XK0-006 Troubleshooting Practice Question
A server is experiencing intermittent network connectivity issues. The administrator wants to run a continuous test that combines ping and traceroute to monitor the path and packet loss to a target host. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
XK0-006 often tests the confusion between one-time diagnostic tools like traceroute and continuous monitoring tools like mtr, or the misconception that ping -f provides path analysis.
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
✓
mtr target
The mtr command combines the functionality of ping and traceroute by continuously sending packets to a target and displaying per-hop latency and packet loss, making it ideal for monitoring intermittent network issues over time.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
mtr target
Why this is correct
`mtr target` continuously combines ping and traceroute, refreshing hop-by-hop latency and packet-loss statistics in real time. This satisfies the stem's requirement for an ongoing test monitoring both path and loss, unlike one-shot `traceroute` or plain `ping`, which cannot show per-hop loss across the route simultaneously.
- ✗
tcpdump -i any host target
Why it's wrong here
tcpdump captures raw packets on an interface and prints headers; it neither sends probes nor reports per-hop latency or loss percentages. It is tempting because it monitors live traffic to a host, and it would be correct for deep packet inspection of the actual conversations rather than path statistics.
- ✗
ping -f target
Why it's wrong here
ping -f floods packets as fast as the interface allows, reporting only destination reachability and round-trip loss, with no per-hop path data. It is tempting because it is continuous and loss-focused, and it would be correct for stress-testing throughput or detecting packet loss under load.
- ✗
traceroute -n target
Why it's wrong here
traceroute -n maps the hop-by-hop path once per invocation and suppresses reverse DNS; it does not run continuously or aggregate packet-loss statistics over time. It is tempting because it reveals the network path, and it would be correct for a one-off diagnosis of where along the route latency begins.
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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 CompTIA exam blueprint
This XK0-006 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 XK0-006 exam.