- A
Add a firewall policy with source interface any, destination 10.10.10.0/24, and set the egress interface to port3
Why wrong: Firewall policies do not override routing; they only apply security policies.
- B
Create a static route for 10.10.10.0/24 with a lower distance pointing to port3
Why wrong: A static route would use routing table, not policy routing. Policy routes override the routing table based on additional criteria.
- C
Set the default gateway to port3 and remove the existing default route
Why wrong: This would affect all traffic, not just traffic to 10.10.10.0/24.
- D
Configure a policy route under 'config router policy' with destination 10.10.10.0/24 and output interface port3
Policy routes are configured under 'config router policy' and allow routing decisions based on source/destination.
Quick Answer
The correct answer is to configure a policy route under 'config router policy' with destination 10.10.10.0/24 and output interface port3. This is correct because a policy route in FortiGate operates above the routing table, allowing you to override the default route for specific traffic based on criteria such as source, destination, or protocol. By defining the destination network and setting the output interface to port3, the FortiGate forwards all matching traffic out that interface, bypassing the default gateway. On the Fortinet NSE 4 Network Security Professional NSE4 exam, this topic tests your understanding of how policy routes differ from static routes—a common trap is confusing policy routes with route-based policies or static routing entries. Remember that policy routes are processed before the routing table lookup, so they act as a "first match wins" override. A helpful memory tip: "Policy routes pick the path, not the next hop"—they force traffic out a specific interface, not to a specific gateway.
NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question
This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of system and network administration. This is a configuration task: choose the command set that satisfies every stated requirement. Small differences — like 'secret' vs 'password' or 'transport input ssh' vs 'all' — change whether the answer is correct. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A FortiGate administrator needs to configure a policy route to send all traffic destined to 10.10.10.0/24 out through interface port3 instead of the default route. Which configuration steps are necessary?
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
Configure a policy route under 'config router policy' with destination 10.10.10.0/24 and output interface port3
Policy routes override the routing table for specific traffic based on criteria like source, destination, or protocol. Option D correctly configures a policy route under 'config router policy' to match destination 10.10.10.0/24 and set the output interface to port3, ensuring that traffic is forwarded out port3 regardless of the default route.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Add a firewall policy with source interface any, destination 10.10.10.0/24, and set the egress interface to port3
Why it's wrong here
Firewall policies do not override routing; they only apply security policies.
- ✗
Create a static route for 10.10.10.0/24 with a lower distance pointing to port3
Why it's wrong here
A static route would use routing table, not policy routing. Policy routes override the routing table based on additional criteria.
- ✗
Set the default gateway to port3 and remove the existing default route
Why it's wrong here
This would affect all traffic, not just traffic to 10.10.10.0/24.
- ✓
Configure a policy route under 'config router policy' with destination 10.10.10.0/24 and output interface port3
Why this is correct
Policy routes are configured under 'config router policy' and allow routing decisions based on source/destination.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is confusing firewall policies (which control access and NAT) with policy routes (which control forwarding decisions), leading candidates to incorrectly select Option A.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Policy routes are processed before the routing table lookup and can match on Layer 3 and Layer 4 headers, including source/destination IP, protocol, and port. They are configured under 'config router policy' and use a sequence number to determine order; the first matching policy is applied. In real-world scenarios, policy routing is used for traffic engineering, such as sending VoIP traffic to a specific WAN link while keeping other traffic on the default route.
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.
TExam Day Tips
- 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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this NSE4 question test?
System and Network Administration — This question tests System and Network Administration — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Configure a policy route under 'config router policy' with destination 10.10.10.0/24 and output interface port3 — Policy routes override the routing table for specific traffic based on criteria like source, destination, or protocol. Option D correctly configures a policy route under 'config router policy' to match destination 10.10.10.0/24 and set the output interface to port3, ensuring that traffic is forwarded out port3 regardless of the default route.
What should I do if I get this NSE4 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 24, 2026
This NSE4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet 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 NSE4 exam.
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