hardMultiple Choice
FC0-U71 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a network where…
A technician is troubleshooting a network where users in one department cannot reach a web server in another subnet. The technician confirms the server is running and the switch ports are up. Which of the following should be checked NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to DNS or firewall issues first, but the scenario explicitly describes a subnet-to-subnet reachability problem, which directly points to Layer 3 routing as the root 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
✓
Router configuration
Since the server is running and switch ports are up, the issue is likely at Layer 3 (network layer). The router is responsible for forwarding traffic between subnets, so a misconfigured router (e.g., missing static route, incorrect ACL, or routing protocol issue) would prevent inter-subnet communication. Checking the router configuration is the logical next step to verify that routing is properly set up for the destination subnet.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DHCP server scope
Why it's wrong here
DHCP scope only affects IP address assignment within a subnet; clients already have addresses and the failure is cross-subnet routing, so scope changes nothing. It tempts because DHCP faults do cause connectivity loss, but only for local address acquisition. The next check is the default gateway or routing between subnets.
- ✗
Firewall rules on the server
Why it's wrong here
Firewall rules on the server filter inbound traffic to that host, yet the stem gives no evidence the server itself blocks anything, and the fault is subnet-to-subnet reachability. It tempts because host firewalls do cause such symptoms. The next check is the routing path or gateway between the subnets.
- ✗
DNS server settings
Why it's wrong here
DNS settings resolve names to addresses; the stem describes reachability between subnets, and DNS failure would not block traffic to a known IP. It tempts because name resolution faults mimic connectivity loss. The next check is routing or the default gateway, since the server is confirmed running.
- ✓
Router configuration
Why this is correct
Inter-subnet traffic must traverse a Layer 3 device, so routing between the two subnets depends on the router's configuration. With the server running and switch ports up, the next logical check is the router's interfaces, routes and ACLs, which govern reachability across subnets.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 FC0-U71 exam.