A user reports that they can access the company's intranet but not the internet. The technician checks the IP configuration and finds that the default gateway is set to 192.168.1.1, and the user can ping that IP. 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.
Distractor review
The DNS server address is incorrect.
An incorrect DNS server would affect name resolution, but the user might still access the internet via IP; however, the question states intranet works, so DNS might be fine for internal names.
Best answer
The router's NAT configuration is faulty.
NAT translates private IPs to public IPs. If it is misconfigured, internal hosts can reach the gateway but not the internet.
Distractor review
The DHCP server is not providing a default gateway.
Since the user has a manually set default gateway and can ping it, DHCP is not the issue.
Distractor review
The user's workstation has a static IP address.
Static IP is not inherently problematic; it simply means the address wasn't obtained via DHCP.
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 router's NAT configuration is faulty. — Since the user can ping the default gateway, local connectivity is fine. The issue is likely with the router's ability to forward traffic to the internet. This could be due to incorrect NAT configuration on the router, a missing default route upstream, or an ISP issue. Option B is the most common cause when internal access works and the gateway is reachable. Option A might prevent name resolution but the question does not mention DNS. Option C would cause the user to have no gateway or a different gateway. Option D is irrelevant because the user might be using DHCP or static; but a static IP doesn't cause this issue.
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.
Discussion
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