A user cannot access the Internet even though DNS is correct and the workstation has a static IP. What is the likely cause?

A user cannot access the Internet even though DNS is correct and the workstation has a static IP. What is the likely cause?

• A. Default gateway was not set.
• B. DNS server down.
• C. Internet service provider outage.
• D. The NIC is disabled.

Answer: (A)

Packets destined for the Internet must be forwarded by a router outside the local subnet. Having a static IP sets the device’s address, and DNS being correct means names can be resolved, but without a default gateway the host has no route to forward traffic to external networks. The system will drop outbound packets because there is no next hop. Therefore this is the most likely cause. If the DNS server were down, name resolution would fail; if there were an ISP outage, you’d see broader connectivity issues; if the NIC were disabled, you’d lose all network access. The missing default gateway specifically explains why Internet access is blocked despite a valid IP and working DNS.

Packets destined for the Internet must be forwarded by a router outside the local subnet. Having a static IP sets the device’s address, and DNS being correct means names can be resolved, but without a default gateway the host has no route to forward traffic to external networks. The system will drop outbound packets because there is no next hop. Therefore this is the most likely cause. If the DNS server were down, name resolution would fail; if there were an ISP outage, you’d see broader connectivity issues; if the NIC were disabled, you’d lose all network access. The missing default gateway specifically explains why Internet access is blocked despite a valid IP and working DNS.