200-901 Network Fundamentals Practice Question
A developer is troubleshooting an HTTP API call that returns a 404 status code. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
200-901 often tests whether candidates can map HTTP status codes to their correct semantic category, so candidates confuse 404 with 401/403 (auth) or 500 (server error) and pick a plausible-sounding but wrong cause.
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 requested URL endpoint does not exist
HTTP 404 Not Found is a client-side error indicating the server could not find the requested resource at the specified URL. The most likely cause is that the endpoint path is incorrect, misspelled, removed, or not mapped to any route on the server. The server itself is reachable and processed the request, but no matching resource exists, which is precisely what 404 signifies.
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 server is unavailable due to maintenance
Why it's wrong here
A 404 means the server received the request but found no matching resource at that URI; maintenance typically yields 503 Service Unavailable. It is tempting because an unreachable or downed server can surface as a client-side failure, but that scenario produces connection errors or 5xx responses, not 404.
- ✓
The requested URL endpoint does not exist
Why this is correct
HTTP 404 means the server received and understood the request but found no resource matching that URI. The endpoint path is wrong or removed, so the server cannot map it to a handler. This directly satisfies the stem's 404 symptom, unlike authentication or server errors.
- ✗
The server encountered an internal error
Why it's wrong here
A 500-class status signals server-side failure processing a valid request, whereas 404 indicates the requested resource was not found. It is tempting because both are server-generated responses, but internal errors map to 500 Internal Server Error, so this misattributes the cause.
- ✗
The client lacks proper authentication
Why it's wrong here
Missing or invalid credentials produce 401 Unauthorized (or 403 Forbidden when authenticated but not permitted), not 404. It is tempting because authentication failures block access to resources, but the server has already located the endpoint; 404 specifically means the URI or resource does not exist.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official Cisco exam blueprint
This 200-901 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 200-901 exam.