Cisco CCST Networking Practice Exam

What the Cisco CCST Networking exam covers

• Standards and Concepts54 questions
• Addressing and Subnet Formats44 questions
• Endpoints and Media Types38 questions
• Infrastructure and Connectivity66 questions
• Security and Diagnostics96 questions

Free Cisco CCST Networking sample questions

A sample of 10 questions with answers and explanations. Sign up free to practice all 298.

1. Question 1Standards and Concepts

   At which OSI layer does IP routing operate?

   • ALayer 7 (Application)
   • BLayer 4 (Transport)
   • CLayer 3 (Network)Correct
   • DLayer 2 (Data Link)
   ✓ Correct answer: C

   IP routing operates at the Network layer where IP addresses are used to determine the path packets take across networks. Routers examine the IP header to make forwarding decisions based on destination IP addresses and routing tables.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ALayer 7 (Application) is incorrect because this layer handles user-facing services like HTTP and DNS, not IP routing logic.
   • BLayer 4 (Transport) is incorrect because this layer manages end-to-end delivery but relies on Layer 3 to determine the path between networks. Layer 2 (Data Link) is incorrect because this layer handles frame forwarding within the same network segment using MAC addresses, not IP routing.
   • DThis layer handles logical addressing and routing responsibilities distinct from physical transmission (Layer 1) or data link frame handling (Layer 2).
2. Question 2Addressing and Subnet Formats

   Which address is a private IPv4 address?

   • A1.1.1.1
   • B10.1.1.1Correct
   • C172.32.1.1
   • D8.8.8.8
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   The private IPv4 address range 10.0.0.0/8 (RFC 1918) includes all addresses from 10.0.0.0 to 10.255.255.255. The address 10.1.1.1 falls within this range and is used internally in private networks, making it non-routable on the public internet and suitable for internal use.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • A1.1.1.1 is incorrect because this is a public address in the public IP space.
   • C172.32.1.1 is incorrect because addresses starting with 172.32 are outside the RFC 1918 private range.
   • D8.8.8.8 is incorrect because this is a public address used by Google's DNS.
3. Question 3Infrastructure and Connectivity

   Which device forwards frames within a LAN based on MAC addresses?

   • AA router
   • BA DNS server
   • CA modem
   • DA switchCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   A switch is a Layer 2 (Data Link layer) device that forwards frames based on MAC addresses within a local area network. Switches examine the destination MAC address of each frame and forward it only to the port connected to that MAC address, creating separate collision domains and improving network efficiency.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ARouter is incorrect because routers forward packets based on IP addresses at Layer 3.
   • BDNS server is incorrect because DNS servers resolve domain names, not forward frames.
   • CModem is incorrect because modems modulate/demodulate signals for WAN connections.
4. Question 4Security and DiagnosticsSelect all that apply

   Which TWO improve wireless network security? (Choose TWO)

   • AOpen (no) encryption
   • BA strong, unique passphraseCorrect
   • CDefault admin passwords
   • DWPA2/WPA3 encryptionCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: B, D

   Wireless network security requires strong encryption (WPA2/WPA3) combined with strong, unique passphrases to prevent unauthorized access. WPA2/WPA3 use advanced encryption algorithms, while strong passphrases prevent brute-force attacks and dictionary attacks that can crack weak passwords.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AOpen (no) encryption is incorrect because this provides zero security.
   • CDefault admin passwords is incorrect because default passwords are easily compromised.
5. Question 5Infrastructure and Connectivity

   Which approach reduces cost for a branch office that only needs occasional, low-volume internet access?

   • Aprovision a smaller-bandwidth/lower-tier circuit sized to actual usageCorrect
   • BAdd ten redundant high-speed links
   • CDeploy a separate ISP per workstation
   • DBuy the largest available dedicated fiber circuit
   ✓ Correct answer: A

   For a branch office with occasional, low-volume traffic, provisioning a smaller, lower-cost circuit sized to actual peak usage reduces costs while maintaining acceptable performance. Larger circuits would waste money on unused capacity in low-volume scenarios.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BAdd ten redundant high-speed links is incorrect because this wastes money on unused capacity.
   • CDeploy separate ISP per workstation is incorrect because this is cost-prohibitive.
   • DBuy the largest available circuit is incorrect because this wastes money.
6. Question 6Addressing and Subnet Formats

   Caching DNS responses with appropriate TTLs primarily improves performance by doing what?

