CCNA 2 v7 Modules 1 – 4: Switching Concepts, VLANs, and InterVLAN Routing Exam Answers

1. Which tasks can be accomplished by using the command history feature? (Choose two.)

• View a list of commands entered in a previous session.
• Recall up to 15 command lines by default.
• Set the command history buffer size.
• Recall previously entered commands.
• Save command lines in a log file for future reference.

Explanation: The history command allows you to view and reuse previously entered commands stored in the buffer. It is also used to manage the of the buffer.

2. What is the first action in the boot sequence when a switch is powered on?

• load the default Cisco IOS software
• load boot loader software
• low-level CPU initialization
• load a power-on self-test program

Explanation: The first action to take place when a switch is powered on is the POST or power-on self-test. POST performs tests on the CPU, memory, and flash in preparation for loading the boot loader.

3. What must an administrator have in order to reset a lost password on a router?

• a TFTP server                 
• a crossover cable
• access to another router         
•  physical access to the router

Explanation: Console access to the device through a terminal or terminal emulator software on a PC is required for password recovery.

4. When configuring a switch for SSH access, what other command that is associated with the login local command is required to be entered on the switch?

• enable secret password
• password password
• username username secret secret
• login block-for seconds attempts number within*seconds*

Explanation: The login local command designates that the local username database is used to authenticate interfaces such as console or vty.

5. Which command displays information about the auto-MDIX setting for a specific interface?​

• show interfaces
• show controllers
• show processes
• show running-config

Explanation: To examine the auto-MDIX setting for a specific interface, the show controllers ethernet-controller command with the phy keyword should be used.

6. If one end of an Ethernet connection is configured for full duplex and the other end of the connection is configured for half duplex, where would late collisions be observed?

• on both ends of the connection
• on the full-duplex end of the connection
• only on serial interfaces
• on the half-duplex end of the connection

Explanation: Full-duplex communications do not produce collisions. However, collisions often occur in half-duplex operations. When a connection has two different duplex configurations, the half-duplex end will experience late collisions. Collisions are found on Ethernet networks. Serial interfaces use technologies other than Ethernet.

7. Which command is used to set the BOOT environment variable that defines where to find the IOS image file on a switch?

• config-register
• boot system
• boot loader
• confreg

Explanation: The boot system command is used to set the BOOT environment variable. The config-register and confreg commands are used to set the configuration register. The boot loader command supports commands to format the flash file system, reinstall the operating system software, and recover from a lost or forgotten password.

8. What does a switch use to locate and load the IOS image?

• BOOT environment variable
• IOS image file
• POST
• startup-config
• NVRAM

Explanation: The BOOT environment variable contains the information about where to find the IOS image file.

9. Which protocol adds security to remote connections?

• FTP
• HTTP
• NetBEUI
• POP
• SSH

Explanation: SSH allows a technician to securely connect to a remote network device for monitoring and troubleshooting. HTTP establishes web page requests. FTP manages file transfer. NetBEUI is not routed on the Internet. POP downloads email messages from email servers.

10. What is a characteristic of an IPv4 loopback interface on a Cisco IOS router?​

• The no shutdown command is required to place this interface in an UP state.​
• It is a logical interface internal to the router.
• Only one loopback interface can be enabled on a router.​
• It is assigned to a physical port and can be connected to other devices.

Explanation: The loopback interface is a logical interface internal to the router and is automatically placed in an UP state, as long as the router is functioning. It is not assigned to a physical port and can therefore never be connected to any other device. Multiple loopback interfaces can be enabled on a router.

11. What is the minimum Ethernet frame size that will not be discarded by the receiver as a runt frame?

• 64 bytes
• 512 bytes
• 1024 bytes
• 1500 bytes

Explanation: The minimum Ethernet frame size is 64 bytes. Frames smaller than 64 bytes are considered collision fragments or runt frames and are discarded.

12. After which step of the switch bootup sequence is the boot loader executed?

• after CPU initialization
• after IOS localization
• after flash file system initialization
• after POST execution

Explanation: The correct bootup sequence order is as follows:
1.- The switch loads and executes the POST.
2.- The switch loads the boot loader software.
3.- The boot loader performs low-level CPU initialization.
4.- The boot loader initializes the flash memory.
5.- The boot loader locates and loads the default IOS image.

13. Which impact does adding a Layer 2 switch have on a network?

• an increase in the number of dropped frames
• an increase in the size of the broadcast domain
• an increase in the number of network collisions
• an increase in the size of the collision domain

Explanation: Adding a Layer 2 switch to a network increases the number of collision domains and increases the size of the broadcast domain. Layer 2 switches do not decrease the amount of broadcast traffic, do not increase the amount of network collisions and do not increase the number of dropped frames.

14. Which characteristic describes cut-through switching?

• Error-free fragments are forwarded, so switching occurs with lower latency.
• Frames are forwarded without any error checking.
• Only outgoing frames are checked for errors.
• Buffering is used to support different Ethernet speeds.

Explanation: Cut-through switching reduces latency by forwarding frames as soon as the destination MAC address and the corresponding switch port are read from the MAC address table. This switching method does not perform any error checking and does not use buffers to support different Ethernet speeds. Error checking and buffers are characteristics of store-and-forward switching.

15. What is the significant difference between a hub and a Layer 2 LAN switch?

• A hub extends a collision domain, and a switch divides collision domains.
• A hub divides collision domains, and a switch divides broadcast domains.
• Each port of a hub is a collision domain, and each port of a switch is a broadcast domain.
• A hub forwards frames, and a switch forwards only packets.

Explanation: Hubs operate only at the physical layer, forwarding bits as wire signals out all ports, and extend the collision domain of a network. Switches forward frames at the data link layer and each switch port is a separate collision domain which creates more, but smaller, collision domains. Switches do not manage broadcast domains because broadcast frames are always forwarded out all active ports.

16. Which statement is correct about Ethernet switch frame forwarding decisions?