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A network switch is experiencing a high number of collisions on a specific port. The connected device is configured for half-duplex. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

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A network switch is experiencing a high number of collisions on a specific port. The connected device is configured for half-duplex. Which of the following is the most likely cause?

Answer choices

Why each option matters

Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.

A

Best answer

The switch port is configured for full-duplex

A duplex mismatch (switch full-duplex, device half-duplex) causes excessive collisions because the full-duplex switch transmits without checking for carrier sense, colliding with the half-duplex device's transmissions.

B

Distractor review

The cable length exceeds 100 meters

Excessive cable length can cause signal degradation and late collisions, but the primary symptom is usually late collisions, not a general high collision count, and the scenario does not mention cable length.

C

Distractor review

The device is using an incorrect VLAN

Incorrect VLAN assignment would cause connectivity issues but not increase collisions. Collisions are layer 1/2 issues related to timing, not VLAN membership.

D

Distractor review

The switch port is configured for 1000BASE-T but the device only supports 100BASE-TX

Speed mismatch would cause the link to negotiate down or fail, but not typically result in a high collision count. Most modern switches auto-negotiate speed and duplex, and mismatches usually prevent link from coming up.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need

A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
  • Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
  • Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
  • Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.

TExam Day Tips

  • Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
  • Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
  • Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.

Related practice questions

Related N10-009 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

More questions from this exam

Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.

Question 1

A network engineer needs to connect two switches located 400 meters apart. The cable run includes high electromagnetic interference from nearby machinery. The engineer decides to use fiber optic cabling. Which transceiver type and fiber combination should be used to ensure the link reaches 400 meters while remaining cost-effective?

Question 2

A network engineer is designing a new switched network and needs to ensure that broadcast traffic from one department does not reach another department's workstations. The engineer plans to use VLANs. Which of the following must be configured on the switches to isolate broadcast domains as intended?

Question 3

A security engineer is configuring a site-to-site VPN between two branch offices. The requirement is to encrypt all traffic between the two networks using IPsec. Which IPsec mode should be used to encrypt the entire IP packet including the original header?

Question 4

A network administrator is connecting two switches to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy. Which technology should be used to combine multiple physical links into a single logical link?

Question 5

A network administrator is experiencing issues where unauthorized devices are offering IP addresses to clients, causing connectivity problems. Which security feature should be enabled on switches to prevent this?

Question 6

A network administrator is troubleshooting a connectivity issue and suspects the problem is related to the physical cabling. At which layer of the OSI model should the administrator begin their investigation?

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this N10-009 question test?

Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The switch port is configured for full-duplex — Collisions occur in half-duplex Ethernet when two devices transmit simultaneously. A duplex mismatch happens when one end is set to full-duplex and the other to half-duplex, causing the full-duplex device to not wait for silence before transmitting, leading to collisions on the half-duplex side. This is a common cause of high collision counts.

What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?

Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.

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