The answer is **show ip nat translations** and **debug ip nat detailed**. The first command displays active NAT entries with port numbers, allowing you to verify whether PAT is correctly allocating unique ports for each session; if translations are missing or ports are exhausted, FTP and SIP will fail. The second command provides real-time, packet-level translation details, revealing how the router handles application-layer protocols like FTP’s active mode or SIP’s control and media streams. On the Cisco CCNP ENARSI 300-410 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between verification commands and configuration-only or summary commands—a common trap is choosing **show ip nat statistics**, which shows counts but not per-flow port mappings, or **show running-config**, which only confirms the NAT configuration exists. Remember the memory tip: “Translations show the map, debug shows the trip”—use **show** to see the current state and **debug** to watch the process in action.
300-410 NAT and PAT Practice Question
This 300-410 practice question tests your understanding of nat and pat. 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.
An engineer is troubleshooting a PAT overload configuration on a Cisco router. Inside hosts can access the Internet, but some applications (e.g., FTP, SIP) fail. Which TWO commands can be used to verify the NAT translations and identify the issue? (Choose TWO.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
'show ip nat translations'
'show ip nat translations' displays active translations including ports, which helps verify if PAT is working and if ports are being allocated. 'debug ip nat' with 'detailed' shows packet-level translation events, useful for seeing if application-layer protocols are being handled correctly. 'show ip nat statistics' shows counts but not per-translation details. 'show ip access-lists' does not show NAT info. 'show running-config | include nat' only shows configuration, not operational state.
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.
✓
'show ip nat translations'
Why this is correct
Correct. This shows the current NAT table, including inside local, inside global, outside local, and outside global addresses and ports.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✓
'debug ip nat detailed'
Why this is correct
Correct. This debug provides detailed information about each packet being translated, including application-layer changes.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
'show ip nat statistics'
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This shows hit counts and configuration summary, not per-translation details needed for application failure analysis.
✗
'show ip access-lists'
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This shows ACL entries and matches, not NAT translations.
✗
'show running-config | include nat'
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. This shows the NAT configuration, not the operational translations or debug output.
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
Command / output trap
Incorrect. This shows hit counts and configuration summary, not per-translation details needed for application failure analysis.
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.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 300-410 question in full detail.
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 300-410 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
NAT and PAT — This question tests NAT and PAT — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 'show ip nat translations' — 'show ip nat translations' displays active translations including ports, which helps verify if PAT is working and if ports are being allocated. 'debug ip nat' with 'detailed' shows packet-level translation events, useful for seeing if application-layer protocols are being handled correctly. 'show ip nat statistics' shows counts but not per-translation details. 'show ip access-lists' does not show NAT info. 'show running-config | include nat' only shows configuration, not operational state.
What should I do if I get this 300-410 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 300-410 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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