Free CompTIA N10-009 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers | Set: 10

Role of the Hosts File:

The hosts file is a local file on a computer that maps hostnames to IP addresses. It can be used to override DNS resolution by providing a static mapping of a hostname to an IP address.

Common Issues with the Hosts File:

If an incorrect IP address is mapped to a hostname in the hosts file, it can cause the computer to resolve the hostname to the wrong IP address. This can lead to navigation issues for specific websites while other users, relying on DNS, do not face the same problem.

Why Other Options are Less Likely:

Self-signed certificate: Relates to SSL/TLS and would cause a security warning, not a navigation failure.

Nameserver record: Affects all users, not just one.

IP helper: Used to forward DHCP requests and is unrelated to DNS resolution issues.

Troubleshooting Steps:

Check the hosts file on the affected user's computer (C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows or /etc/hosts on Unix/Linux).

Look for entries that map the problematic hostname to an incorrect IP address and correct or remove them.

Link aggregation (also known as port trunking or EtherChannel) combines multiple network connections in parallel to increase throughput and provide redundancy. When two switches are connected with multiple links without any additional configuration, a Layer 2 loop may occur. Link aggregation prevents these loops by treating the multiple connections as a single logical link, using a protocol such as LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol).

From Andrew Ramdayal’s guide:

“Link aggregation allows you to combine multiple network connections to increase the bandwidth and provide redundancy. It helps prevent Layer 2 loops when connecting switches with multiple links by making them operate as a single logical interface.”

A hot site is a fully operational backup facility with hardware, network, and data synchronization already in place. It allows for immediate failover in the event of a disaster, minimizing downtime.

B. DCI (Data Center Interconnect) connects data centers but doesn’t guarantee availability unless built redundantly.

C. Direct Connect refers to a private link to cloud providers, not disaster recovery.

D. Active-passive can help with failover but may involve delay unless combined with hot site principles.

???? Reference:

CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Official Objectives: 4.4 – Summarize business continuity and disaster recovery concepts.

If the user cannot communicate with 192.168.10.1, they might be on a different subnet. Changing the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 ensures the user and the file server are in the same subnet.

Breakdown of Options:

A. Changing the IPv4 address to 192.168.10.1 – This would conflict with the server's IP.

B. Changing the subnet mask to 255.255.255.0 – ✅ Correct answer. Ensures both the user and the server are on the same subnet.

C. Changing the DNS servers – DNS does not affect local network connectivity.

D. Changing the physical address – The MAC address does not impact subnet communication.

Understanding Tracert:

tracert (Traceroute in Windows) is a command-line tool used to trace the path that packets take from the source to the destination. It records the route (the specific gateways at each hop) and measures transit delays of packets across an IP network.

Output Analysis:

The output shows a series of IP addresses with corresponding round-trip times (RTTs) in milliseconds.

The asterisks (*) indicate that no response was received from those hops, which is typical for routers or firewalls that block ICMP packets used by tracert.

Comparison with Other Tools:

netstat: Displays network connections, routing tables, interface statistics, and more, but does not trace packet routes.

tcpdump: Captures network packets for analysis, used for detailed network traffic inspection.

nmap: A network scanning tool used to discover hosts and services on a network, not for tracing packet routes.

Usage:

tracert helps identify the path to a destination and locate points of failure or congestion in the network.

The CompTIA Troubleshooting Methodology states that after testing the theory, the next step is to establish a plan of action to resolve the issue.

Troubleshooting Steps:

Identify the problem.

Establish a theory of probable cause.

Test the theory to determine the cause.

Establish a plan of action and implement the solution. ✅ (Correct step)

Verify full system functionality.

Document findings, actions, and outcomes.

Breakdown of Options:

A. Verify full system functionality – Happens after implementing the solution.

B. Document the findings and outcomes – Final step, happens after resolving the issue.

C. Establish a plan of action – ✅ Correct answer. Comes immediately after confirming the cause.

D. Identify the problem – First step, already completed.

This scenario describes a duplicate IP address. The ARP table shows two different MAC addresses (0c00.1134.0001 and 0c00.1298.d239) associated with the same IP address (192.168.1.10), which leads to ARP table conflicts and intermittent connectivity.

From Andrew Ramdayal’s guide:

“Duplicate IP addresses occur when two devices on the same network are assigned the same IP address, causing network conflicts. Common issues include manual configuration errors or DHCP lease issues. Resolution includes using IP management tools and avoiding overlaps in DHCP and static IP assignments.”

An SLA (Service Level Agreement) defines performance expectations, including response time, prioritization, and resolution time for services and support issues. It helps the technician determine which task has higher priority based on business impact.

A. NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) relates to confidentiality, not task prioritization.

B. AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) defines user behavior, not issue handling.

D. MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) outlines informal agreements and doesn't define ticket priorities.

???? Reference:

CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Official Objectives: 4.1 – Compare and contrast common documentation types.

Port 22 is used for SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) and SCP (Secure Copy Protocol), which encrypt file transfers using SSH (Secure Shell). This ensures data is transmitted securely over the network.

•Why not the other options?

•Port 69 (B) – TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol): Transfers files but is not secure (no encryption).

•Port 80 (C) – HTTP: Used for web traffic, not for file transfer.

•Port 3389 (D) – RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol): Used for remote desktop access, not file transfer.