Learn the most likely reason a user cannot access a corporate website on an internal server while other sites are accessible, as required for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam. Understand how server firewall rules can block access to internal web resources.
Table of Contents
Question
A user cannot access a corporate website hosted on an internal server (10.0.0.50) from their workstation. Other websites are accessible. What should the technician check first?
A. DNS server configuration
B. Router NAT settings
C. Workstation’s proxy settings
D. Firewall rules on the server
E. Server’s public IP mapping
Answer
D. Firewall rules on the server
Explanation
If external websites are accessible but the internal server is not, the issue is likely with the server’s configuration. Firewall rules on the server may be blocking access to the website’s port (e.g., 80 or 443).
When a user can access external websites but cannot reach a corporate website hosted on an internal server (10.0.0.50), the most probable cause is restrictive firewall rules on the server itself. Firewalls can block incoming traffic to specific ports (such as 80 for HTTP or 443 for HTTPS), preventing access to hosted services even if the server is reachable on the network. Verifying and adjusting the server’s firewall configuration to allow traffic on the relevant ports is a primary troubleshooting step.
This approach is supported by best practices, which recommend checking server-side firewalls when connectivity to specific internal resources fails while general network access remains functional. Other causes, such as DNS or proxy settings, would typically impact access to multiple sites, not just a single internal resource.
CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 exam and earn CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1101 certification.