hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is configuring a small office…
A technician is configuring a small office network and needs to assign a static IP address to a printer. The technician pings the intended IP address and gets no reply, but the printer still fails to communicate after configuration. Which tool should be used to verify that no other device on the network is using that IP address?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common misconception is that a successful ping (or lack of reply) is sufficient to verify IP availability, when in fact ARP is the definitive tool to detect IP conflicts because it works even when ICMP is blocked.
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
✓
arp -a
The `arp -a` command displays the current ARP cache, which maps IP addresses to MAC addresses on the local network. If another device is already using the intended IP address, its MAC address will appear in the ARP cache for that IP, confirming a conflict. This is the correct tool because it directly shows which MAC address is associated with the IP, even if the device does not respond to ping (e.g., due to firewall rules).
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Ping -t
Why it's wrong here
Continuous ping may show responses if the IP is in use, but it doesn't reveal the MAC address of the responding device.
- ✓
arp -a
Why this is correct
arp -a displays the ARP table, which lists IP addresses and their associated MAC addresses, helping confirm if the IP is already assigned to another device.
- ✗
ipconfig /all
Why it's wrong here
ipconfig /all shows the local computer's IP configuration, not the IP usage of other devices on the network.
- ✗
Netstat -r
Why it's wrong here
Netstat -r displays the routing table, which is not directly useful for checking IP address conflicts.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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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.