The correct answer is an internet gateway and a route table entry. To enable IPv6 internet access in a VPC, you must attach an internet gateway to the VPC and add a route in the subnet’s route table with a destination of ::/0 pointing to that internet gateway. Unlike IPv4, where the internet gateway performs one-to-many NAT for private addresses, for IPv6 the internet gateway allows direct bidirectional communication using globally unique addresses, so no NAT is needed—the gateway simply routes traffic to and from the internet. On the AWS Certified Advanced Networking Specialty ANS-C01 exam, this concept tests your understanding of how IPv6 differs from IPv4 in VPC design; a common trap is assuming you need a NAT gateway or egress-only internet gateway for outbound-only traffic, but for full bidirectional IPv6 internet access, a standard internet gateway and a default IPv6 route are the only two required components. Memory tip: think “IGW + ::/0” for full IPv6 internet—no NAT, no egress-only.
ANS-C01 Network Design Practice Question
This ANS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of network design. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is designing a VPC with IPv6. Which components are required to enable IPv6 communication between instances in the VPC and the internet? (Select TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
A route in the subnet route table to ::/0 to the internet gateway
To enable IPv6 communication between instances in a VPC and the internet, you need an internet gateway (IGW) attached to the VPC, and a route in the subnet's route table that directs IPv6 traffic (destination ::/0) to that internet gateway. The IGW performs NAT for IPv6 (using eUI-64 addresses) and allows bidirectional traffic, so both components are required.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
An egress-only internet gateway
Why it's wrong here
Egress-only internet gateway is for outbound-only IPv6 traffic; for inbound, you need an internet gateway.
✓
A route in the subnet route table to ::/0 to the internet gateway
Why this is correct
This route enables IPv6 traffic to and from the internet.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
A VPC peering connection to a VPC with internet access
Why it's wrong here
VPC peering does not provide internet gateway access.
✓
An internet gateway
Why this is correct
An internet gateway enables IPv6 traffic in both directions.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often confuse the egress-only internet gateway (for outbound-only IPv6) with the internet gateway (for bidirectional IPv6), or mistakenly think a NAT Gateway supports IPv6, when in fact NAT Gateways are IPv4-only and IPv6 requires an internet gateway for full internet access.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
IPv6 in AWS uses globally unique addresses, so the internet gateway acts as a simple layer-3 router for IPv6 traffic, forwarding packets without NAT. The route table entry for ::/0 to the internet gateway enables all IPv6 traffic to be routed to the IGW, which then forwards it to the internet. In contrast, an egress-only internet gateway is a stateful device that only allows outbound IPv6 traffic and blocks unsolicited inbound connections, making it unsuitable for bidirectional communication.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A company's IT admin needs to give a contractor read-only access to production logs without sharing account credentials. Using role-based access control (RBAC) and temporary scoped permissions — not a permanent shared password — is the correct pattern. Questions like this test whether you can apply least-privilege access across cloud identity services.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Network Design — This question tests Network Design — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: A route in the subnet route table to ::/0 to the internet gateway — To enable IPv6 communication between instances in a VPC and the internet, you need an internet gateway (IGW) attached to the VPC, and a route in the subnet's route table that directs IPv6 traffic (destination ::/0) to that internet gateway. The IGW performs NAT for IPv6 (using eUI-64 addresses) and allows bidirectional traffic, so both components are required.
What should I do if I get this ANS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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