This free Cisco CCNA Network Fundamentals practice test covers OSI and TCP/IP models, network components, cabling, IPv4/IPv6 addressing, subnetting, wireless principles, and virtualization fundamentals for the Cisco CCNA 200-301 exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation — perfect for Cisco CCNA 200-301 exam prep.
What is the maximum number of hosts that can be addressed on a /26 subnet?
Correct answer: A
Explanation: A /26 subnet uses 6 bits for host addressing (32-26=6). With 6 host bits, you can have 2^6 = 64 total addresses. Subtracting the network address and broadcast address leaves 62 usable host addresses.
Which OSI layer is responsible for end-to-end communication and error recovery?
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The Transport Layer (Layer 4) is responsible for end-to-end communication, error detection and recovery, flow control, and segmentation. TCP and UDP operate at this layer.
A network technician is troubleshooting connectivity issues on a newly installed network. The technician observes that devices on the 192.168.1.0/24 network can ping each other, but cannot reach the internet. The router's interface connected to the 192.168.1.0/24 network has an IP address of 192.168.1.1/24. What is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
Correct answer: C
Explanation: The devices can ping each other, indicating that the local network is functioning correctly. However, they cannot reach the internet, meaning there's a problem with routing. The most likely cause is that the client devices are missing the correct default gateway (the router's IP address, 192.168.1.1) in their IP configuration. Option A is incorrect because if the subnet mask were wrong, local communication would fail. Option B would also prevent both local and internet connectivity. Option D is irrelevant because no VLANs are mentioned in the scenario.
Which layer of the OSI model is responsible for error detection and correction?
Correct answer: B
Explanation: The Data Link Layer (Layer 2) is responsible for error detection using techniques like checksums and Cyclic Redundancy Checks (CRCs). It also handles error correction through mechanisms like retransmissions. While the Transport Layer also handles error detection and correction, it operates at a higher level, focusing on end-to-end communication.
A network administrator needs to connect two switches using a single cable to carry multiple VLANs. Which technology should be used?
Correct answer: C
Explanation: 802.1Q trunking allows multiple VLANs to be carried over a single physical link. Ethernet is the underlying technology but doesn't support multiple VLANs on a single link. STP is a spanning tree protocol for preventing loops, not for carrying multiple VLANs. EtherChannel bundles multiple physical links into a single logical link but doesn't inherently support multiple VLANs on one physical cable.
What is the subnet mask for a Class C network with 30 usable host addresses?
Correct answer: C
Explanation: A Class C network has 8 bits for host addresses. To get 30 usable hosts (32 total addresses - 2 reserved addresses), we need to borrow 2 bits from the host portion of the IP address, leaving 6 bits. 2<sup>6</sup> = 64 addresses. The subnet mask would then be 255.255.255.224 (/26).
Start the free CCNA Network Fundamentals practice test now | 10-question quick start | All CCNA domains | CCNA cheat sheet