Subnetting - Phone Screen

Brain_PowerBrain_Power Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 163
I just had a phone screen for a network engineer position.

Here was 2 of the questions:

How many host addresses are available in 10.15.1.255 with a subnet of 255.0.0.0

What is the broadcast address for 10.1.0.0 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0


Post your answers please, so we can discuss.

Comments

  • MAC_AddyMAC_Addy Member Posts: 1,740 ■■■■□□□□□□
    Easy, 16 million hosts on that subnet.

    Broadcast, 10.1.0.255.
    2017 Certification Goals:
    CCNP R/S
  • johnifanx98johnifanx98 Member Posts: 329
    I just had a phone screen for a network engineer position.

    Here was 2 of the questions:

    How many host addresses are available in 10.15.1.255 with a subnet of 255.0.0.0

    What is the broadcast address for 10.1.0.0 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0


    Post your answers please, so we can discuss.

    hey, buddy, when did you get your CCNA certified? :p

    BTW, the first question looks odd. 10.15.1.255 is not a network address...
  • oli356oli356 Member Posts: 364
    It is an address with that subnet mask though.

    10.0.0.1 - 10.255.255.254 is the host range.
    Lab:
    Combination of GNS3 and Cisco equipment if required.
  • Brain_PowerBrain_Power Users Awaiting Email Confirmation Posts: 163
    hey, buddy, when did you get your CCNA certified? :p

    Did I give a wrong answer? NO Did I say that I could not answer these questions? NO

    Where is your CCNA? exactly...go back to your developer forums...bro no need for smart ass comments here!

    However, looks like you failed to provide a quality answer!
  • RouteMyPacketRouteMyPacket Member Posts: 1,104
    I just had a phone screen for a network engineer position.

    Here was 2 of the questions:

    How many host addresses are available in 10.15.1.255 with a subnet of 255.0.0.0

    What is the broadcast address for 10.1.0.0 with a subnet of 255.255.255.0


    Post your answers please, so we can discuss.


    Even asking such a question IMO is ridiculous. I immediately knew the answer to the second question, but the first I would of had no clue off the top of my head. In the real world, just use an IP Calc

    How did you answer if you don't mind me asking? I'd have simply stated "Ok, second question..that's a /24..broadcast will be 10.1.0.255...now as to the first question..I don't know off the top of my head, a ton" then laughed.

    They must have asked such a question just to guage your response, I generally ask certain questions when hiring simply to hear the reaction and response, I assume this to be the same.
    Modularity and Design Simplicity:

    Think of the 2:00 a.m. test—if you were awakened in the
    middle of the night because of a network problem and had to figure out the
    traffic flows in your network while you were half asleep, could you do it?
  • mikeybikesmikeybikes Member Posts: 86 ■■□□□□□□□□
    I would have replied:

    2^24-2

    10.1.0.255
  • 4_lom4_lom Member Posts: 485
    Did I give a wrong answer? NO Did I say that I could not answer these questions? NO

    Where is your CCNA? exactly...go back to your developer forums...bro no need for smart ass comments here!

    However, looks like you failed to provide a quality answer!


    He has a valid point Brain_Power.... While his execution of it may have been a bit "jerkish", it is expected that anyone with a CCNA would be able to figure out those questions. No offence, of course.
    Goals for 2018: MCSA: Cloud Platform, AWS Solutions Architect, MCSA : Server 2016, MCSE: Messaging

  • Prasad SatavPrasad Satav Member Posts: 42 ■■□□□□□□□□
    mikeybikes wrote: »
    I would have replied:

    2^24-2

    10.1.0.255

    Thats the way to go about it..!! Smart :)
  • NetworkVeteranNetworkVeteran Member Posts: 2,338 ■■■■■■■■□□
    Even asking such a question IMO is ridiculous.
    I like these questions. Some room for errors and for determining if a candidate is strong, okay, or clueless in the realm of subnetting.
    I don't know off the top of my head, a ton" then laughed.
    I would personally characterize that as "okay" and 16 million or (2^24)-2 as "strong".
    In the real world, just use an IP Calc
    In the real world, someone who relies on an IP Calculator to answer such questions will be either slower or more error-prone than a stronger engineer. What do you do when you can't connect to the Internet, or you have a customer in front of you? Interestingly, I remember this same debate in the school system. "Why do kids need to learn multiplication when there are calculators?"
  • MAC_AddyMAC_Addy Member Posts: 1,740 ■■■■□□□□□□
    BTW, the first question looks odd. 10.15.1.255 is not a network address...
    Yes it is. With a /8 you can you can have that as a valid host address.
    2017 Certification Goals:
    CCNP R/S
  • oli356oli356 Member Posts: 364
    Did I give a wrong answer? NO Did I say that I could not answer these questions? NO

    Where is your CCNA? exactly...go back to your developer forums...bro no need for smart ass comments here!

    However, looks like you failed to provide a quality answer!
    Calm down..
    The "Post your answers please, so we can discuss." in my opinion made me think you didn't know. You can't discuss this as there is only 1 correct answer for each question.
    Lab:
    Combination of GNS3 and Cisco equipment if required.
  • johnifanx98johnifanx98 Member Posts: 329
    Did I give a wrong answer? NO Did I say that I could not answer these questions? NO

    Where is your CCNA? exactly...go back to your developer forums...bro no need for smart ass comments here!

    However, looks like you failed to provide a quality answer!

    Brain power, I have no intent to offend at all. I'm just joining the discussion and add some color in my way...
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