220-1201 Practice Test 42 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A technician is configuring a small network with five computers and a printer. The network must use private IP addresses and allow all devices to communicate. The technician assigns IPs manually but forgets to set a default gateway on one computer. Which functionality will be lost on that computer?

Choose an answer to begin — your selection is scored in the full session.

Accepted Answer

Ability to access the internet. The default gateway is the router's IP address that provides a path to networks outside the local subnet. Without a default gateway, the computer can still communicate with other devices on the same local network (like the printer and other computers) using ARP and direct MAC addressing, but it cannot reach any destination outside its own subnet, including the internet. The technician manually assigned IPs, so DHCP is not involved, and DNS resolution would still work for local names but would fail for external names only because the DNS query packets cannot leave the subnet without a gateway.

Answer

Ability to communicate with the printer

Answer

Ability to obtain an IP address via DHCP

Answer

Ability to resolve DNS names

Question 2

A customer reports that their laptop connects to the office Wi-Fi but cannot access the internet. Other devices on the same network work fine. The technician checks the laptop's IP configuration and sees an IP address of 169.254.15.22. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The laptop's DHCP client is failing to obtain an IP address.. The IP address 169.254.15.22 falls within the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when the DHCP client fails to receive a valid IP from a DHCP server. Since other devices on the same network work fine, the DHCP server is not exhausted; rather, this specific laptop's DHCP client could not complete the DORA process, likely due to a misconfiguration, firewall blocking DHCP traffic, or a driver issue. Option D correctly identifies that the DHCP client is failing to obtain an IP address, as evidenced by the APIPA address.

Answer

The DNS server is misconfigured.

Answer

The laptop's network adapter is faulty.

Answer

The DHCP server is out of available IP addresses.

Question 3

A customer reports that their new Bluetooth headphones pair with their smartphone but produce no audio during calls. The headphones work fine with other devices. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The smartphone does not support the required Bluetooth profile for call audio.. The most likely cause is that the smartphone does not support the Hands-Free Profile (HFP) or Headset Profile (HSP) required for bidirectional call audio over Bluetooth. While the headphones may pair and work for media audio using A2DP, these profiles are distinct and must be supported by both devices for voice calls. Since the headphones work with other devices, the issue is specific to the smartphone's Bluetooth profile support.

Answer

The headphones are out of battery.

Answer

The smartphone's Bluetooth antenna is damaged.

Answer

The headphones are paired to too many devices simultaneously.

Question 4

A user's iPhone connects to a public Wi-Fi hotspot but cannot load any web pages. The Wi-Fi icon shows full signal. Other devices on the same network work fine. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The iPhone is not accepting the captive portal's terms and conditions.. The most likely issue is that the iPhone has connected to the Wi-Fi network but has not completed the captive portal authentication process. Captive portals require users to accept terms and conditions or log in via a web page before internet access is granted. Since other devices work fine, the network itself is functional, and the iPhone's full signal indicates a good physical connection, pointing to a failure in the portal acceptance step.

Answer

The iPhone's DNS settings are misconfigured.

Answer

The iPhone's Wi-Fi antenna is faulty.

Answer

The public Wi-Fi network is using an incompatible security protocol.

Question 5

A user complains that their wireless Bluetooth earbuds frequently disconnect during calls when their smartphone is in their pocket. The earbuds work fine when the phone is on a desk. Which accessory or configuration change is most likely to resolve this issue?

Accepted Answer

A Bluetooth neckband style headset. The issue is that the smartphone's Bluetooth antenna is being physically blocked or attenuated by the user's body (specifically the leg/torso) when the phone is in a pocket. A Bluetooth neckband-style headset places the Bluetooth receiver and antenna around the user's neck, which is typically above the pocket and has a clearer line-of-sight to the phone, significantly reducing signal obstruction and multipath interference. This configuration change directly addresses the physical signal path problem without requiring any software or network changes.

Answer

A Bluetooth signal booster app

Answer

A metal phone case

Answer

A Wi-Fi analyzer to change router channels

Question 6

A user wants to add a second hard drive to their desktop for extra storage, but the computer only has one SATA data cable available. The technician has an extra SATA power cable from the power supply. What is the most practical solution?

Accepted Answer

Purchase an additional SATA data cable and use the existing power cable.. This question tests understanding of SATA connectivity requirements. Each SATA drive needs its own data cable, but power can be shared via splitters or by using available power connectors.

Answer

Use a Y-splitter on the existing SATA data cable to connect both drives.

Answer

Connect the second drive using an external USB-to-SATA adapter.

Answer

Replace the existing hard drive with a larger one.

Question 7

A data center technician is installing a new server that requires a redundant power supply with two C13 power cords. The rack has two separate PDUs (Power Distribution Units) with C19 outlets. What type of power cable is needed to connect the server to the PDUs?

Accepted Answer

C13 to C19 power cord. The server has C13 inlets (the power supply accepts C13 connectors), so the cable must have a C13 connector on the server end. The PDU has C19 outlets, so the cable must have a C19 connector on the PDU end. Therefore, a C13 to C19 power cord is required.

Answer

C14 to C19 power cord

Answer

C13 to C14 power cord

Answer

C19 to C20 power cord

Question 8

A technician is replacing a cracked screen on a smartphone. After removing the old screen, they notice a small, flat, rectangular component with a metal shield is loose near the battery connector. What should they do?

Accepted Answer

Reattach it using double-sided adhesive tape.. The loose component is a battery connector bracket or grounding clip, which is typically secured with adhesive to prevent the battery connector from dislodging. Reattaching it with double-sided adhesive tape restores mechanical stability without soldering, as these parts are not soldered to the motherboard. This ensures reliable power delivery and prevents intermittent shutdowns or charging issues.

