CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What are runts in network communications?

1. Frames greater than 1518 bytes

2. Frames less than 64 bytes

3. Frames transmitted successfully

4. Frames with CRC errors

The correct answer is: Frames less than 64 bytes

Runts in network communications refer to frames that are less than the minimum Ethernet frame size of 64 bytes. These small frames can occur due to several reasons, including collisions or faults in the network. If a device transmits a frame that is smaller than the required minimum size, it is typically discarded as it does not meet standards, which can lead to inefficiencies in network performance. The other choices pertain to different aspects of network traffic or error handling. Frames greater than 1518 bytes relate to jumbo frames, which can be valid but are much larger than standard size frames. Successfully transmitted frames do not define runts at all, and frames with CRC (Cyclic Redundancy Check) errors indicate issues with frame integrity rather than frame size. Thus, the definition of runts specifically ties to frames that violate the minimum size requirement, making the measurement of “less than 64 bytes” the most accurate descriptor.