browser's address bar, you are able to access the site. But, you are unable to access the site (ISC)2 CISSP-ISSAP Exam

Question

Options

• AThe site's Web server is offline.
• BThe site's Web server has heavy traffic.
• CWINS server has no NetBIOS name entry for the server.
• DDNS entry is not available for the host name.

• A
  8% (3)
• B
  3% (1)
• C
  3% (1)
• D
  86% (31)

Explanation

Option D is correct because accessing a site via IP address bypasses name resolution entirely - the browser connects directly. When a hostname is used instead, the browser must query DNS to translate that name to an IP. If no DNS record (typically an A record) exists for that hostname, resolution fails and the site is unreachable by name, even though the server itself is running fine.

Why the distractors are wrong:

• A (Web server offline): If the server were truly offline, the IP address would also fail - you wouldn't reach it either way.
• B (Heavy traffic): Congestion might cause slowness or timeouts, but it wouldn't selectively break hostname access while leaving IP access working.
• C (WINS/NetBIOS): WINS resolves NetBIOS names on legacy Windows LAN environments, not internet hostnames in a browser - this is the wrong name resolution mechanism for this scenario.

Memory tip: Think of it as a phone book analogy - if you already have someone's phone number (IP), you can call them even if they're not listed in the directory (DNS). The server being reachable by IP proves it's up; the name failing proves the directory entry is the problem.

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