easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A customer reports that their laptop can connect…
A customer reports that their laptop can connect to the internet via Wi-Fi but cannot access any network shares on the local file server. Other devices on the same network can access the shares. What is the most likely cause?
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 laptop has a misconfigured subnet mask.
This scenario tests understanding of network segmentation and IP addressing. The laptop can reach the internet (default gateway works) but not local resources, indicating a subnet mask or VLAN mismatch. The most common cause is an incorrect subnet mask, which prevents the laptop from recognizing the file server as local.
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 file server is powered off.
Why it's wrong here
If the file server were powered off, no device on the network would be able to access its shares. The problem states that other devices *can* access the shares, which directly contradicts the idea of the server being offline. Furthermore, the laptop's ability to access the internet indicates that its basic network connectivity is functional, pointing away from a server-side issue affecting only one client.
- ✓
The laptop has a misconfigured subnet mask.
Why this is correct
A misconfigured subnet mask is a highly plausible cause for this specific symptom. If the laptop's subnet mask is set incorrectly, it might misinterpret which IP addresses are on its local network segment and which require routing through the default gateway. For instance, if the mask makes the file server's IP appear outside the local subnet, the laptop would attempt to send traffic for the file server to its default gateway, which would then drop the packet as it's not intended for routing to an external network. However, if the default gateway's IP is still correctly perceived as local, internet access would remain functional.
- ✗
The Wi-Fi router is overloaded.
Why it's wrong here
An overloaded Wi-Fi router would typically manifest as widespread network performance issues, affecting *all* connected devices, not just a single laptop. Since other devices are working fine and the laptop itself can access the internet, the router is clearly capable of handling traffic and performing its routing functions. This scenario points to a client-specific configuration problem rather than a general network infrastructure bottleneck.
- ✗
The laptop's firewall is blocking all traffic.
Why it's wrong here
If the laptop's firewall were blocking all traffic, it would be unable to connect to *any* network resources, including the internet. The fact that the laptop can successfully access the internet directly contradicts the statement that its firewall is blocking all traffic. While a firewall *could* be configured to selectively block local network access while allowing internet access, the option specifically states "all traffic," making it incorrect.
Visual reference
Quick reference
IPv4 Address Class Summary
| Class | First Octet Range | Default Mask | Networks | Hosts per Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–126 | /8 (255.0.0.0) | 126 | 16,777,214 |
| B | 128–191 | /16 (255.255.0.0) | 16,384 | 65,534 |
| C | 192–223 | /24 (255.255.255.0) | 2,097,152 | 254 |
| D | 224–239 | N/A | Multicast groups | — |
| E | 240–255 | N/A | Reserved / experimental | — |
127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 972 original 220-1201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
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.