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CCNA Practice Question: Intermittent connectivity to the corporate web…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. 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.

Exhibit

C:\Users\User>tracert 10.1.1.100
Tracing route to 10.1.1.100 over a maximum of 30 hops
  1   1 ms   1 ms   1 ms  192.168.1.1
  2   *      *      *     Request timed out.
  3   *      *      *     Request timed out.
  4   *      *      *     Request timed out.

C:\Users\User>arp -a
Interface: 192.168.1.50 --- 0x5
  Internet Address      Physical Address      Type
  192.168.1.1           00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5e    dynamic
  192.168.1.100         00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5f    dynamic
  192.168.1.200         00-1a-2b-3c-4d-60    dynamic

C:\Users\User>ipconfig /all
Windows IP Configuration
   Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:
      Connection-specific DNS Suffix  . : example.local
      IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.50
      Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
      Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1
      DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.1.1

A user reports intermittent connectivity to the corporate web server at 10.1.1.100. The user's PC (IP 192.168.1.50/24, gateway 192.168.1.1) can ping the gateway and other local hosts, but pings to the web server time out every few seconds. The network administrator runs a traceroute from the PC and checks the local ARP cache. What is the most likely cause of the intermittent connectivity?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

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

✓

The web server at 10.1.1.100 has a duplicate IP address conflict with another device on the same subnet.

The traceroute shows the first hop (gateway 192.168.1.1) responds, but subsequent hops time out, indicating the gateway is reachable but the path beyond is broken. The ARP cache shows an entry for 192.168.1.100 (the web server) with a MAC address that is likely incorrect—the MAC 00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5f does not match the gateway's MAC (00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5e) and is suspicious because the web server is at 10.1.1.100, not 192.168.1.100. This suggests a duplicate IP address conflict: another device on the local subnet (192.168.1.100) is responding to ARP requests for the web server's IP (10.1.1.100?) or the user's PC has an incorrect ARP entry due to a misconfigured device. The most likely cause is a duplicate IP address where a local host is using the same IP as the web server (10.1.1.100) but on the wrong subnet, causing intermittent ARP resolution issues.

Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    The default gateway 192.168.1.1 is not configured to route traffic to the 10.1.1.0/24 network.

    Why it's wrong here

    The traceroute shows the first hop responds, indicating the gateway is reachable. If the gateway lacked a route, it would likely send an ICMP unreachable message rather than timeouts. The issue is more specific to the ARP confusion.

  • ✓

    The web server at 10.1.1.100 has a duplicate IP address conflict with another device on the same subnet.

    Why this is correct

    The ARP cache shows an entry for 192.168.1.100, which is the web server's IP but on the wrong subnet (should be 10.1.1.x). This indicates that a device on the local subnet (192.168.1.0/24) is using the IP 192.168.1.100, causing the user's PC to associate the web server's IP with a local MAC address. This leads to intermittent connectivity as the PC may send traffic to the wrong device.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

  • ✗

    The user's PC has an incorrect subnet mask configured, preventing communication with the web server.

    Why it's wrong here

    The ipconfig /all output shows the correct subnet mask (255.255.255.0) and gateway (192.168.1.1). The PC can reach the gateway, so the subnet mask is not the issue.

  • ✗

    The web server is powered off or has a faulty network interface card.

    Why it's wrong here

    If the web server were offline, the traceroute would likely show no response from any hop, but the first hop responds. Additionally, the ARP cache shows an entry for 192.168.1.100, indicating that something is responding to ARP requests for that IP, which contradicts a complete hardware failure.

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.

✓The web server at 10.1.1.100 has a duplicate IP address conflict with another device on the same subnet.Correct answer▾

Why this is correct

The ARP cache shows an entry for 192.168.1.100, which is the web server's IP but on the wrong subnet (should be 10.1.1.x). This indicates that a device on the local subnet (192.168.1.0/24) is using the IP 192.168.1.100, causing the user's PC to associate the web server's IP with a local MAC address. This leads to intermittent connectivity as the PC may send traffic to the wrong device.

✗The default gateway 192.168.1.1 is not configured to route traffic to the 10.1.1.0/24 network.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Gateway routing is functional for the first hop; the problem is beyond the gateway.

✗The user's PC has an incorrect subnet mask configured, preventing communication with the web server.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

The subnet mask is correctly configured, as evidenced by successful communication with the gateway.

✗The web server is powered off or has a faulty network interface card.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

The ARP entry suggests a device is responding, so the server is not completely offline.

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?”

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Trap categories for this question

  • Similar concept trap

    The traceroute shows the first hop responds, indicating the gateway is reachable. If the gateway lacked a route, it would likely send an ICMP unreachable message rather than timeouts. The issue is more specific to the ARP confusion.

  • Command / output trap

    The traceroute shows the first hop responds, indicating the gateway is reachable. If the gateway lacked a route, it would likely send an ICMP unreachable message rather than timeouts. The issue is more specific to the ARP confusion.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
  • Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
  • Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
  • The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

  • Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
  • Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
  • Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Key takeaway

Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 200-301 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The web server at 10.1.1.100 has a duplicate IP address conflict with another device on the same subnet. — The traceroute shows the first hop (gateway 192.168.1.1) responds, but subsequent hops time out, indicating the gateway is reachable but the path beyond is broken. The ARP cache shows an entry for 192.168.1.100 (the web server) with a MAC address that is likely incorrect—the MAC 00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5f does not match the gateway's MAC (00-1a-2b-3c-4d-5e) and is suspicious because the web server is at 10.1.1.100, not 192.168.1.100. This suggests a duplicate IP address conflict: another device on the local subnet (192.168.1.100) is responding to ARP requests for the web server's IP (10.1.1.100?) or the user's PC has an incorrect ARP entry due to a misconfigured device. The most likely cause is a duplicate IP address where a local host is using the same IP as the web server (10.1.1.100) but on the wrong subnet, causing intermittent ARP resolution issues.

What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 200-301 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

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