CompTIA N10-009 Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

CompTIA N10-009 Online Questions & Answers

• Question 591:

  A network administrator installs wireless access points (APs) inside an industrial warehouse. A wireless survey shows a large amount of electromagnetic interference.

  Which of the following cable types should the administrator use to connect the APs to the switch?

  A. UTP
  B. STP
  C. Multimode
  D. Single-mode
  B. STP

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  Explanation

  The correct answer is STP (Shielded Twisted Pair). According to the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 objectives, environments with high levels of electromagnetic interference (EMI)-such as industrial warehouses with heavy machinery, motors, and electrical equipment-require additional protection at the physical layer to maintain signal integrity.

  STP cabling includes shielding around the twisted copper pairs that helps block external electromagnetic signals from interfering with data transmission. This shielding significantly reduces crosstalk and EMI, making STP far more suitable than UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) in electrically noisy environments. UTP lacks this shielding and is more prone to signal degradation under such conditions.

  While fiber-optic cabling (multimode or single-mode) is completely immune to EMI, it is typically not used to directly connect wireless APs in most enterprise deployments. Wireless access points commonly rely on copper Ethernet connections to support Power over Ethernet (PoE), which supplies both data and electrical power over the same cable. Fiber does not natively support PoE, making it impractical for directly powering APs without additional equipment.

  The Network+ objectives emphasize selecting appropriate cabling based on environmental factors and operational requirements. In this scenario, STP provides the optimal balance of EMI resistance, Ethernet compatibility, and PoE support, making it the best choice for connecting APs in an industrial warehouse.

• Question 592:

  A network administrator receives a ticket from a user. The user reports that they cannot access any websites and that they have already checked everything on their computer.

  Which of the following is the first action the administrator should take?

  A. Divide and conquer.
  B. Establish a theory of probable cause.
  C. Question the user.
  D. Document the findings.
  C. Question the user.

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  Explanation

  The correct answer is Question the user because the first step in the CompTIA Network+ (N10-009) troubleshooting methodology is to identify the problem. Identifying the problem involves gathering information, asking clarifying questions, determining if anything has changed, and establishing the scope of the issue.

  Even though the user states they have "checked everything," the administrator should not assume that all relevant troubleshooting steps were properly performed. The technician must ask specific questions such as: Are other users affected?

  Is the issue limited to certain websites? Are there any error messages? When did the issue start? Were there recent updates or configuration changes?

  Only after gathering sufficient information should the administrator move to the next steps, such as establishing a theory of probable cause (Option B) or using divide-and-conquer methods (Option A). Documentation (Option D) occurs after resolving and verifying the issue.

  Therefore, questioning the user to clearly define and scope the problem is the correct first action according to the structured troubleshooting process.

• Question 593:

  Which of the following layers of the OSI model is responsible for end-to-end encryption?

  A. Presentation
  B. Application
  C. Session
  D. Transport
  A. Presentation

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  Explanation

  The correct answer is Presentation, which is Layer 6 of the OSI model. According to the CompTIA Network+ N10-009 objectives, the Presentation layer is responsible for data formatting, compression, and encryption, ensuring that data sent from the application layer of one system can be properly interpreted by the receiving system.

  End-to-end encryption refers to encrypting data before transmission and decrypting it only at the final destination, preventing intermediaries from accessing the plaintext data. In the OSI model, this encryption and decryption function is logically placed at the Presentation layer, which sits between the Application and Session layers. This layer transforms data into a standardized format and applies security mechanisms such as encryption algorithms. While modern implementations like TLS/SSL often operate across multiple layers in real-world networking stacks, the Network+ exam adheres to the conceptual OSI model when testing knowledge. From an OSI perspective, encryption is explicitly associated with the Presentation layer.

  The Application layer provides network services to end-user applications, the Session layer manages session establishment and teardown, and the Transport layer focuses on segmentation, flow control, and reliability. None of these layers are primarily responsible for encryption within the OSI framework.

  CompTIA emphasizes understanding these conceptual responsibilities, making Presentation the correct and expected answer.

• Question 594:

  Which of the following objectives does an evil twin achieve?

  A. DNS poisoning
  B. Log-in credentials
  C. ARP spoofing
  D. Denial of service
  B. Log-in credentials

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  Explanation

  The objective that an evil twin achieves is log-in credentials. An evil twin is a type of rogue access point that mimics a legitimate wireless network by using the same SSID, encryption, and authentication methods. An evil twin can trick unsuspecting users into connecting to it instead of the real network, and then capture their log-in credentials or other sensitive data. An evil twin can also perform man-in-the-middle attacks, redirecting or modifying the user's traffic.

• Question 595:

  Which of the following demarcation connections would be MOST appropriate to use with a cable modem being installed in a SOHO situation?

