- A
The user's IP address is in the wrong subnet.
Why wrong: The user's IP 172.16.50.50 with mask 255.255.255.0 is on the same subnet as the gateway, so that is correct.
- B
The server is powered off.
Why wrong: If the server were off, the traceroute would likely fail at the first hop or show no response, but here the first hop succeeds.
- C
There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server.
The traceroute shows the user can reach the gateway, but the next hop fails, indicating a routing issue in the path to the server.
- D
The user's default gateway is incorrect.
Why wrong: The user's default gateway is 172.16.50.1, and the traceroute shows it as the first hop, so it is correct.
Question 310 of 1,020
Traceroute Troubleshooting: Identifying Routing Issues for CompTIA A+ Core 1
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of ip addressing. 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 technician is troubleshooting a user's inability to reach a server at 172.16.50.100. The user's IP is 172.16.50.50 with subnet mask 255.255.255.0. The technician runs a traceroute and sees the first hop is the gateway (172.16.50.1), but the second hop times out. What does this indicate?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"first"Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
Quick Answer
The answer is a routing problem between the gateway and the server. This is correct because the traceroute successfully reached the first hop—the local gateway at 172.16.50.1—but the second hop timed out, indicating that the packet left the user’s subnet but failed to reach the next router along the path to 172.16.50.100. Since the user’s IP and the server share the same /24 subnet, the gateway should have forwarded the traffic to an internal router; a timeout at that second hop points to a misconfigured router, a firewall blocking ICMP, or a routing table error beyond the local network. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your ability to interpret traceroute output and isolate where a path breaks—a common trap is assuming a timeout means the destination is down, when it actually reveals a failed intermediate hop. Remember the memory tip: “First hop works, second hop jerks” means the issue is between the gateway and the next router, not the endpoint itself.
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
✓
There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server.
The traceroute shows that the first hop (the gateway at 172.16.50.1) responds, but the second hop times out. This indicates that the packet successfully leaves the user's subnet but fails to reach the server at 172.16.50.100, pointing to a routing issue beyond the local gateway. Since the user and server share the same subnet (172.16.50.0/24), the gateway should be able to forward traffic directly to the server; a timeout at the second hop suggests either a missing route on the gateway or an intermediate router dropping the packets.
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 user's IP address is in the wrong subnet.
Why it's wrong here
The user's IP 172.16.50.50 with mask 255.255.255.0 is on the same subnet as the gateway, so that is correct.
- ✗
The server is powered off.
Why it's wrong here
If the server were off, the traceroute would likely fail at the first hop or show no response, but here the first hop succeeds.
- ✓
There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server.
Why this is correct
The traceroute shows the user can reach the gateway, but the next hop fails, indicating a routing issue in the path to the server.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
The user's default gateway is incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
The user's default gateway is 172.16.50.1, and the traceroute shows it as the first hop, so it is correct.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The CompTIA A+ exam often tests the distinction between a local subnet issue (where the first hop fails) and a routing issue beyond the gateway (where the first hop succeeds but subsequent hops fail), leading candidates to incorrectly blame the user's IP configuration or the server's power state.
Trap categories for this question
Command / output trap
If the server were off, the traceroute would likely fail at the first hop or show no response, but here the first hop succeeds.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Traceroute works by sending packets with incrementing TTL values; a timeout at the second hop means the packet reached the gateway (TTL=1) but the next router (TTL=2) either does not have a route back to the source or is dropping the probe packets due to ICMP rate limiting or ACLs. In a real-world scenario, this could occur if the gateway lacks a specific route to the server's subnet or if an intermediate router has a misconfigured static route or firewall rule blocking ICMP.
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.
Visual reference
What to study next
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
IP Addressing — This question tests IP Addressing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: There is a routing problem between the gateway and the server. — The traceroute shows that the first hop (the gateway at 172.16.50.1) responds, but the second hop times out. This indicates that the packet successfully leaves the user's subnet but fails to reach the server at 172.16.50.100, pointing to a routing issue beyond the local gateway. Since the user and server share the same subnet (172.16.50.0/24), the gateway should be able to forward traffic directly to the server; a timeout at the second hop suggests either a missing route on the gateway or an intermediate router dropping the packets.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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