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XK0-006 Practice Question: A user runs the ping command and receives the…
Exhibit
Refer to the exhibit. $ ping -c 2 8.8.8.8 PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data. From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=1 Time to live exceeded From 192.168.1.1 icmp_seq=2 Time to live exceeded --- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics --- 2 packets transmitted, 0 received, +2 errors, 100% packet loss
A user runs the ping command and receives the output shown in the exhibit. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates assume 'Request timed out' always means the destination is down, but on Linux the TTL may be set too low (default 64), and if the path requires more hops, the packet is silently discarded without any ICMP error reaching the source.
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 TTL value in the ping packet is too low.
The output shows 'Request timed out' or similar, which can occur when the TTL (Time to Live) value in the ping packet expires before reaching the destination. A TTL that is too low causes routers to decrement the value to zero and drop the packet, sending an ICMP Time Exceeded message back to the sender, but if the sender does not receive a reply, it indicates the packet never reached the destination. This is the most likely cause because the ping command uses a default TTL (e.g., 128 on Windows, 64 on Linux), and if the path requires more hops, the packet is silently discarded.
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 destination host is down.
Why it's wrong here
A down host would give no response or 'Destination Host Unreachable'.
- ✗
The local system does not have a default gateway configured.
Why it's wrong here
If no default gateway, the system would not send packets at all.
- ✗
There is a routing loop causing packets to be dropped.
Why it's wrong here
A routing loop would show increasing TTL and eventually be dropped, but the message would be different.
- ✓
The TTL value in the ping packet is too low.
Why this is correct
TTL exceeded indicates the packet's TTL reached zero before reaching the destination.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Linux Fundamentals and History
Key term
Windows
Windows is a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft that manages computer hardware and software, providing a graphical user interface for users to interact with their devices.
Key term
Linux
Linux is an open-source operating system that manages computer hardware and software, widely used in servers, desktops, and embedded systems.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.