to
UNIX's mtr command.
Probe - Answer-A repeated trial message transmitted by the tracert and traceroute
utilities to trigger router along a route to return specific info about the route
Protocol analyzer - Answer-A software package or hardware based tool that captures
and analyzes data on a network
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) - Answer-The oldest routing protocol that is still
widely used. It is a distance-vector protocol that uses hop count as its routing metric and
allows up to only 15 hops. Compared with others it is slower and less secure.
RIPv2 (Routing Information Protocol version 2) - Answer-An updated version of the
original RIP routing protocol that generates less broadcast traffic and functions more
securely than its predecessor. However, packet forwarding is still limited to a maximum
15 hops.
Route command - Answer-A command-line tool that shows a host's routing table.
Routing cost - Answer-A value assigned to a particular route as judged by the network
administrator; the more desirable the path, the lower its cost.
, Routing metric - Answer-Properties of a route used by routing protocols to determine
the best path to a destination when various paths are available. Routing metrics may be
calculated using any of several variables, including hop count, bandwidth, delay, MTU,
cost, and reliability.
Routing protocol - Answer-The means by which routers communicate with each other
about network status. Routing protocols determine the best path for data to take
between networks.
Routing table - Answer-A data table stored in a router that lists the routes to particular
network destinations
Spoofing - Answer-misrepresenting oneself online
Static ARP table entry - Answer-A record in an ARP table that someone has manually
entered using the ARP utility. Entries remain the same until someone manually modifies
them with the ARP utility.
Static routing - Answer-Packets are routed over a specific path between network nodes.
Tcpdump - Answer-A free command line packet sniffer utility that runs on Linux and
other UNIX operating systems
AD (administrative distance) - Answer-A number indicating a protocol's reliability, with
lower values being given higher priority. This assignment can be changed by a network
administrator when one protocol should take precedence over a previously higher-rated
protocol on a network.
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) - Answer-A core protocol in the TCP/IP suite that
belongs in the Network layer of the OSI model. Obtains the MAC (physical) address of a
host, or node, and then creates a local database that maps the MAC address to the
host's IP (logical) address.
ARP table - Answer-A database of records that maps MAC addresses to IP addresses.
It is stored on a computer's hard disk where it is used by the ARP utility to supply the
MAC addresses of network nodes, given their IP addresses.
AS (Autonomous System) - Answer-A group of networks, often on the same domain,
that are operated by the same organization.
Best path - Answer-The most efficient route from one node on a network to another, as
calculated by a router.
Questions with Answers
Neighbor Discovery - Answer-A process whereby routers learn about all of the devices
on their networks. On IPv4 networks, this process is managed by ARP with help from
ICMP. On IPv6 networks, NDP (Neighbor Discovery Protocol) automatically detects
neighboring devices and automatically adjusts when nodes fail or are removed from the
network.
Netstat - Answer-A TCP/IP troubleshooting utility that displays statistics and the state of
current TCP/IP connections. It also displays ports, which can signal whether services
are using the correct ports.
OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) - Answer-An IGP and link-state routing protocol that
makes up for some of the limitations of RIP and can coexist with RIP on a network.
packet sniffer - Answer-Software or hardware used to collect data travelling over a
network.
Pathping - Answer-A Windows utility that combines the functionality of the tracert and
ping utilities to provide deeper information about network issues along a route; similar to
UNIX's mtr command.
Probe - Answer-A repeated trial message transmitted by the tracert and traceroute
utilities to trigger router along a route to return specific info about the route
Protocol analyzer - Answer-A software package or hardware based tool that captures
and analyzes data on a network
RIP (Routing Information Protocol) - Answer-The oldest routing protocol that is still
widely used. It is a distance-vector protocol that uses hop count as its routing metric and
allows up to only 15 hops. Compared with others it is slower and less secure.
RIPv2 (Routing Information Protocol version 2) - Answer-An updated version of the
original RIP routing protocol that generates less broadcast traffic and functions more
securely than its predecessor. However, packet forwarding is still limited to a maximum
15 hops.
Route command - Answer-A command-line tool that shows a host's routing table.
Routing cost - Answer-A value assigned to a particular route as judged by the network
administrator; the more desirable the path, the lower its cost.
, Routing metric - Answer-Properties of a route used by routing protocols to determine
the best path to a destination when various paths are available. Routing metrics may be
calculated using any of several variables, including hop count, bandwidth, delay, MTU,
cost, and reliability.
Routing protocol - Answer-The means by which routers communicate with each other
about network status. Routing protocols determine the best path for data to take
between networks.
Routing table - Answer-A data table stored in a router that lists the routes to particular
network destinations
Spoofing - Answer-misrepresenting oneself online
Static ARP table entry - Answer-A record in an ARP table that someone has manually
entered using the ARP utility. Entries remain the same until someone manually modifies
them with the ARP utility.
Static routing - Answer-Packets are routed over a specific path between network nodes.
Tcpdump - Answer-A free command line packet sniffer utility that runs on Linux and
other UNIX operating systems
AD (administrative distance) - Answer-A number indicating a protocol's reliability, with
lower values being given higher priority. This assignment can be changed by a network
administrator when one protocol should take precedence over a previously higher-rated
protocol on a network.
ARP (Address Resolution Protocol) - Answer-A core protocol in the TCP/IP suite that
belongs in the Network layer of the OSI model. Obtains the MAC (physical) address of a
host, or node, and then creates a local database that maps the MAC address to the
host's IP (logical) address.
ARP table - Answer-A database of records that maps MAC addresses to IP addresses.
It is stored on a computer's hard disk where it is used by the ARP utility to supply the
MAC addresses of network nodes, given their IP addresses.
AS (Autonomous System) - Answer-A group of networks, often on the same domain,
that are operated by the same organization.
Best path - Answer-The most efficient route from one node on a network to another, as
calculated by a router.
