220-1101 Practice Exam 54 — 20 Questions

Question 1

A user reports that their desktop computer intermittently loses network connectivity for a few seconds at a time. The technician observes that the link light on the NIC turns off briefly and then back on. The technician has already replaced the Ethernet cable and the switch port. The issue persists. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check for electromagnetic interference near the cable. The link light turning off indicates a physical layer issue, and since the cable and switch port have already been replaced, the next likely cause is electromagnetic interference (EMI) from nearby sources such as power cables, fluorescent lights, or large motors. EMI can corrupt the signal on unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling, causing the NIC to momentarily lose link. Checking for and rerouting cables away from interference sources is the appropriate next step before replacing hardware.

Answer

Update the NIC driver

Answer

Replace the network interface card (NIC)

Answer

Configure the NIC to use a static IP address

Question 2

A network technician is troubleshooting an issue where users in the Sales department cannot access a file server located in the Engineering department. The network consists of multiple switches connected via fiber optic cables. The technician verifies that the file server is online and can be pinged by its IP address from a Sales workstation. However, when attempting to access the file server by its hostname (\fileserver\share), the access fails. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

DNS server settings on the workstations. The issue is that the file server is reachable by IP address but not by hostname. This indicates that name resolution is failing, and DNS is the service responsible for translating hostnames to IP addresses. Since the workstation can ping the server's IP, connectivity and routing are working, so the first thing to check is the DNS server settings on the workstations to ensure they are configured with a valid DNS server that can resolve the hostname 'fileserver'.

Answer

The default gateway configuration

Answer

VLAN configuration on the switches

Answer

The file server's firewall settings

Question 3

A technician is troubleshooting a desktop workstation that can successfully ping other local devices and the default gateway by IP address, but cannot access any websites when browsing with a web browser. The workstation obtains its IP configuration automatically via DHCP. The technician confirms that the DHCP server is providing a valid DNS server address and that other workstations on the same network can browse the internet normally. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

The workstation is configured to use a proxy server that is not available. The workstation can ping local devices and the default gateway by IP address, confirming that Layer 2/3 connectivity (ARP, IP routing) is functional. However, it cannot browse websites, which requires DNS resolution (UDP/TCP port 53) and HTTP/HTTPS traffic (TCP ports 80/443). Since other workstations on the same network browse normally, the issue is isolated to this workstation. A misconfigured proxy server (e.g., set in browser or system proxy settings) can intercept or block web traffic, preventing access to websites even when DNS and IP connectivity are working.

Answer

Duplicate IP address on the network

Answer

Incorrect subnet mask configured by DHCP

Answer

The workstation's DNS client cache is corrupted

Question 4

A small business hosts its e-commerce website on a public cloud IaaS platform. During a major promotional event, traffic to the website increases by 15 times its normal volume. The cloud platform automatically provisions additional virtual servers to handle the load and then deprovisions them after the event ends, without any manual intervention. Which essential characteristic of cloud computing does this scenario BEST demonstrate?

Accepted Answer

Rapid elasticity. The scenario describes the cloud platform automatically scaling virtual servers up and down in response to a 15x traffic spike, then deprovisioning them without manual intervention. This directly demonstrates rapid elasticity, which is the ability to dynamically scale resources out and in based on demand, a core characteristic defined by NIST SP 800-145.

Answer

On-demand self-service

Answer

Broad network access

Answer

Resource pooling

Question 5

A technician installs a new PoE security camera in an office. The camera is connected to a wall jack that runs to a PoE-enabled switch. The camera does not power on. The technician tests the cable with a cable tester and it passes. The switch port has a solid link light. The technician connects a known-working laptop to the same wall jack, and the laptop gets an IP address and can access the network. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this issue?

Accepted Answer

The camera requires a higher PoE standard than the switch provides.. The camera does not power on despite the cable passing a continuity test, the switch port showing a link light, and a known-working laptop successfully obtaining an IP address through the same wall jack. This indicates that the physical layer and basic network connectivity are functional, but the PoE power delivery is insufficient. The most likely cause is that the camera requires a higher PoE standard (e.g., PoE+ 802.3at, which provides up to 30W) than the switch provides (e.g., standard PoE 802.3af, which provides up to 15.4W), so the camera cannot draw enough power to boot.

