Match each command to its purpose in Windows.
Drag a concept onto its matching description — or click a concept then click the description.
Displays IP configuration and network adapter info
Tests connectivity to another host by sending ICMP packets
Shows the route taken to a destination and latency per hop
Queries DNS to resolve domain names to IP addresses
Shows active network connections and listening ports
Answer choices
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
ipconfig: Displays IP configuration and network adapter settings.
Common Windows network commands: ipconfig shows adapter settings, ping tests reachability, tracert traces the route, and netstat displays active connections. Be careful not to mix their purposes.
Answer analysis
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
ipconfig: Displays IP configuration and network adapter settings.
Why this is correct
In Windows, ipconfig (Internet Protocol Configuration) is the command-line utility for querying the TCP/IP configuration on the local host. It displays the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, subnet masks, and default gateway for each adapter, and with the /all switch it also reveals DHCP lease info, DNS servers, and MAC addresses. It does not send packets to remote hosts; it only reads local adapter settings from the registry.
ipconfig: Tests connectivity to a remote host and measures round-trip time.
Why it's wrong here
This statement incorrectly assigns the behavior of ping to ipconfig. ipconfig has no mechanism for generating traffic toward a remote endpoint; its sole purpose is to display and occasionally modify the local network interface configuration, such as with /renew or /release. Round-trip time measurement is performed by ping, which sends ICMP echo requests and calculates the delay in the replies.
ping: Tests connectivity to a remote host and measures round-trip time.
Why this is correct
The ping utility operates at the network layer by sending ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) Echo Request packets to a specified target and waiting for Echo Reply messages. A successful response confirms basic IP-level reachability and provides round-trip time in milliseconds, along with packet loss statistics, but it does not reveal the path taken. It is the first-line tool for verifying whether a host is alive before escalating to other diagnostics.
ping: Traces the route packets take to a destination, showing each hop.
Why it's wrong here
This definition confuses ping with tracert. ping only exchanges Echo Request and Echo Reply packets directly with the destination; it never reports on intermediate routers. tracert (short for traceroute) discovers each hop by sending packets with incrementing Time-to-Live (TTL) values and inspecting the ICMP Time Exceeded messages returned by routers along the path. The key distinction is that ping measures end-to-end latency, whereas tracert enumerates the route.
tracert: Traces the route packets take to a destination, showing each hop.
Why this is correct
In Windows, tracert maps the network path to a destination by sending ICMP Echo Requests with progressively incremented TTL fields. As each router along the route decrements the TTL, it drops the packet and returns an ICMP Time Exceeded message, revealing that router's IP address and allowing three probe measurements per hop. The command outputs a hop-by-hop list, so you can pinpoint where connectivity fails or where latency spikes occur.
netstat: Displays active network connections and listening ports.
Why this is correct
netstat (short for 'network statistics') reports on active network sessions by listing TCP and UDP endpoints, including local and remote IP addresses and ports, connection state (e.g., LISTENING, ESTABLISHED), and with the -o flag, the owning process ID. It is invaluable for security and troubleshooting, as it reveals what ports on your machine are open for incoming connections and which processes are communicating externally. Unlike ping or tracert, it examines the current state of the network stack rather than sending test traffic.
Go deeper
Learn chapter
Active Listening Skills
Key term
ICMP
ICMP is a network-layer protocol used by network devices to send error messages and operational information about network connectivity.
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1102 exam.