Why do troubleshooting guides recommend checking the subnet mask and default gateway first when a host can reach local devices but not the internet?
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Incorrect.
The correct answer is D) Because a misconfigured subnet mask can make the host miscalculate which addresses are local versus remote, and a missing or wrong default gateway means packets destined off-subnet have nowhere to be forwarded
Correct Answer
Because a misconfigured subnet mask can make the host miscalculate which addresses are local versus remote, and a missing or wrong default gateway means packets destined off-subnet have nowhere to be forwarded
A host uses its subnet mask to decide whether a destination is on its local network or must be sent via the default gateway. If the mask is wrong, the host may try to ARP for an off-subnet address directly; if the gateway is missing or incorrect, the host has no route to forward traffic destined for remote networks like the internet.