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220-1201 Practice Question: Setting up a new branch office with 30 employees
A company is setting up a new branch office with 30 employees. They need to connect all workstations to the network and provide internet access. The internet connection is a fiber optic line terminating in an ONT. Which device should be placed between the ONT and the switch to route traffic and provide NAT?
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
✓
Router
The ONT converts fiber to Ethernet, but it does not route or perform NAT. A router is required to connect the local network to the internet, provide NAT, and handle IP addressing. A switch alone cannot route, and a firewall is often combined with a router but is not the primary device for routing. The correct answer is a router.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Patch panel
Why it's wrong here
A patch panel is a passive device used to organize and terminate network cables, providing a central point for connecting network devices to wall jacks or other equipment. It does not possess any active networking intelligence, such as the ability to route traffic between different networks, perform Network Address Translation (NAT), or connect to an ONT for internet access. Its function is purely physical layer cable management.
- ✓
Router
Why this is correct
A router is essential for connecting a local area network (LAN) to a wide area network (WAN), such as the internet, typically interfacing with an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) or modem. It performs Network Address Translation (NAT) to allow multiple internal devices to share a single public IP address and intelligently routes data packets between different IP networks based on their destination addresses. This device is crucial for establishing internet connectivity and managing traffic flow between the internal network and external resources.
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Layer 2 switch
Why it's wrong here
A Layer 2 switch operates at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model, forwarding Ethernet frames based on MAC addresses within the same broadcast domain or local network segment. While it efficiently connects multiple devices and segments a LAN, it lacks the capability to interpret IP addresses, route traffic between distinct IP networks, or perform Network Address Translation (NAT) for internet access. Therefore, it cannot establish the necessary connection to an ONT or manage external network communication.
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Firewall appliance
Why it's wrong here
A dedicated firewall appliance primarily functions to enforce security policies by filtering incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules, protecting the internal network from unauthorized access and threats. While some advanced firewalls can perform basic routing, their core purpose is security, and they typically operate in conjunction with a router, often placed behind it. A standalone firewall does not inherently provide the necessary routing capabilities, NAT services, or direct interface to an ONT required to establish and manage internet connectivity for an entire branch office.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 220-1201 exam.