Networking Fundamentals for CompTIA Network+

This page covers the Networking Fundamentals domain of the CompTIA Network+ certification. Master Cybersecurity offers 152 practice questions in this domain, drawn from the same content we use across our timed exam simulations. Below are five sample questions with full answer explanations.

Sample Practice Questions

  1. Question 1

    A network administrator needs to set up a file server to allow user access. The organization uses DHCP to assign IP addresses. Which of the following is the best solution for the administrator to set up?
    1. A. A separate scope for the file server using a /32 subnet
    2. B. A reservation for the server based on the MAC address
    3. C. A static IP address within the DHCP IP range
    4. D. A SLAAC for the server
    Explanation

    The correct answer is: B. A reservation for the server based on the MAC address.

    A DHCP reservation pins a specific IP address to a specific MAC address inside the DHCP scope, so the file server always receives the same IP automatically when it requests a lease - which is the right balance between automatic configuration and the stable address users need to reach a server. A separate scope using a /32 subnet (A) creates an entire scope for one address, which is awkward and unnecessary when a reservation accomplishes the same goal inside the existing scope. A static IP within the DHCP IP range (C) bypasses DHCP for that host and risks an address conflict if the DHCP server happens to lease the same address to another client. SLAAC (D) - Stateless Address Autoconfiguration - is an IPv6 mechanism by which hosts derive their own IPv6 addresses; it is not a DHCP-based fixed-address technique. The MAC-address-based reservation is the right solution.

  2. Question 2

    A network administrator is planning to host a company application in the cloud, making the application available for all internal and third-party users. Which of the following concepts describes this arrangement?
    1. A. Multitenancy
    2. B. VPC
    3. C. NFV
    4. D. SaaS
    Explanation

    The correct answer is: A. Multitenancy.

    Multitenancy is the cloud concept of multiple separate users (tenants) sharing the same hosted infrastructure or application, which fits the scenario of an application hosted in the cloud and made available to internal users plus third-party users - all of whom are different tenants of the same hosted service. VPC (B) - Virtual Private Cloud - is a network-isolation construct that segments resources within a single cloud account and is not the term for many users sharing a hosted service. NFV (C) - Network Function Virtualization - replaces dedicated network appliances with software instances; it is unrelated to multi-user hosting. SaaS (D) - Software as a Service - is one delivery model that often uses multitenancy, but the architectural concept the question asks about is the multi-tenant property itself rather than the service-delivery model. Multitenancy is the term for the shared-hosted-service arrangement.

  3. Question 3

    Which of the following ports is used for secure email?
    1. A. 25
    2. B. 110
    3. C. 143
    4. D. 587
    Explanation

    The correct answer is: D. 587.

    TCP port 587 is the standard SMTP submission port used by mail clients to send authenticated mail to a mail server, typically over an encrypted STARTTLS or implicit-TLS session - so port 587 is the right choice for secure outbound email. Port 25 (A) is the SMTP relay port between mail servers; it is historically not used by clients and is often unencrypted. Port 110 (B) is POP3 for downloading mail (POP3S is 995). Port 143 (C) is IMAP for accessing mailbox folders (IMAPS is 993); both unencrypted by default. Port 587 is the secure email-submission port.

  4. Question 4

    A customer needs six usable IP addresses. Which of the following best meets this requirement?
    1. A. 255.255.255.128
    2. B. 255.255.255.192
    3. C. 255.255.255.224
    4. D. 255.255.255.240
    Explanation

    The correct answer is: D. 255.255.255.240.

    A /28 subnet (255.255.255.240) contains 16 total addresses with 14 usable hosts after subtracting the network and broadcast addresses - more than enough for 6 usable IPs and the most efficient choice among the listed options. 255.255.255.128 (A) is /25 with 126 usable hosts, far more than needed and very wasteful. 255.255.255.192 (B) is /26 with 62 usable hosts, also wasteful. 255.255.255.224 (C) is /27 with 30 usable hosts, still much larger than required. /28 (255.255.255.240) is the smallest of the listed masks that supports 6 usable IPs, so it best meets the requirement.

  5. Question 5

    Which of the following cloud deployment models is most commonly associated with multitenancy and is generally offered by a service provider?
    1. A. Private
    2. B. Community
    3. C. Public
    4. D. Hybrid
    Explanation

    The correct answer is: C. Public.

    The public cloud deployment model is the one most commonly associated with multitenancy, because public cloud providers offer their infrastructure as a shared service to many unrelated customers who all run workloads on the same underlying physical hardware - that shared-hardware-among-many-tenants property is the defining feature of multitenancy. Private (A) cloud is dedicated to a single organization, so it does not house multiple unrelated tenants. Community (B) cloud is shared by a group of related organizations with common requirements; it has limited multitenancy across that small community rather than the broad public model. Hybrid (D) cloud combines on-premises and cloud resources and is a deployment topology rather than a multi-tenancy model. Public is the cloud deployment that most commonly embodies multitenancy and is provider-offered.

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