100-140 Question 206
Single answerYou are troubleshooting a connectivity issue for a user who cannot access resources outside their local network. During your investigation, you find that the user's default gateway is incorrectly configured. What is the primary role of the default gateway in this scenario?
- A
It translates domain names into IP addresses to facilitate communication.
- B
It acts as the device responsible for forwarding traffic from the local network to external networks.
- C
It provides IP addresses to devices on the local network using DHCP.
- D
It ensures that all devices on the network can communicate with each other directly.
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The default gateway is essential for devices on a local network to communicate with devices on other networks. It forwards packets destined for external networks, such as the internet, to the appropriate next hop. If the default gateway is misconfigured, the device will be unable to reach resources outside its local subnet.
- A. Incorrect.
This describes the function of a DNS server, not the default gateway. DNS helps resolve domain names into IP addresses but does not handle routing traffic between networks.
- B. Correct.
Correct. The default gateway is typically a router or layer-3 device that forwards traffic from the local network to external networks, such as the internet.
- C. Incorrect.
This describes a DHCP server, which assigns IP addresses to devices on the network. While DHCP can configure the default gateway, it is not the role of the gateway itself.
- D. Incorrect.
This describes the function of local networking protocols like ARP or a switch, not the default gateway. The gateway is involved in routing traffic beyond the local network.