Question 105 of 144
SK0-005 troubleshooting Practice Question
A server cannot connect to a specific network share. The administrator can successfully ping the server's IP address from the client. Which of the following is MOST likely causing the issue?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Host-based firewall blocking file sharing ports
Option C is correct because Windows Firewall or an equivalent host-based firewall may block SMB (port 445) or NetBIOS ports, preventing share access even though ICMP is allowed. Option A is wrong because DNS would affect name resolution, not reachability by IP. Option B is wrong because an incorrect subnet mask would generally prevent any communication, including pings. Option D is wrong because a duplicate IP would cause intermittent connectivity or an IP conflict error, not a consistent inability to access shares while ping works.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Incorrect subnet mask
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — A wrong subnet mask would typically cause all IP communication to fail, including pings.
- ✗
Duplicate IP address on the network
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — A duplicate IP would cause intermittent connectivity or an IP conflict warning, and pings might succeed only intermittently.
- ✗
DNS server is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect — Since the client can ping the server by IP, DNS is not the issue; share access by IP would still work if DNS were the only problem.
- ✓
Host-based firewall blocking file sharing ports
Why this is correct
Correct — Firewalls often allow ICMP but block TCP/UDP ports used by SMB/CIFS, so ping succeeds but share access fails.
Visual reference
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Last reviewed: Jul 26, 2026
This SK0-005 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the SK0-005 exam.
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