Network Administrator Interview Questions & Answers

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Network administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of computer networks at businesses and organizations.

Whether you're a job seeker preparing to be interviewed for the role of Network Administrator or an employer preparing to interview candidates for Network Administrator position, these Network Administrator interview questions will help you prepare yourself for the job interview session.

Network Administrator Interview Questions

Below are a list of some skill-based Network Administrator interview questions.

1. Have you ever worked as a network administrator before?
2. How has your previous network administration position prepared you for this job?
3. What types of networks do you have the most experience working with?
4. What monitoring approaches and tools do you prefer using?
5. Are you familiar with workgroups?
6. Are you familiar with domains?
7. What has been your most challenging network administration experience?
8. What network administrator task do you enjoy the most?
9. Have you received any certifications for network administration?
10. What is a subnet mask?
11. What training have you received in network administration?
12. What is a Proxy Server?
13. Can you explain how two-factor authentication is used?
14. What is a Firewall?
15. What are some examples of strong password requirements?
16. There is a problem with the network switch. What is the first thing you do?
17. Can you explain what a firewall is and how it can be used?
18. How often should you perform routine maintenance on your company’s network?
19. What's the difference between a switch and a hub?
20. What are 127.0.0.1 and localhost?
21. Which networking protocols do you prefer to use as a network admin?
22. What types of authentication can be used for network access?
23. Describe your process for installing a new server.
24. How does Tracert work and what protocol does it use?
25. What are IP classes?
26. We want to improve our disaster recovery strategy. What steps would you take to do so?
27. What is Two-Factor Authentication?
28. What is the difference between local, global and universal groups?
29. Why would you create logon scripts?
30. When would you recommend using a crossover cable instead of a straight-through cable?
31. Can you explain the ports that are used for HTTP, HTTPS and FTP?
32. Do you have experience working with data center automation tools?
33. What does it mean when you receive an NTFS Error: 5?
34. Can you explain what a proxy server is?
35. What are the main differences between Windows Home, Windows Pro and Windows Server?
36. How well do you understand the Open System Interconnection model?
37. What is port forwarding?
38. Can you explain what terminal services are used for?
39. What are the differences between PowerShell, Command Prompt and Bash?
40. As a network administrator, what would you do if you noticed suspicious activity on a company file server?
41. What is telnet?
42. What are the benefits of using a simple network management protocol?
43. What is the difference between ifconfig and ipconfig?
44. Provide an example of a time when you had to manage a budget for network upgrades.
45. What is an intrusion detection system?
46. What is the difference between a broadcast domain and a workgroup?
47. Can you explain how port forwarding is implemented?
48. How would you go about troubleshooting a network problem if you didn’t have access to the physical hardware?
49. What's the difference between a domain and a workgroup?
50. What are some of the most important skills for a network administrator to have?
51. What is the difference between a multimode and single-mode fiber?
52. Are you comfortable working with a team of IT professionals to manage a company’s computer network?
53. What's the difference between a network-attached printer and a print server?

Network Administrator Interview Questions and Answers

Every interview is different and the questions may vary. However, there are lots of general questions that get asked at every interview.

Below are some common questions you'd expect during Network Administrator interviews. Click on each question to see how to answer them.

1. Why Do You Want To Leave Your Current Job?
2. What is Your Greatest Strength?
3. Tell Me About Yourself
4. Why Do You Want This Job?
5. Are You a Leader or a Follower?
6. What Is Your Greatest Accomplishment?
7. What is Your Salary Expectation?
8. Do You Have Any Questions for Us?
9. Why Should We Hire You?
10. What is Your Greatest Weakness?

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