mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
200-901 Practice Question: That they can ping the IP address of the default…
A user reports that they can ping the IP address of the default gateway but cannot ping a server on a different subnet. The administrator checks the ARP table on the user's PC and sees an incomplete entry for the server's IP. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between Layer 2 (ARP) and Layer 3 (routing) failures, and the trap here is that candidates assume a firewall or STP is blocking traffic, when the real issue is the PC's lack of a default gateway preventing it from even attempting to reach the remote subnet via ARP for the router.
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 PC is not configured with a default gateway.
The user can ping the default gateway, confirming that the PC has local connectivity and a correctly configured IP address and subnet mask. However, the incomplete ARP entry for the server's IP indicates that the PC cannot resolve the server's MAC address, which is required to send frames to a different subnet. Without a default gateway configured, the PC will not send ARP requests for remote hosts to the router; instead, it will attempt to ARP for the server directly, which fails because the server is on a different broadcast domain.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
There is an IP address conflict on the network.
Why it's wrong here
IP conflict would cause intermittent issues.
- ✗
Spanning Tree Protocol is blocking the port on the switch.
Why it's wrong here
STP blocks traffic, but ARP would still be sent.
- ✓
The PC is not configured with a default gateway.
Why this is correct
Without a default gateway, the PC tries to ARP for the server directly.
- ✗
A firewall is blocking ICMP packets between subnets.
Why it's wrong here
Firewall blocks ICMP, not ARP.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 989 original 200-901 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.