The answer is that the client’s routing table is missing the internal network routes. When split tunneling is enabled on a FortiGate SSL VPN, the VPN tunnel is established and the user can authenticate, but the client does not automatically receive routes for the internal subnets. Without these routes, traffic destined for internal resources is sent to the client’s default gateway instead of through the VPN tunnel, causing access failure despite a successful connection. On the Fortinet NSE 4 Network Security Professional NSE4 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how split tunneling affects routing behavior—a common trap is assuming the tunnel alone is sufficient for access. Remember that split tunneling only pushes traffic for specified networks; if those networks are not defined in the routing table, the client has no path to them. A helpful memory tip: “Split tunnel, split routes—if the route is missing, the resource is missing.”
NSE4 Authentication and VPN Practice Question
This NSE4 practice question tests your understanding of authentication and vpn. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 remote user reports that they can connect to the FortiGate SSL VPN portal but cannot access internal resources. The administrator checks the SSL VPN settings and sees that the tunnel mode is enabled with split tunneling. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The routing table on the client is missing the internal network routes.
With split tunneling enabled, the FortiGate SSLVPN portal connection succeeds, but the client's routing table does not automatically include routes for the internal network. Without those routes, traffic to internal resources is sent to the default gateway instead of through the VPN tunnel, causing access failure. This is the most likely cause because the user can authenticate and establish the tunnel but cannot reach internal subnets.
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.
✗
The IP pool is exhausted and no IP address was assigned.
Why it's wrong here
Without IP, tunnel wouldn't establish.
✗
The firewall policy allowing SSL VPN traffic to internal resources is missing.
Why it's wrong here
Policy is needed but routing is more likely given split tunneling.
✓
The routing table on the client is missing the internal network routes.
Why this is correct
Split tunneling requires proper routes to internal networks.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The SSL VPN authentication timeout is too short.
Why it's wrong here
Timeout would disconnect, not block resources.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates assume split tunneling automatically includes all internal routes, but in FortiGate SSLVPN, split tunneling requires explicit route configuration to direct internal traffic through the tunnel.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
When split tunneling is enabled, the FortiGate does not push internal network routes to the client unless configured in the SSLVPN portal settings under 'Split Tunneling' or via the 'push routes' option. The client's routing table must include the internal subnet (e.g., 192.168.1.0/24) pointing to the virtual adapter (e.g., FortiSSLVPN virtual NIC) for traffic to traverse the tunnel. In real-world deployments, administrators often forget to add these routes or misconfigure the subnet mask, leading to this exact symptom.
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 network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Authentication and VPN — This question tests Authentication and VPN — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The routing table on the client is missing the internal network routes. — With split tunneling enabled, the FortiGate SSL VPN portal connection succeeds, but the client's routing table does not automatically include routes for the internal network. Without those routes, traffic to internal resources is sent to the default gateway instead of through the VPN tunnel, causing access failure. This is the most likely cause because the user can authenticate and establish the tunnel but cannot reach internal subnets.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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