How to Validate Asymmetrical Routing Between Branch and Hub?

Clients have reported slowness between a branch and a hub location. The senior engineer suspects asymmetrical routing is causing the issue. Which of the following should the engineer run on both the source and the destination network devices to validate this theory?

traceroute Source Reference Answer
ping
route
nslookup

Community Votes

100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Community Insight

This question tests knowledge of network diagnostic commands, specifically how traceroute reveals the bidirectional path to detect asymmetry; the trap is choosing generic tools like ping that only verify connectivity.

When clients report slowness due to suspected asymmetrical routing, running traceroute on both source and destination network devices is the recommended diagnostic method. Community consensus confirms traceroute as the correct answer for identifying differing packet paths.

The most common wrong answer is ping, because it tests reachability and latency but does not show the route path, so it cannot reveal whether packets take different paths in each direction.

Community Discussion (3 comments)

a87d6a4 👍 2 Selected: A

To validate if asymmetrical routing is causing the issue, the senior engineer should use traceroute on both the source and destination network devices. This command provides a path of the route packets take from one point to another. By running traceroute on both ends, the engineer can compare the routes and identify if packets are taking different paths, which would indicate asymmetrical routing. B. ping: This command is used to test connectivity and measure round-trip time but does not show the path taken by packets. C. route: This command shows the routing table of the device but does not provide information on the path packets take during transit. D. nslookup: This command is used to query DNS to obtain domain name or IP address mapping but does not provide information about the routing path.

dadba8c 👍 2

A. traceroute. Traceroute is a diagnostic tool that tracks the path packets take from the source to the destination. By running traceroute on both the source and the destination devices, the engineer can compare the paths taken by the packets in each direction. If the paths differ significantly, this would indicate asymmetrical routing. B. Ping: This command tests connectivity between two devices by sending ICMP echo requests and measuring the round-trip time. However, it does not reveal the path taken by packets, so it is not useful for diagnosing asymmetrical routing. C. Route: This command displays the routing table on a device, showing the paths that packets should take to reach different networks. While it can show potential routes, it does not directly show the actual path that packets are taking, especially in a network with dynamic routing. D. nslookup: This command is used to query DNS servers to find the IP address associated with a domain name or vice versa. It is unrelated to routing and would not help diagnose asymmetrical routing issues. Thus, traceroute is the appropriate tool to use in this situation.

3f2045e 👍 3

A is the answer

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Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

Traceroute displays the hop-by-hop path packets take from source to destination. Running it on both the source and destination devices allows the engineer to compare the forward and reverse paths. If the routes differ, it confirms asymmetrical routing. This directly aligns with the need to validate the theory.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

Ping only tests reachability and round-trip time; it does not reveal the path taken, so it cannot detect asymmetry. The route command shows the local routing table but does not show the actual path packets take across the network. Nslookup is used for DNS queries and is unrelated to routing path analysis.

Community Comment Notes

Comments emphasize that traceroute is the correct diagnostic because it tracks the path taken by packets from one point to another, and running it on both ends allows comparison. One comment specifically explains that ping only tests connectivity, not the path, reinforcing why traceroute is superior for this scenario.

Official Reference

Exam Strategy

For questions about diagnosing routing asymmetry, remember that traceroute (or tracert on Windows) is the go-to command because it reveals the actual path. Rule out tools that only test connectivity (ping) or display local tables (route) since they do not compare bidirectional paths.

Related Analysis

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