Interview Q&A / Computer Networks

INTERVIEW Q&A · 55 QUESTIONS

Computer Networks interview questions

What happens when you open a website, TCP vs UDP, DNS and HTTP.

  1. How does DNS resolution work, step by step?

    Your device asks a recursive resolver, which checks its cache and, if needed, asks a root server, then the TLD server (like .com), then the domain's authoritative server, which returns the IP address. Every answer carries a TTL, so resolvers and devices cache it and skip most of these steps next time.

    IntermediateIn-depth4 min read
  2. How does traceroute discover the path to a server?

    It sends packets with TTL set to 1, then 2, then 3 and so on. Each router that drops a packet at TTL 0 replies with an ICMP Time Exceeded message, revealing its address, until the destination itself replies.

    IntermediateQuick answer1 min read
  3. What changes in a packet as it passes through routers?

    The IP source and destination stay the same (without NAT), but each router decrements the TTL by 1 and the Ethernet frame is rebuilt with new source and destination MAC addresses for the next link.

    IntermediateQuick answer1 min read