Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

Which command is used to verify whether a router is a DCE or DTE end of a connection?

1. show interfaces

2. show controllers

3. show ip route

4. show running-config

The correct answer is: show controllers

The command that is used to verify whether a router is a Data Circuit-terminating Equipment (DCE) or Data Terminal Equipment (DTE) end of a connection is indeed the one that provides detailed information about the interfaces and connections on the router. When you use this command, it displays the interface information along with the type of connection, which indicates whether the router is acting as a DCE or DTE. For instance, in a serial interface setup, the DCE device typically provides the clock signal for the connection, while the DTE device does not. The output from this command shows the physical characteristics of the cable and the connection, allowing you to identify which device is which in terms of roles. Other commands do not focus specifically on the roles of the devices at the connection level. For example, commands that show interfaces or routing information do not provide the specific data regarding DCE or DTE designation. The running configuration command displays the current configuration of the device but does not provide specifics about the physical characteristics or roles of the connections.