CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
Which TWO commands would a network engineer use to verify that a Windows client has received an IP address from a DHCP server and can resolve a domain name to an IP address?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between connectivity verification (ping) and configuration verification (ipconfig /all, nslookup), leading candidates to mistakenly select ping or tracert as tools for confirming DHCP and DNS functionality.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
ipconfig /all
`ipconfig /all` displays the full TCP/IP configuration for all adapters, including whether the IP address was obtained from a DHCP server (the DHCP Enabled and DHCP Server fields). Option D is correct because `nslookup www.courseiva.com` queries the configured DNS server to resolve the domain name to an IP address, confirming DNS resolution works.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ping 8.8.8.8
Why it's wrong here
ping 8.8.8.8 sends ICMP echo requests to a public IP address, which only verifies that the device has IP connectivity to the internet and that an intermediate router is forwarding packets. It does not reveal any information about the DHCP server, the lease duration, the DNS server assignments, or the adapter's IP configuration. Passing this test could occur even if DHCP had already assigned a valid address, so it cannot confirm whether DHCP is functioning at that moment.
- ✓
ipconfig /all
Why this is correct
ipconfig /all is the correct command because it displays the full TCP/IP configuration for every network adapter on the system. It explicitly shows whether DHCP is enabled, the DHCP server address, the lease obtained and lease expiration times, and the IP address currently assigned by DHCP, which directly confirms that the DHCP process has completed successfully. It also lists the configured DNS servers and other vital Layer 3 details, making it the definitive tool for diagnosing IP addressing issues in a DHCP environment.
- ✗
tracert www.courseiva.com
Why it's wrong here
tracert www.courseiva.com traces the route that packets take from the source to the destination by sending ICMP echo requests with increasing Time-to-Live (TTL) values and recording the path of routers. While it may resolve the hostname to an IP address as part of its operation, its core purpose is to measure and display network path and hop latency, not to query or verify DHCP or DNS configuration. It gives no information about the local DHCP server, lease state, or the DNS resolver settings, so it cannot be used to confirm DHCP operation.
- ✓
nslookup www.courseiva.com
Why this is correct
nslookup www.courseiva.com is a correct command for verifying DNS functionality because it explicitly issues a DNS query to the system's configured DNS resolver and returns the resolved IP address for the given hostname. A successful reply proves that the DNS server is reachable, that the resolver is working, and that the name-to-address mapping exists. It is, however, specific to DNS validation and says nothing about DHCP, IP lease state, or whether the IP address was obtained dynamically or statically.
- ✗
arp -a
Why it's wrong here
arp -a displays the Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache, which contains mappings of IP addresses to physical MAC addresses for hosts that have been recently communicated with on the local network segment. This command is useful for troubleshooting Layer 2 communication and duplicate IP addresses, but it holds no DHCP lease information and does not query any DNS servers. The ARP cache is built from observed traffic, not from DHCP or DNS configuration files, so it cannot confirm whether DHCP or DNS services are functioning correctly.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓ipconfig /allCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
ipconfig /all is the correct command because it displays the full TCP/IP configuration for every network adapter on the system. It explicitly shows whether DHCP is enabled, the DHCP server address, the lease obtained and lease expiration times, and the IP address currently assigned by DHCP, which directly confirms that the DHCP process has completed successfully. It also lists the configured DNS servers and other vital Layer 3 details, making it the definitive tool for diagnosing IP addressing issues in a DHCP environment.
✗ping 8.8.8.8Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
It checks network reachability, not DHCP or DNS.
✗tracert www.courseiva.comWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
It shows the path taken, not DHCP or DNS status.
✗arp -aWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
It shows Layer 2 address mappings, not DHCP or DNS.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 200-301 question from scratch — 1,389 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco 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 200-301 exam.