Answer

Discard it as it is not needed for the screen replacement.

Answer

Solder it back onto the motherboard.

Answer

Leave it loose; it will not affect screen operation.

Question 9

A small business owner wants to set up a network that covers three separate buildings within a 200-meter radius, with no internet access required between them. They need a simple, low-cost solution that can be installed quickly without running cables between buildings. Which network type should be recommended?

Accepted Answer

Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN). A Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) is the best choice because it can connect multiple buildings using wireless bridges or mesh networking, covering a 200-meter radius without cables. It is simple, low-cost, and does not require internet access. WPAN (Bluetooth/ZigBee) has too short a range (typically <100m) for inter-building connections. MAN and WAN are designed for larger geographic areas and often involve higher costs and internet connectivity.

Answer

Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN)

Answer

Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

Answer

Wide Area Network (WAN)

Question 10

A technician is upgrading a client's older PC from 8 GB to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM. After installing the new modules, the system boots but only recognizes 8 GB in the BIOS and Windows. The technician has tried reseating the RAM and swapping slots. What should the technician check next?

Accepted Answer

Check if the motherboard supports 16 GB of RAM.. Since the BIOS also reports only 8 GB, the issue is hardware-related, not an OS limitation. The most likely cause is that the motherboard or CPU does not support 16 GB of RAM. The technician should check the system's maximum supported RAM and the compatibility of the new modules.

Answer

Update the motherboard BIOS to the latest version.

Answer

Verify that the operating system is 64-bit.

Answer

Test each RAM module individually in a known working system.

Question 11

A graphic designer wants to connect three 4K monitors to a single workstation for a video editing suite. The workstation has a graphics card with one HDMI 2.0 port, one DisplayPort 1.4, and one DVI-D port. The monitors all support HDMI and DisplayPort. Which configuration will allow all three monitors to display at 4K resolution simultaneously?

Accepted Answer

Connect one monitor via HDMI, one via DisplayPort, and use a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter for the third. The graphics card has one HDMI 2.0 port and one DisplayPort 1.4 port. While the card has only one DisplayPort, it can support multiple displays through a DisplayPort Multi-Stream Transport (MST) hub. By using an MST hub, you can connect a monitor directly via DisplayPort and another via a DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter, both using the single DisplayPort port. The HDMI port connects the third monitor. All connections support 4K at 60 Hz: HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 natively, and the DisplayPort-to-HDMI adapter, if active and HDMI 2.0 compliant, preserves 4K resolution. The DVI-D port is single-link DVI and limited to 1920x1200, so it cannot drive a 4K monitor.

Answer

Connect one monitor via HDMI, one via DisplayPort, and one via DVI-D

Answer

Use a DisplayPort hub to connect all three monitors to the single DisplayPort

Answer

Replace the graphics card with one that has three DisplayPorts

Question 12

A customer reports that their desktop PC, which originally had 8 GB of RAM, is now very slow after they installed a second 8 GB stick. The system boots and shows 16 GB in the BIOS, but the OS only reports 8 GB usable. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The motherboard only supports up to 8 GB of RAM.. The most likely cause is that the motherboard has a 8 GB maximum memory limit, often due to chipset or BIOS limitations. Even if the BIOS detects 16 GB installed, the OS cannot address beyond the supported limit, resulting in only 8 GB usable. This is a common occurrence on older motherboards or those with a 32-bit UEFI.

Answer

The new RAM stick is faulty and needs to be replaced.

Answer

The RAM is not fully seated in the slot.

Answer

The new RAM stick is incompatible with the existing module, causing the system to run in single-channel mode and limiting usable memory.

Question 13

A customer reports that their new VoIP phone cannot register with the company's call server, but their computer on the same switch port works fine. The network uses VLANs for voice and data traffic. Which protocol must be configured on the switch port to separate the voice traffic from the data traffic?

Accepted Answer

802.1Q. 802.1Q is the IEEE standard for VLAN tagging, which allows a single switch port to carry traffic for multiple VLANs. In this scenario, the switch port must be configured as an 802.1Q trunk or use a voice VLAN feature that tags VoIP traffic with a specific VLAN ID, separating it from the untagged data traffic. This ensures the VoIP phone can communicate with the call server on its designated voice VLAN while the computer continues to work on the data VLAN.

Answer

DHCP

Answer

DNS

Answer

ARP

Question 14

A user reports that their email client cannot send messages but can receive them. The technician verifies that the email server is reachable and that the user's credentials are correct. Which protocol is most likely misconfigured in the email client?

Accepted Answer

SMTP. SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) is used for sending outgoing email messages from a client to a server or between mail servers. Since the user can receive emails but not send them, and the server is reachable with correct credentials, the most likely misconfiguration is in the SMTP settings (e.g., wrong port, missing authentication, or incorrect server address).

Answer

POP3

Answer

IMAP

Answer

HTTP

Question 15

During a network upgrade, a technician installs a new wireless access point. Users on the new AP can access local resources but cannot browse the internet. The technician verifies that the AP has a valid IP address and can ping an external website by IP address. Which protocol is most likely misconfigured?

Accepted Answer

DNS. The technician can ping an external website by IP address, which confirms that IP routing, ICMP, and internet connectivity are working. However, users cannot browse the internet, which typically relies on domain name resolution. Since the AP has a valid IP address and local resources are accessible, the most likely misconfiguration is DNS, as the AP or its clients are not receiving the correct DNS server addresses to resolve domain names to IP addresses.

Answer

DHCP

Answer

ICMP

Answer

ARP