Answer

The cable is too long for PoE to function correctly.

Answer

The switch port does not have PoE enabled.

Answer

The camera has an IP address conflict with another device on the network.

Question 6

A software development company wants to migrate a custom Python web application to the cloud. The team wants to focus exclusively on writing code and managing the database, without worrying about patching the operating system, managing the runtime environment, or scaling the underlying servers. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?

Accepted Answer

Platform as a Service (PaaS). Platform as a Service (PaaS) provides a managed platform that includes the runtime environment, operating system, and scaling capabilities, allowing developers to focus solely on writing code and managing the database. In this scenario, the team wants to avoid patching the OS, managing the runtime, or scaling servers, which aligns exactly with PaaS offerings like AWS Elastic Beanstalk or Google App Engine.

Answer

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Answer

Software as a Service (SaaS)

Answer

Desktop as a Service (DaaS)

Question 7

A technician presses the power button on a desktop computer. The power LED turns on, all fans spin, but the monitor remains black and no POST beep codes are heard. The technician reseats the RAM modules into their slots and then the computer boots normally. Which of the following was MOST likely the cause of the issue?

Accepted Answer

B. The symptom of fans spinning and power LED on but no POST beep codes and a black screen indicates the CPU is not executing the POST routine. Reseating the RAM resolved the issue, meaning the RAM was not properly seated or making contact, preventing the CPU from accessing the memory controller and completing POST. Without RAM, the system cannot initialize the video output or generate beep codes, as the BIOS cannot proceed past the memory initialization step.

Answer

A

Answer

C

Answer

D

Question 8

A user reports that their computer's internet speed is much slower than expected. A speed test shows 10 Mbps, but the ISP plan provides 100 Mbps. The technician tests a laptop directly connected to the ISP modem and gets 100 Mbps. The user's computer is connected to the network via a wall jack and patch panel. The technician checks the computer's NIC and sees it is negotiating at 10 Mbps. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The Ethernet cable is damaged or of poor quality.. The technician's laptop achieves 100 Mbps when directly connected to the ISP modem, proving the ISP service and modem are functioning correctly. The user's computer negotiates at only 10 Mbps, which is a classic symptom of a faulty or substandard Ethernet cable that fails to support 100BASE-TX signaling. Damaged or poor-quality cables often cause the auto-negotiation process to fall back to 10BASE-T, as the link pulses for 100 Mbps cannot be reliably exchanged.

Answer

The NIC driver is out of date.

Answer

The switch port is configured for 10 Mbps full-duplex.

Answer

The computer has a virus consuming bandwidth.

Question 9

A network technician configures a managed switch with two VLANs: VLAN 10 (Marketing: 192.168.10.0/24) and VLAN 20 (Engineering: 192.168.20.0/24). The switch is connected to a router via a single trunk port. The router has subinterfaces configured: G0/0.10 with IP 192.168.10.1/24 and G0/0.20 with IP 192.168.20.1/24. A workstation in Marketing can ping its own default gateway (192.168.10.1) but cannot ping the Engineering gateway (192.168.20.1). Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The switch port connecting to the router is configured as an access port in VLAN 10. The workstation in Marketing can ping its own gateway (192.168.10.1) because that subnet is directly reachable via the switch. However, it cannot ping the Engineering gateway (192.168.20.1) because the switch port connecting to the router is configured as an access port in VLAN 10. This forces all traffic from the router to the switch to be untagged and only in VLAN 10, so frames destined for VLAN 20 are dropped or misdelivered. A trunk port with 802.1Q encapsulation is required to carry both VLANs over the single link.

Answer

The router's subinterface G0/0.20 is not configured with the correct encapsulation

Answer

The workstation in Marketing has an incorrect subnet mask

Answer

The routing table on the router does not have routes for the Engineering subnet

Question 10

A user reports that their laptop's touchpad is not working. The technician checks Device Manager and sees the touchpad is not listed. The function key (Fn + F7) that enables/disables the touchpad does not seem to respond. The technician has rebooted the laptop. Which of the following should the technician try NEXT?

