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CCNA Practice Question: A network administrator configured dynamic NAT on…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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

R1# show ip nat translations
Pro Inside global      Inside local       Outside local      Outside global
--- 192.0.2.10         10.0.0.10          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.11         10.0.0.11          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.12         10.0.0.12          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.13         10.0.0.13          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.14         10.0.0.14          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.15         10.0.0.15          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.16         10.0.0.16          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.17         10.0.0.17          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.18         10.0.0.18          ---                ---
--- 192.0.2.19         10.0.0.19          ---                ---

R1# show running-config | include ip nat
ip nat pool MYPOOL 192.0.2.10 192.0.2.19 netmask 255.255.255.240
ip nat inside source list 1 pool MYPOOL

A network administrator configured dynamic NAT on a Cisco router to allow internal hosts to access the internet. After the configuration, users report that they can access some websites but not others. The administrator checks the NAT translations and notices that many translations are incomplete. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

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 NAT pool is exhausted; configure PAT to allow multiple hosts to share a single public IP.

The output shows that the NAT pool has only 10 addresses (192.0.2.10-192.0.2.19) but there are many more internal hosts trying to access the internet. When the pool is exhausted, new translation requests fail, resulting in incomplete translations and connectivity issues. The correct solution is to implement PAT (Port Address Translation) so that multiple internal hosts can share a single public IP address. Option A is incorrect because the translations are present but incomplete due to pool exhaustion. Option C is incorrect because NAT works for some hosts initially. Option D is incorrect because the NAT configuration is correct, but the pool size is insufficient.

Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.

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 inside local addresses are not properly defined in the access list.

    Why it's wrong here

    The access list is not shown, but the translations are present, indicating that the access list is matching the correct internal hosts.

  • ✓

    The NAT pool is exhausted; configure PAT to allow multiple hosts to share a single public IP.

    Why this is correct

    The pool has only 10 addresses, and once all are used, new translations fail. PAT allows many internal hosts to share a single public IP by using unique port numbers.

    Clue confirmation

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

    Related concept

    Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

  • ✗

    The outside interface is not configured with the ip nat outside command.

    Why it's wrong here

    If the outside interface were missing this command, no translations would be created at all, but translations are present.

  • ✗

    The inside interface is not configured with the ip nat inside command.

    Why it's wrong here

    Similar to option C, translations are present, indicating that the inside interface is correctly configured.

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 NAT pool is exhausted; configure PAT to allow multiple hosts to share a single public IP.Correct answer▾

Why this is correct

The pool has only 10 addresses, and once all are used, new translations fail. PAT allows many internal hosts to share a single public IP by using unique port numbers.

✗The inside local addresses are not properly defined in the access list.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

This would prevent translations from being created at all, but the exhibit shows translations exist.

✗The outside interface is not configured with the ip nat outside command.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Translations are being created, so the outside interface must have the ip nat outside command.

✗The inside interface is not configured with the ip nat inside command.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Translations are being created, so the inside interface must have the ip nat inside command.

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: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic

NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.

Trap categories for this question

  • Similar concept trap

    Similar to option C, translations are present, indicating that the inside interface is correctly configured.

  • Command / output trap

    The access list is not shown, but the translations are present, indicating that the access list is matching the correct internal hosts.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
  • PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
  • Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
  • NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.

TExam Day Tips

  • Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
  • Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
  • Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.

Key takeaway

NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.

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 the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 200-301 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The NAT pool is exhausted; configure PAT to allow multiple hosts to share a single public IP. — The output shows that the NAT pool has only 10 addresses (192.0.2.10-192.0.2.19) but there are many more internal hosts trying to access the internet. When the pool is exhausted, new translation requests fail, resulting in incomplete translations and connectivity issues. The correct solution is to implement PAT (Port Address Translation) so that multiple internal hosts can share a single public IP address. Option A is incorrect because the translations are present but incomplete due to pool exhaustion. Option C is incorrect because NAT works for some hosts initially. Option D is incorrect because the NAT configuration is correct, but the pool size is insufficient.

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

Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 200-301 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.

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?

Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.

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