mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped

A network technician is troubleshooting intermittent internet access for a single user. The user’s workstation can ping the default gateway consistently, but web pages fail to load intermittently. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

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A network technician is troubleshooting intermittent internet access for a single user. The user’s workstation can ping the default gateway consistently, but web pages fail to load intermittently. 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

Best answer

A) DNS server configuration

Correct. DNS is responsible for resolving domain names to IP addresses. If DNS is intermittent, web pages will fail to load while other IP-based connectivity (like pinging the gateway) works.

B

Distractor review

B) DHCP lease time

Incorrect. If the DHCP lease expired, the user would likely lose all network connectivity, not just web browsing. Pinging the gateway would also fail.

C

Distractor review

C) Switch port speed and duplex settings

Incorrect. Speed/duplex mismatches usually cause complete or very frequent connectivity loss, not intermittent web browsing while pings succeed.

D

Distractor review

D) Firewall rules blocking ICMP

Incorrect. The fact that pings succeed indicates ICMP is not blocked. The firewall rules related to HTTP/HTTPS traffic could be an issue, but DNS is a more common cause of intermittent web failures.

Common exam trap

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Technical deep dive

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
  • Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
  • Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
  • Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.

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?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: A) DNS server configuration — Since the workstation can ping the default gateway, layer 3 connectivity to the local network is working. The intermittent failure of web pages suggests a higher-layer issue, most likely DNS resolution. Checking the DNS server configuration is the best next step. Other options like DHCP lease time would affect IP configuration, but the user already has an IP. Switch port speed/duplex or firewall rules could cause issues, but they are less likely given that pings work consistently.

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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