CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
A network administrator is troubleshooting a Windows 10 workstation that cannot access the internet. The workstation receives an IPv4 address starting with 169.254.x.x. The network uses DHCP, and other workstations on the same subnet are working correctly. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between DHCP failure symptoms (APIPA) and other connectivity issues, trapping candidates who confuse DNS or gateway misconfigurations with the inability to obtain an IP lease.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The workstation's network cable is unplugged or faulty, preventing DHCP communication.
The 169.254.x.x address is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address assigned by Windows when DHCP fails. Since other workstations on the same subnet work correctly, the DHCP server and network are functional, isolating the issue to the specific workstation. A faulty or unplugged network cable would prevent the workstation from sending DHCP Discover messages, causing it to fall back to APIPA.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The workstation's DNS server settings are incorrect.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect DNS server settings affect name resolution only; DHCP address assignment occurs before DNS is used. DNS parameters are delivered as DHCP options (e.g., option 6) after the client obtains an address, so a DNS misconfiguration cannot prevent the DHCP transaction. A workstation with bad DNS would still receive a routable IP from the DHCP server and then fail to resolve domain names, not fall back to APIPA.
- ✓
The workstation's network cable is unplugged or faulty, preventing DHCP communication.
Why this is correct
A physical connectivity issue (e.g., unplugged or faulty cable) prevents the workstation from reaching the DHCP server, causing it to fall back to APIPA. This is the most common cause when only one workstation is affected.
- ✗
The DHCP server has exhausted its address pool.
Why it's wrong here
If the DHCP server had exhausted its pool, it would stop offering addresses to all new clients, not just this one workstation, causing multiple devices to fail or fall back to APIPA. Since the scenario explicitly states that other workstations are operating correctly, a scope exhaustion is inconsistent with the single-client failure. Furthermore, DHCP pool exhaustion typically triggers a DHCPNAK or no response, but the root cause here is a client-side connectivity problem that isolates this particular device from the server.
- ✗
The workstation's default gateway is misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
A misconfigured default gateway would only prevent traffic from leaving the local subnet, but the workstation would still obtain a valid IP address via DHCP. The DHCP client-server exchange is a Layer 2 broadcast process that does not rely on the default gateway, so a gateway error cannot cause the link-local 169.254.x.x APIPA address. If the gateway were wrong, the workstation would show a normal IP with 'No Internet' rather than an APIPA address.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The workstation's network cable is unplugged or faulty, preventing DHCP communication.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
A physical connectivity issue (e.g., unplugged or faulty cable) prevents the workstation from reaching the DHCP server, causing it to fall back to APIPA. This is the most common cause when only one workstation is affected.
✗The workstation's DNS server settings are incorrect.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Incorrect DNS settings prevent name resolution but do not affect IP address assignment. The workstation would still receive a valid IP from DHCP, not an APIPA address.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse DNS issues with DHCP issues because both can cause internet connectivity problems. However, DNS does not impact IP address acquisition.
✗The DHCP server has exhausted its address pool.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
If the DHCP pool were exhausted, all workstations would fail to obtain addresses and use APIPA. The scenario states other workstations are working correctly, so pool exhaustion is not the cause.
Why candidates choose this
Students may think DHCP pool exhaustion is a common cause of APIPA addresses, but they overlook that it would affect multiple clients, not just one.
✗The workstation's default gateway is misconfigured.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
A misconfigured default gateway would prevent internet access but the workstation would still receive a valid IP from DHCP. APIPA addresses are only assigned when DHCP fails entirely.
Why candidates choose this
Since the symptom is no internet access, students might jump to gateway misconfiguration. However, the APIPA address indicates a DHCP failure, not a routing issue.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Visual reference
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
IPv4 Addressing and Address Classes
Key term
DHCP server
A DHCP server is a network device or service that automatically assigns IP addresses and other network configuration parameters to devices on a network, eliminating the need for manual configuration.
Key term
Subnet
A subnet is a logical subdivision of an IP network, created by partitioning a larger network address space using subnet masks.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.