  A. RG6
  B. Cat 6
  C. RJ11
  D. Multimode fiber
  A. RG6

• Question 596:

  A security administrator is creating a new firewall object for a device with IP address 192.168.100.1/25. However, the firewall software only uses dotted decimal notation in configuration fields.

  Which of the following is the correct subnet mask to use?

  A. 255.255.254.0
  B. 255.255.255.1
  C. 255.255.255.128
  D. 255.255.255.192
  C. 255.255.255.128

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  Explanation

  A /25 subnet mask means 25 bits are reserved for the network portion, leaving 7 bits for host addresses. In dotted decimal, that is:

  11111111.11111111.11111111.10000000 Decimal equivalent: 255.255.255.128

  A. 255.255.254.0 corresponds to /23.

  B. 255.255.255.1 is invalid as a subnet mask.

  D. 255.255.255.192 corresponds to /26. Thus, the correct subnet mask for a /25 network is 255.255.255.128.

  References:

  Domain: Networking Concepts - Subnetting, CIDR notation, dotted decimal.

• Question 597:

  A company discovers on video surveillance recordings that an unauthorized person installed a rogue access point in its secure facility.

  Which of the following allowed the unauthorized person to do this?

  A. Evil twin
  B. Honeytrap
  C. Wardriving
  D. Tailgating
  D. Tailgating

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  Explanation

  Tailgatingis a physical security breach where someone follows an authorized person into a restricted area without proper credentials. Once inside, the attacker can install rogue devices like unauthorized APs.

  Option A. Evil twinis a wireless attack where an attacker sets up a fake AP.

  Option B. Honeytrapis used to attract attackers for analysis.

  Option C. Wardrivinginvolves scanning for unsecured Wi-Fi networks while driving, not physical intrusion.

  References:

  CompTIA Network+ N10-009 Official Objectives: 4.2?Identify common security threats and vulnerabilities.

• Question 598:

  Before using a guest network, an administrator requires users to accept the terms of use

  Which of the following is the best way to accomplish this goal?

  A. Pre-shared key
  B. Autonomous access point
  C. Captive portal
  D. WPA2 encryption
  C. Captive portal

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  Explanation

  A captive portal is a web page that users must view and interact with before being granted access to a network. It is commonly used in guest networks to enforce terms of use agreements. When a user connects to the network, they are redirected to this portal where they must accept the terms of use before proceeding. This method ensures that users are aware of and agree to the network's policies, making it the best choice for this scenario.

  References:

  CompTIA Network + Exam Objectives and official study guides.

• Question 599:

  A newtwork administrator needs to create an SVI on a Layer 3-capable device to separate voice and data traffic.

  Which of the following best explains this use case?

  A. A physical interface used for trunking logical ports
  B. A physical interface used for management access
  C. A logical interface used for the routing of VLANs
  D. A logical interface used when the number of physical ports is insufficent.
  C. A logical interface used for the routing of VLANs

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  Explanation

  An SVI (Switched Virtual Interface) is a logical interface on a Layer 3-capable switch used to route traffic between VLANs. This is particularly useful in environments where voice and data traffic need to be separated, as each type of traffic can be assigned to different VLANs and routed accordingly.

  SVI (Switched Virtual Interface): A virtual interface created on a switch for inter-VLAN routing.

  VLAN Routing: Enables the routing of traffic between VLANs on a Layer 3 switch, allowing for logical separation of different types of traffic, such as voice and data.

  Use Case: Commonly used in scenarios where efficient and segmented traffic management is required, such as in VoIP implementations.

  References:

  CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Official Certification Guide: Discusses VLANs, SVIs, and their applications in network segmentation and routing.

  Cisco Networking Academy: Provides training on VLAN configuration and inter-VLAN routing using SVIs.

  Network+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide: Covers network segmentation techniques, including the use of SVIs for VLAN routing.

• Question 600:

  A hacker used a packet sniffer on the network to capture the hardware address of the server.

  Which of the following types of attacks can the hacker perform now?

  A. Piggybacking
  B. MAC spoofing
  C. Evil twin
  D. VLAN hopping
  B. MAC spoofing

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  Explanation

  MAC spoofing is a technique that allows a hacker to change the media access control (MAC) address of their network interface card (NIC) to impersonate another device on the network. By capturing the hardware address of the server, the hacker can spoof their MAC address to match the server's and bypass any MAC-based security measures, such as MAC filtering or MAC authentication. MAC spoofing can also be used to perform man-in-the-middle attacks, where the hacker intercepts and alters the traffic between two devices on the network.

  References:

  CompTIA Network+ N10-008 Cert Guide, Chapter 7, Section 7.3