Accepted Answer

Check BIOS settings for touchpad enable/disable. The touchpad not appearing in Device Manager and the Fn key not responding suggests the device is disabled at a lower level than the OS, such as in the BIOS/UEFI firmware. Checking BIOS settings is the correct next step because many laptops have a hardware-level enable/disable toggle for the touchpad that overrides OS and driver settings. This is a standard troubleshooting step before attempting driver updates or hardware replacement.

Answer

Update the touchpad driver via Windows Update

Answer

Replace the touchpad hardware

Answer

Run the System File Checker (sfc /scannow)

Question 11

A user reports that they cannot access the internet. The technician checks the network status on the computer and sees that the Ethernet cable is plugged in, but the link light on the network interface card is not illuminated. Which of the following should the technician check FIRST?

Accepted Answer

The cable connection at the patch panel or wall jack. The link light on the NIC indicates Layer 1 (physical) connectivity. Since it is not illuminated, the issue is almost certainly a physical connection problem, such as a loose or damaged cable at the wall jack or patch panel. Checking the cable connection at the patch panel or wall jack is the first logical step before moving to higher-layer troubleshooting.

Answer

The IP address configuration in the operating system

Answer

The DNS server settings

Answer

The firewall rules

Question 12

A user's smartphone has a cracked screen that is still partially functional, but the touch input does not work in the cracked area. The user wants to back up all data before taking it for repair. Which method would be MOST reliable to back up the data if the screen is unresponsive?

Accepted Answer

Use a cloud backup service that was previously enabled.. Option B is correct because if a cloud backup service (e.g., iCloud, Google Drive, Samsung Cloud) was previously enabled and configured to back up automatically, the user can restore the data after the repair without needing any screen interaction. This method does not require the touchscreen to be functional, as backups occur in the background over Wi-Fi. It is the most reliable approach when the screen is unresponsive and no prior wired connection was established.

Answer

Connect the phone to a computer via USB and use file explorer.

Answer

Use an OTG cable to connect a mouse.

Answer

Use the phone's recovery mode to perform a full backup.

Question 13

A technician is troubleshooting a laser printer that produces pages with a faint, blurry image on one side of the page (right edge). The problem occurs on every print job and the print quality is otherwise normal. The technician has already replaced the toner cartridge and the imaging drum, but the issue persists. Which of the following printer components is the MOST likely cause of this problem?

Accepted Answer

Transfer roller. The transfer roller applies a positive charge to the paper to attract the negatively charged toner from the imaging drum. If the transfer roller is damaged, worn, or has uneven pressure on one side, it will fail to transfer toner uniformly across the page, causing a faint, blurry image on the affected edge. Since the toner cartridge and imaging drum have already been replaced, the transfer roller is the next most likely cause of this localized print defect.

Answer

Fuser assembly

Answer

Laser scanner

Answer

Pickup rollers

Question 14

A user reports that their smartphone will not charge. A technician inspects the charging port and notices debris inside the port. Which of the following tools should the technician use to safely clean the debris?

Accepted Answer

A wooden toothpick. A wooden toothpick is non-conductive and non-abrasive, making it safe to dislodge debris from the charging port without damaging the delicate pins or shorting the connector. Compressed air can push debris deeper, metal objects risk scratching or shorting contacts, and cotton swabs may leave fibers or moisture behind.

Answer

Compressed air

Answer

A metal paperclip

Answer

A cotton swab with alcohol

Question 15

A technician is assembling a desktop computer in a new case. After installing the motherboard and connecting all components, the computer powers on but immediately shuts down after a few seconds. The technician notices that the motherboard is touching the metal case in several places and that no standoffs were installed between the motherboard and the case tray. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the shutdown?

Accepted Answer

There is a short circuit between the motherboard and the case.. When the motherboard touches the metal case without standoffs, exposed solder points or traces on the back of the board can contact the conductive case, creating an unintended electrical path. This short circuit typically triggers the power supply's overcurrent protection (OCP) or short-circuit protection (SCP), causing the system to power on briefly and then immediately shut down to prevent damage.

