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CCNA Practice Question: A network administrator is troubleshooting an…

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

C:\Users\admin> nslookup www.example.com
Server:  dns.example.com
Address:  192.0.2.5

Name:    www.example.com
Address:  198.51.100.1

C:\Users\admin> ping 198.51.100.1
Pinging 198.51.100.1 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.0.2.10: Destination host unreachable.

C:\Users\admin> ping 192.0.2.10
Pinging 192.0.2.10 with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 192.0.2.10: bytes=32 time<1ms TTL=128

A network administrator is troubleshooting an issue where internal hosts can ping the company's web server by IP address (192.0.2.10) but cannot access it using the fully qualified domain name www.example.com. The DNS server (192.0.2.5) is reachable and responds to queries. The administrator runs nslookup from a host and receives a response. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the problem?

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 DNS A record for www.example.com is incorrect; update it to point to 192.0.2.10.

The nslookup output shows that the DNS server is returning an IP address of 198.51.100.1 for www.example.com, while the actual web server is at 192.0.2.10. The host can ping 192.0.2.10 successfully but cannot reach 198.51.100.1, indicating that the DNS record is incorrect. The correct action is to update the A record for www.example.com to point to 192.0.2.10. The other options are wrong because the DNS server is reachable, the host has connectivity to the correct IP, and there is no evidence of a firewall or routing issue.

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.

  • ✗

    The host's DNS cache is corrupted; flush it using ipconfig /flushdns.

    Why it's wrong here

    Flushing DNS cache clears local entries, but the nslookup response shows the DNS server itself is returning the wrong address, not the local cache.

  • ✓

    The DNS A record for www.example.com is incorrect; update it to point to 192.0.2.10.

    Why this is correct

    The nslookup shows the DNS server returns 198.51.100.1, but the actual server is at 192.0.2.10. Correcting the A record resolves the mismatch.

    Clue confirmation

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

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • ✗

    The web server's firewall is blocking traffic from the host; add an allow rule.

    Why it's wrong here

    The host can ping 192.0.2.10 successfully, indicating no firewall blocking ICMP. The issue is name resolution, not firewall rules.

  • ✗

    The DNS server is not authoritative for the example.com zone; delegate the zone to a different server.

    Why it's wrong here

    The nslookup response includes the server name dns.example.com, confirming it is authoritative for the zone. Delegation is not needed.

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 DNS A record for www.example.com is incorrect; update it to point to 192.0.2.10.Correct answer▾

Why this is correct

The nslookup shows the DNS server returns 198.51.100.1, but the actual server is at 192.0.2.10. Correcting the A record resolves the mismatch.

✗The host's DNS cache is corrupted; flush it using ipconfig /flushdns.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

The DNS server is authoritative and returning an incorrect record; clearing the cache will not fix the server's misconfiguration.

✗The web server's firewall is blocking traffic from the host; add an allow rule.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

The connectivity test shows the server is reachable at its real IP, so a firewall is not the cause.

✗The DNS server is not authoritative for the example.com zone; delegate the zone to a different server.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

The DNS server responds with an answer for www.example.com, so it is authoritative; the issue is the content of the record, not the delegation.

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: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Trap categories for this question

  • Command / output trap

    Flushing DNS cache clears local entries, but the nslookup response shows the DNS server itself is returning the wrong address, not the local cache.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • 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 practitioner preparing for the 200-301 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The DNS A record for www.example.com is incorrect; update it to point to 192.0.2.10. — The nslookup output shows that the DNS server is returning an IP address of 198.51.100.1 for www.example.com, while the actual web server is at 192.0.2.10. The host can ping 192.0.2.10 successfully but cannot reach 198.51.100.1, indicating that the DNS record is incorrect. The correct action is to update the A record for www.example.com to point to 192.0.2.10. The other options are wrong because the DNS server is reachable, the host has connectivity to the correct IP, and there is no evidence of a firewall or routing issue.

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

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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