The answer is a routing problem between the gateway and the server. This is correct because the traceroute successfully reached the first hop—the local gateway at 172.16.50.1—but the second hop timed out, indicating that the packet left the user’s subnet but failed to reach the next router along the path to 172.16.50.100. Since the user’s IP and the server share the same /24 subnet, the gateway should have forwarded the traffic to an internal router; a timeout at that second hop points to a misconfigured router, a firewall blocking ICMP, or a routing table error beyond the local network. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret traceroute output and isolate where a path breaks—a common trap is assuming a timeout means the destination is down, when it actually reveals a failed intermediate hop. Remember the memory tip: “First hop works, second hop jerks” means the issue is between the gateway and the next router, not the endpoint itself.
220-1201 IP Addressing Practice Question
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of ip addressing. 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.
A technician is troubleshooting a user's inability to reach a server at 172.16.50.100. The user's IP is 172.16.50.50 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. The technician runs a traceroute and sees the first hop is the gateway (172.16.50.1), but the second hop times out. What does this indicate?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server.
The user can reach the local gateway, but the next hop (likely a router) is not responding. This suggests a routing issue beyond the local network, such as a misconfigured router or firewall blocking ICMP. This tests understanding of traceroute and routing path analysis.
Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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 user's IP address is in the wrong subnet.
Why it's wrong here
The user's IP 172.16.50.50 with mask 255.255.255.0 is on the same subnet as the gateway, so that is correct.
✗
The server is powered off.
Why it's wrong here
If the server were off, the traceroute would likely fail at the first hop or show no response, but here the first hop succeeds.
✓
There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server.
Why this is correct
The traceroute shows the user can reach the gateway, but the next hop fails, indicating a routing issue in the path to the server.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
The user's default gateway is 172.16.50.1, and the traceroute shows it as the first hop, so it is correct.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses
Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
If the server were off, the traceroute would likely fail at the first hop or show no response, but here the first hop succeeds.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.
KKey Concepts to Remember
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.
TExam Day Tips
→Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
→Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
→Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.
Key takeaway
Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.
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 220-1201 question in full detail.
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 220-1201 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
IP Addressing — This question tests IP Addressing — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server. — The user can reach the local gateway, but the next hop (likely a router) is not responding. This suggests a routing issue beyond the local network, such as a misconfigured router or firewall blocking ICMP. This tests understanding of traceroute and routing path analysis.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 220-1201 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
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