Answer

The CPU is overheating due to improper cooler installation.

Answer

The power supply unit is underpowered for the system.

Answer

The front panel power button is incorrectly wired.

Question 16

A user reports that their Android smartphone will not charge when connected to a USB-C cable. The user has tried multiple chargers and cables, all of which work fine with other devices. The phone's battery is nearly empty. The technician inspects the phone's USB-C port and sees no visible damage. Which of the following should the technician do FIRST?

Accepted Answer

Gently clean the USB-C port with a toothpick or non-conductive tool. Option C is correct because the most common cause of a device not charging despite functional cables and chargers is debris or lint compacted inside the USB-C port. Gently cleaning with a non-conductive tool (like a toothpick or plastic pick) can remove the obstruction without damaging the delicate pins, restoring electrical contact. This is a quick, non-invasive first step before any hardware replacement.

Answer

Perform a factory reset on the phone

Answer

Replace the battery

Answer

Replace the USB-C charging port assembly

Question 17

A company uses a cloud provider to host a legacy application that requires a specific hardware serial number (e.g., the BIOS UUID of the physical server) for licensing. The licensing software checks this identifier at startup and will not run on hardware with a different serial number. The company wants to maintain control over the underlying hardware and ensure the serial number remains constant. Which cloud deployment model would BEST meet this requirement?

Accepted Answer

Private cloud. A private cloud is the correct choice because it allows the company to maintain exclusive control over the underlying physical hardware. In a private cloud, the organization owns or leases the servers and can ensure the BIOS UUID remains constant, satisfying the legacy application's licensing requirement. Public, hybrid, and community clouds typically abstract or share hardware, making it impossible to guarantee a fixed hardware serial number.

Answer

Public cloud

Answer

Hybrid cloud

Answer

Community cloud

Question 18

A company hosts its e-commerce platform on a public cloud. The cloud provider monitors the health of virtual server instances and automatically redirects incoming requests away from any instance that fails to respond. This ensures that the platform remains operational even if individual VMs crash. Which cloud computing characteristic does this scenario BEST illustrate?

Accepted Answer

Fault tolerance. This scenario best illustrates fault tolerance because the cloud provider automatically detects a failed virtual server instance and redirects incoming requests away from it, ensuring the platform continues to operate without interruption. Fault tolerance is the ability of a system to continue functioning even when one or more of its components fail, which is exactly what the automatic redirection of traffic from a crashed VM achieves.

Answer

High availability

Answer

Elasticity

Answer

Resource pooling

Question 19

A technician is assembling a new desktop computer. After installing the CPU, thermal paste, and heatsink, the technician connects all power cables and turns on the system. The fans spin, but the system shuts down after about 10 seconds. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The heatsink fan is not connected to the CPU fan header.. The system shuts down after about 10 seconds because the CPU is overheating. Without the heatsink fan connected to the CPU fan header, the fan does not spin, and the CPU quickly reaches its thermal threshold, triggering an automatic shutdown to prevent damage. This is a common safety feature in modern motherboards.

Answer

The CPU is not compatible with the motherboard.

Answer

The power supply is insufficient wattage.

Answer

The RAM is not seated properly.

Question 20

A technician builds a desktop computer. The motherboard has four SATA ports and two M.2 slots. The technician installs a 2.5" SATA SSD and an M.2 NVMe SSD. The system boots from the SATA SSD, but the M.2 NVMe SSD is not detected in Windows. In the BIOS, the M.2 slot is enabled. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The NVMe driver is not installed in the operating system.. The M.2 NVMe SSD is detected in the BIOS but not in Windows because the operating system lacks the necessary NVMe driver. NVMe drives require a specific driver to communicate with the storage stack; without it, Windows cannot enumerate or mount the drive, even though the BIOS sees it as a valid device. This is a common scenario when installing an NVMe SSD on a system that originally booted from a SATA drive, as the default Windows installation may not include the NVMe driver.

Answer

The M.2 SSD is not properly seated in the slot.

Answer

The SATA SSD is using the same lanes as the M.2 slot, causing a conflict.

Answer

The M.2 SSD is not formatted with a file system.