Network Client Management →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

LPIC-2 Network Client Management Practice Question

A user reports that the command 'smbclient -L //fileserver' fails with a timeout. What is the most likely cause?

⚠ Common exam trap

Candidates often confuse a timeout (no response) with a connection refusal (immediate failure), leading them to incorrectly choose a stopped service or unreachable server when the real issue is a firewall silently dropping packets.

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

✓

A firewall on the client or server is blocking TCP port 445.

The command 'smbclient -L //fileserver' uses SMB protocol to list shares. A timeout indicates the client cannot establish a TCP connection to the server on port 445, which is the default SMB port. A firewall blocking TCP 445 would prevent the connection, causing a timeout, while other issues like a stopped smbd service or unreachable server would typically produce different errors (e.g., 'connection refused' or 'no route to host').

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 smbd service on the server is not running.
Why it's wrong here
If smbd is not running, the connection would be refused immediately, not time out.
✗
The user does not have an account on the server.
Why it's wrong here
smbclient -L only requires anonymous access or a guest account to list shares.
✗
The server is not reachable via ping.
Why it's wrong here
Ping uses ICMP; SMB uses TCP; reachability via ping is different.
✓
A firewall on the client or server is blocking TCP port 445.
Why this is correct
Port 445 is used by SMB; blocking it causes timeouts.

Visual reference

Go deeper

LPIC-2 Network Client Management Practice Question

Why each option matters

Option-by-option breakdown

Related to this question