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220-1201 Practice Question: A company's internal website is accessible by IP…
A company's internal website is accessible by IP address but not by its hostname. The website is hosted on a server with a static IP. Which service is most likely misconfigured?
⚠ Common exam trap
220-1201 often tests whether candidates can isolate a name-resolution failure from other network services — the trap is choosing DHCP or NAT because they are network-related, when the 'IP works, hostname doesn't' symptom uniquely implicates DNS.
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
✓
DNS
DNS resolves hostnames to IP addresses; if the site works by IP but not by hostname, name resolution is failing, which points to a DNS misconfiguration such as a missing or incorrect A record, wrong zone, or unreachable DNS server. The static IP working confirms the web server and network path are fine, isolating the fault to name resolution.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DHCP
Why it's wrong here
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is responsible for dynamically assigning IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and DNS server addresses to client devices on a network. While it provides the client with the address of the DNS server to use, DHCP itself does not perform the translation of a hostname into an IP address. Its primary role is network configuration and address management, not name resolution, making it unrelated to why a website is only accessible by its numerical IP.
- ✗
NAT
Why it's wrong here
Network Address Translation (NAT) is a method of remapping one IP address space into another by modifying network address information in the IP header of packets while they are in transit. Its primary function is to allow multiple devices on a private network to share a single public IP address when accessing the internet, or to translate between different private IP ranges. NAT does not resolve hostnames to IP addresses; it only translates existing IP addresses, thus it cannot be the reason a hostname isn't working.
- ✓
DNS
Why this is correct
The Domain Name System (DNS) is a hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the Internet or a private network. Its fundamental purpose is to translate human-readable domain names and hostnames, like 'internal.company.com', into numerical IP addresses, such as '192.168.1.10', which computers use to identify each other on a network. If a company's internal website is accessible by IP address but not by its hostname, it strongly indicates that the corresponding DNS record is either missing, incorrect, or inaccessible, preventing the name-to-IP resolution.
- ✗
RADIUS
Why it's wrong here
Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) is a networking protocol that provides centralized Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) management for users connecting to a network service. It is commonly used for verifying user credentials when accessing Wi-Fi networks, VPNs, or dial-up connections, ensuring only authorized users gain access. RADIUS has no function in translating hostnames to IP addresses; its role is purely access control and security, making it irrelevant to the problem of name resolution.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Common DNS Record Types
| Record | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A | IPv4 address mapping | example.com → 93.184.216.34 |
| AAAA | IPv6 address mapping | example.com → 2606:2800::1 |
| CNAME | Alias to another hostname | www → example.com |
| MX | Mail server for domain | example.com → mail.example.com (priority 10) |
| TXT | Text data (SPF, DKIM, verification) | v=spf1 include:_spf.example.com ~all |
| NS | Authoritative name servers | example.com NS ns1.example.com |
| PTR | Reverse DNS (IP → hostname) | 34.216.184.93.in-addr.arpa → example.com |
| SOA | Zone authority record | Primary NS, admin email, serial, TTL defaults |
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About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 220-1201 question from scratch — 871 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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
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.