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Question 382 of 1,389
Network Services and SecuritymediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

CCNA Network Services and Security Practice Question

Exhibit

R1(config)# access-list 1 permit 192.168.10.0 0.0.0.255
R1(config)# ip nat inside source list 1 interface g0/1 overload

R1# show ip nat translations
Pro  Inside global      Inside local       Outside local      Outside global
udp  203.0.113.10:1054  192.168.10.25:1054 8.8.8.8:53         8.8.8.8:53

A router is configured for PAT overload. What does the inside global address represent for an internal PC?

⚠ Common exam trap

A frequent exam trap is mistaking the inside global address for the inside local address. Candidates often confuse the private IP assigned to the internal PC (inside local) with the public IP address used externally (inside global). Another pitfall is mixing up inside global with outside local or outside global addresses, which relate to remote hosts rather than internal devices. This confusion can lead to incorrect NAT configuration interpretations or troubleshooting errors. Remember, the inside global address is the public IP visible to external networks representing the internal PC, not the private IP assigned inside the LAN.

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 public address that represents the internal PC to external networks

With NAT overload, the inside local address is the private address on the internal host. The inside global is the translated public address that represents that inside host to the outside network.

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 private IP address assigned to the internal PC

    Why it's wrong here

    The private IP address on the internal PC is the inside local address, which is the source address before translation. In PAT overload, that private address and a port number are the pre-translation identifiers that the router maps to the shared public inside global address. Therefore, the private IP itself is not what the inside global field represents—it is the original local identity, not the globally reachable one.

    When this WOULD be correct

    If the question asked 'What does the inside local address represent for an internal PC?', then option A would be correct, as inside local is the private IP assigned to the host.

  • The public address that represents the internal PC to external networks

    Why this is correct

    In PAT overload, the inside global address is the public IPv4 address, often shared by many internal hosts, that appears as the source address in packets sent to external networks. The router rewrites each internal host's private source IP and port into this public address plus a unique port number, so external servers reply to the translated public address. This correctly describes what that field represents.

  • The remote server address as seen from the inside host

    Why it's wrong here

    The remote server's address as seen from the inside host is an outside address, typically the outside global address, because it belongs to the destination device on the external network. The inside global address specifically denotes the translated source address of the internal host as seen by that external server. Confusing the two reverses the translation direction and misidentifies the local host's public identity.

    When this WOULD be correct

    If the question were 'What does the inside local address represent for an internal PC during PAT?', then the correct answer would be the private IP address of the internal PC. Alternatively, if the question asked about the destination address in a packet from the inside host to a remote server, option C could be correct.

  • The MAC address of the outside interface

    Why it's wrong here

    NAT/PAT operates at Layer 3 and Layer 4, translating IP addresses and, with PAT, TCP/UDP port numbers; it does not track or replace MAC addresses. The inside global entry in a NAT translation table is an IPv4 address assigned by the router or ISP, not a Layer 2 MAC address. MAC addresses are confined to the local Ethernet segment and never appear in the translation table for the inside global.

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 public address that represents the internal PC to external networksCorrect answer

Why this is correct

In PAT overload, the inside global address is the public IPv4 address, often shared by many internal hosts, that appears as the source address in packets sent to external networks. The router rewrites each internal host's private source IP and port into this public address plus a unique port number, so external servers reply to the translated public address. This correctly describes what that field represents.

The private IP address assigned to the internal PCWrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

Inside global address is the public IP address assigned by NAT to represent internal hosts externally, not the private IP of the PC.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

If the question asked 'What does the inside local address represent for an internal PC?', then option A would be correct, as inside local is the private IP assigned to the host.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates often confuse 'inside global' with 'inside local' because both terms involve the internal host, leading them to mistakenly think the global address is the PC's own private IP.

The remote server address as seen from the inside hostWrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

The inside global address is the public IP assigned to the internal PC after NAT, not the remote server address. Option C describes the remote server's address as seen from the inside host, which is unrelated to the inside global address.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

If the question were 'What does the inside local address represent for an internal PC during PAT?', then the correct answer would be the private IP address of the internal PC. Alternatively, if the question asked about the destination address in a packet from the inside host to a remote server, option C could be correct.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse the inside global address (the translated source address) with the destination address of the remote server, especially when thinking about how packets are seen from the inside host's perspective.

The MAC address of the outside interfaceWrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

NAT operates at Layer 3 (IP) and does not use MAC addresses for translation. The inside global address is an IP address, not a MAC address. MAC addresses are used for local network segments, not for NAT translations.

Why candidates choose this

Students might associate 'address' with MAC addresses due to familiarity with MAC addressing in Ethernet, but NAT specifically deals with IP addresses.

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?”

Visual reference

Inside (Private) PC-A 10.0.0.1 PC-B 10.0.0.2 NAT Router Outside (Public) 203.0.113.1 Inside Global Server PAT: many private IPs share one public IP via unique port numbers

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Last reviewed: May 17, 2026

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