N10-009 Network Troubleshooting Practice Question

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 DNS server address is incorrect.

  Why it's wrong here

  An incorrect DNS server address would primarily prevent name resolution, meaning users couldn't access websites by their domain names. However, they would still be able to reach internet resources by their IP addresses if the underlying network connectivity and routing were functional. Since the user cannot access the internet at all, even potentially by IP, and can access the intranet, DNS is unlikely to be the sole root cause of complete internet blockage. Furthermore, intranet access implies internal name resolution is working, suggesting the DNS configuration might be partially correct or not the primary issue for all internet access.

  When this WOULD be correct

  A user can access the internet by IP address but not by domain name. The technician verifies that the default gateway is correct and reachable. In this scenario, an incorrect DNS server address would be the most likely cause.

• ✓

  The router's NAT configuration is faulty.

  Why this is correct

  This is the correct answer. The user can access the intranet and ping the default gateway, indicating local network connectivity and a valid gateway IP. However, the inability to reach the internet strongly suggests a problem with Network Address Translation (NAT). NAT is essential for translating private internal IP addresses into public routable IP addresses, allowing multiple internal devices to share a single public IP for internet access. A faulty NAT configuration would prevent this translation, blocking outbound internet traffic while internal network access remains functional.

• ✗

  The DHCP server is not providing a default gateway.

  Why it's wrong here

  The problem statement implies the user has a default gateway configured and can successfully ping it. This indicates that the workstation has a valid path to its local router. DHCP's role is to automatically assign IP addresses, subnet masks, and default gateways. If the user already has a functional default gateway, whether manually configured or obtained via DHCP, then the DHCP server's operation (or lack thereof) is not the cause of the inability to reach the internet beyond that gateway.

  When this WOULD be correct

  A user cannot access any network resources, including the intranet. The technician finds the workstation has no default gateway configured. In this scenario, the DHCP server failing to provide a default gateway would be the likely cause.

• ✗

  The user's workstation has a static IP address.

  Why it's wrong here

  A static IP address configuration on a workstation is not inherently problematic and does not prevent internet access. Many servers and critical network devices are intentionally configured with static IPs. As long as the static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway are correctly configured and valid for the network segment, the workstation should be able to communicate both internally and externally. The issue lies beyond the workstation's IP assignment method.

  When this WOULD be correct

  This option would be correct in a scenario where a user cannot access any network resources (neither intranet nor internet) and the technician finds an IP address that does not match the subnet of the default gateway, indicating a misconfigured static IP.

Option-by-option analysis

Why each answer is right or wrong

Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The N10-009 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.

Analysis generated from the official N10-009blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”

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