Which command should you use to identify the internet link used by a web application?

N10-009 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

D tracert

Question

A network technician is troubleshooting a web application's poor performance. The office has two internet links that share the traffic load. Which of the following tools should the technician use to determine which link is being used for the web application?
  1. netstat
  2. nslookup
  3. ping
  4. tracert Correct Answer

Key Takeaways

The question tests whether you know that tracert reveals the packet path and which WAN link is used, while netstat only shows local connection state and can mislead you.

When troubleshooting poor web application performance over two load-balanced internet links, tracert is the best tool because it displays the actual route and egress link. Community consensus favors tracert, though some mistakenly choose netstat for its connection details.

Common mistake: Choosing netstat (A) is the most common mistake. Netstat gives active connections and routing tables, but on a client machine it cannot tell you which of two internet links the router selected for traffic to a specific web server.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

D. tracert is correct because it traces the path from your host to the destination web application. Community comment [1] correctly states that tracert shows the exact route, including every intermediate router. In a load-balanced dual-link office, the first hop after the router will reveal which internet link is being used. This direct path information is exactly what a technician needs to identify the egress link.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. netstat is tempting because it lists active TCP connections and routing tables. However, as comment [2] notes, netstat displays local interfaces and connections, but it does not show the full path or identify which load-balanced WAN link the router picked. B. nslookup only resolves DNS names and does not affect routing decisions. C. ping only checks reachability and latency; it does not show the route taken. Thus A is not the best answer despite showing connection details.

Community Comment Notes

The highest-rated comment [1] correctly supports tracert by explaining that it traces the route from source to destination through every intermediate router. A lower-rated comment [2] argues for netstat, but the logic stops at active connections and routing tables, which cannot reveal the actual egress link when local load balancing is performed by a router. The imbalance in votes—75% vs 25%—shows that most test takers understand tracert is the path-tracing tool expected in this scenario.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

For any question asking which link, path, or route a packet uses, look for tracert/traceroute first. Remember that netstat reveals local sockets, not multi-router egress paths, so avoid selecting it merely because it shows active web connections.

Community Votes

D
75%
A
25%

75% of anonymous learners picked answer D. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 3 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 3

  1. chupapi_001 👍 5 Answered D
    Tracert shows the exact route that packets take from source to destination, including all intermediate routers and network links
  2. Hundo_954 👍 2 Answered A
    A. Netstat - (short for "network statistics") displays detailed information about the active network connections and the routing tables. By using this tool, the technician can see which connections are active, their corresponding IP addresses, and the network interface being used.
  3. HeatSquad77 👍 1 Answered D
    D. tracert (also traceroute) A command-line utility used to follow the path a packet takes between two hosts.

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