Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A network technician is troubleshooting a workstation that is experiencing intermittent connectivity and slow file transfers. The technician has confirmed that the patch cable passes a cable tester, the switch port is not error-disabled, and the workstation's NIC is configured for autonegotiation. The switch port is also set to autonegotiate. Which of the following should the technician check next?
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
Distractor review
The route table on the default gateway
Routing issues typically affect connectivity between subnets, not local intermittent performance. The workstation can still communicate locally, so routing is likely not the cause.
B
Best answer
The duplex and speed settings on both ends
Autonegotiation can fail, resulting in a duplex mismatch where one side runs at half-duplex and the other at full-duplex. This causes collisions and retransmissions, leading to intermittent connectivity and slow transfers.
C
Distractor review
The DNS server configuration
DNS issues would cause name resolution failures, not intermittent connectivity or slow file transfers. File transfers use IP addresses after initial resolution.
D
Distractor review
The MAC address filtering on the switch
MAC filtering would either block traffic completely or allow it; it does not cause intermittent performance issues. The workstation is connected, so filtering is not the problem.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
- PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
- Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
- NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
- Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
- Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
- Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
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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?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The duplex and speed settings on both ends — Even when both ends are set to autonegotiate, duplex mismatches can occur due to timing issues or incompatible hardware. The technician should verify the actual negotiated speed and duplex on both the NIC and the switch port using commands like 'show interface status' or 'show interface'. A mismatch can cause packet loss and slow performance. Checking the route table (A) or DNS (C) would be relevant if there were routing or name resolution issues, but the symptom points to a Layer 1/2 problem. MAC filtering (D) would block traffic entirely, not cause intermittent issues.
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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