Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for the lack of network connectivity?

After configuring IP networking on a newly commissioned server, a server administrator installs a straight- through network cable from the patch panel to the switch. The administrator then returns to the server to test network connectivity using the ping command.

The partial output of the ping and ipconfig commands are displayed below:

The administrator returns to the switch and notices an amber link light on the port where the server is connected.

Which of the following is the MOST likely reason for the lack of network connectivity?
A . Network port security
B. An improper VLAN configuration
C. A misconfigured DHCP server
D. A misconfigured NIC on the server

View Answer

Answer: D

Explanation:

A misconfigured NIC on the server is the most likely reason for the lack of network connectivity. The output of the ping command shows that the server is unable to reach its default gateway (10.0.0.1) or any other IP address on the network. The output of the ipconfig command shows that the server has a valid IP address (10.0.0.10) and subnet mask (255.255.255.0) but no default gateway configured. This indicates that there is a problem with the NIC settings on the server, such as an incorrect IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, DNS server, etc. A misconfigured NIC can also cause an amber link light on the switch port, which indicates a speed or duplex mismatch between the NIC and the switch.