# Viva Preparation Guide ## How to Prepare for Networking Viva A viva or oral examination tests your understanding of concepts rather than memorized facts. Examiners ask follow-up questions based on your answers. Prepare by understanding the why behind every concept not just the what. ## Common Viva Question Patterns Explain how X works - requires step by step process description What is the difference between X and Y - requires comparison Why is X used instead of Y - requires justification What happens when X fails - requires understanding of failure scenarios Give an example of when you would use X - requires practical application ## Topic Wise Preparation For OSI Model viva preparation: Know all seven layers by name and function without hesitation. Be able to give an example protocol for each layer. Explain what PDU is at each layer. Explain what happens at each layer during encapsulation. Be able to say which devices operate at which layer and why. For TCP/IP viva preparation: Explain the three-way handshake step by step. Explain why TCP is reliable but UDP is not. Explain how flow control works with the receive window. Explain how congestion control differs from flow control. Explain the four-way termination process. For IP addressing viva preparation: Convert between binary and dotted decimal instantly. Calculate subnet addresses, broadcasts, and host ranges. Explain why private IP addresses need NAT. Explain the difference between classful and classless addressing. Be able to perform VLSM allocation step by step. For routing viva preparation: Explain the difference between distance vector and link state routing. Explain why RIP has a maximum of 15 hops. Explain what happens when an OSPF link fails. Explain what administrative distance is used for. Explain what a routing loop is and how it is prevented. ## Commonly Tested Practical Knowledge How would you find the IP address of your computer? How would you test if you can reach a remote server? How would you find out which DNS server your computer is using? How would you check if a specific port is open on a server? How would you find the path packets take to reach a destination? How would you check what network connections are active on your computer? ## Tips for Answering Viva Questions Start with a definition then explain the mechanism then give an example. If you do not know an answer say so honestly and explain what you do know about the related topic. Draw diagrams on paper while explaining if allowed as it shows conceptual understanding. Use correct technical terminology but be able to explain terms if asked. Answer concisely first then add more detail if asked rather than giving everything at once. ## Key Terms to Know Confidently Bandwidth, latency, throughput, jitter, packet loss, MTU, TTL, NAT, ARP, DHCP, DNS, TCP, UDP, ICMP, OSI, encapsulation, routing table, subnet mask, CIDR, VLAN, firewall, VPN, SSL TLS, MAC address, broadcast domain, collision domain.