easyMultiple Choice
220-1201 Practice Question: A company deploys a new multifunction printer…
A company deploys a new multifunction printer that supports both USB and network connectivity. The printer is installed in a conference room and must be accessible to all employees on the same subnet. Which connection method should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse direct connection methods (USB, Wi-Fi Direct) with true network connectivity; candidates might think any wireless or adapter solution provides shared access, but only a direct Ethernet connection to the LAN gives the printer its own network identity.
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
✓
Connect the printer to the network using an Ethernet cable
The printer must be accessible to all employees on the same subnet, so the technician should connect it directly to the network via Ethernet. This gives the printer its own IP address and allows any authorized user on the LAN to send print jobs over standard protocols like IPP or LPD. USB and Wi-Fi Direct are point-to-point connections that do not provide shared network access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Connect the printer via USB to the nearest workstation
Why it's wrong here
Connecting a multifunction printer directly to a single workstation via USB establishes a point-to-point connection, making it a local peripheral for that specific computer. This configuration prevents other employees from directly accessing the printer's functions, such as printing, scanning, or faxing, across the company network. While the host workstation could potentially share the printer, this method is inefficient, unreliable, and does not provide the robust, simultaneous access required for a shared company resource.
- ✓
Connect the printer to the network using an Ethernet cable
Why this is correct
Connecting the multifunction printer to the company's local area network (LAN) via an Ethernet cable is the most appropriate and robust solution for shared office environments. This method assigns the printer an IP address, making it a network-attached device that all authorized users on the subnet can discover and utilize for printing, scanning, and other functions. Ethernet provides a stable, high-bandwidth connection, ensuring reliable access and efficient operation for multiple users simultaneously across the entire company infrastructure.
- ✗
Use a USB-to-Ethernet adapter
Why it's wrong here
Employing a USB-to-Ethernet adapter is an unsuitable solution for integrating a multifunction printer into a company network. These adapters are primarily designed to provide network connectivity to devices that lack an Ethernet port, such as some laptops, not to convert a printer's USB interface into a network-shareable resource. Printers with network capabilities are engineered with integrated Ethernet ports or Wi-Fi modules, and attempting to force network functionality through an unsupported adapter would result in unreliable performance, driver incompatibility issues, and a lack of proper network management features.
- ✗
Enable Wi-Fi Direct on the printer
Why it's wrong here
Enabling Wi-Fi Direct on the printer would establish a direct, ad-hoc wireless connection between the printer and a single client device, bypassing the existing company network entirely. While convenient for individual, temporary connections, this technology is designed for point-to-point communication and does not integrate the printer as a shared network resource. Consequently, only one user could connect at a time, and the printer would not be discoverable or accessible to all other employees across the corporate LAN, making it unsuitable for a shared office environment.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1201
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician is deploying an MFP that supports both USB and network connectivity. The office wants all users on the network to be able to print and scan from the device. Which connection method should the technician use?
easy- A.USB connection to a single workstation
- ✓ B.Ethernet connection to the network switch
- C.Bluetooth connection to each user's device
- D.Parallel port connection to a print server
Why B: The Ethernet connection to the network switch allows the MFP to be a shared network resource, enabling all users on the LAN to send print jobs and receive scans directly over TCP/IP. This is the standard method for deploying a multifunction peripheral in a multi-user office environment, as it supports simultaneous access and doesn't rely on a single host. USB, Bluetooth, and parallel connections are all point-to-point and cannot provide the required shared access.
JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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