   • AEncrypting the payload
   • BReducing repeated lookups and lowering name-resolution latencyCorrect
   • CIncreasing the physical link speed
   • DExpanding the subnet
   ✓ Correct answer: B

   DNS caching stores recent lookup results with TTL (Time To Live) values indicating how long the cache is valid. Subsequent requests for the same hostname are answered from cache without querying the DNS server, reducing latency and DNS server load. This improves performance for applications that repeatedly access the same hostnames.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AEncrypting payload is incorrect because caching does not provide encryption.
   • CIncreasing physical link speed is incorrect because caching does not increase link speed.
   • DExpanding the subnet is incorrect because caching does not affect subnet size.
7. Question 7Security and Diagnostics

   Which Windows command clears the local DNS resolver cache?

   • Aipconfig /renew
   • Barp -d *
   • Cnslookup -clear
   • Dipconfig /flushdnsCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: D

   On Windows, 'ipconfig /flushdns' clears the local DNS resolver cache, forcing the system to query the DNS server for subsequent name lookups. This is useful when DNS records have changed and the host needs to refresh its cached entries.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • AIpconfig /renew is incorrect because this renews the DHCP lease, not DNS cache.
   • BArp -d * is incorrect because this clears ARP cache, not DNS cache.
   • CNslookup -clear is incorrect because nslookup does not have a clear flag.
8. Question 8Infrastructure and ConnectivitySelect all that apply

   Which TWO commands display VLAN and trunk information on a Cisco switch? (Choose TWO)

   • Ashow vlan briefCorrect
   • Bshow ip route
   • Cshow dns
   • Dshow interfaces trunkCorrect
   ✓ Correct answer: A, D

   These Cisco commands display VLAN and trunk information. 'show vlan brief' lists all configured VLANs and which ports belong to each, while 'show interfaces trunk' displays trunk links and which VLANs are allowed on each trunk.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • BShow ip route is incorrect because this shows routing table, not VLAN info.
   • CShow dns is incorrect because this is not a standard Cisco command.
9. Question 9Security and DiagnosticsSelect all that apply

   Which TWO actions help establish a performance baseline for a network? (Choose TWO)

   • ADisable SNMP polling to reduce overhead
   • BCollect interface utilization and latency metrics over a representative periodCorrect
   • CRecord normal CPU and memory usage on key devices during typical loadCorrect
   • DDelete historical monitoring data after each day
   ✓ Correct answer: B, C

   A performance baseline captures the normal operating characteristics of a network so that deviations can be quickly identified and investigated. Collecting interface utilization and latency metrics over a representative period establishes what normal traffic patterns and response times look like across different times of day, week, and business cycles. Similarly, recording CPU and memory usage on key devices during typical load provides reference points for detecting resource exhaustion, configuration issues, or security incidents that cause abnormal resource consumption.

   Why the other options are wrong

   • ADisable SNMP polling to reduce overhead is incorrect because SNMP is one of the primary tools used to collect the utilization, latency, CPU, and memory metrics that make up a baseline; disabling it would eliminate a critical data source.
   • DDelete historical monitoring data after each day is incorrect because baselines require long-term trend data spanning weeks or months to establish reliable normal ranges; deleting data daily would destroy the historical context needed for meaningful comparison.
10. Question 10Security and DiagnosticsSelect all that apply

    A remote user's VPN connects but they cannot reach internal file shares by name, though they can by IP. Which TWO are the most likely causes? (Choose TWO)

    • AThe VPN client is not using the internal DNS serversCorrect
    • Binternal DNS suffix/search domain is not being appliedCorrect
    • CThe user's CPU is overheating
    • DThe file server's power supply failed
    ✓ Correct answer: A, B

    When a VPN user can reach internal resources by IP address but not by hostname, the issue is almost certainly DNS-related. If the VPN client is not configured to use the organization’s internal DNS servers, name resolution queries go to external DNS servers that have no knowledge of internal hostnames. Similarly, even if the correct DNS servers are configured, the client may fail to resolve short hostnames if the internal DNS suffix or search domain is not being pushed or applied, because the client will not know to append the corporate domain to bare hostnames when performing lookups.

    Why the other options are wrong

    • CThe user’s CPU is overheating is incorrect because CPU overheating would cause general system instability or shutdowns, not a selective failure limited to name resolution while IP-based connectivity continues to work.
    • DThe file server’s power supply failed is incorrect because if the file server were powered off, connectivity would fail regardless of whether the user tries to reach it by name or by IP address.

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