mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a VM that cannot…
A technician is troubleshooting a VM that cannot connect to the internet. The host has a single NIC and uses a Type 2 hypervisor. The VM's virtual switch is set to 'NAT'. Other VMs on the same host can access the internet. What is the most likely reason for the connectivity issue?
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 VM's IP address is configured as static and does not match the NAT subnet
NAT mode typically works for internet access, but if other VMs are working, the problem is likely within the VM's network configuration. A misconfigured IP address or gateway can prevent connectivity even when the virtual switch is correct.
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 virtual switch is set to 'Internal'
Why it's wrong here
An 'Internal' virtual switch type is designed to facilitate communication solely between virtual machines on the same host and with the host itself, explicitly preventing any external network or internet access. However, the scenario indicates the virtual switch is configured for Network Address Translation (NAT), which is intended to provide internet connectivity. Therefore, the switch being set to 'Internal' contradicts the given information and is not the cause of the VM's inability to connect.
- ✓
The VM's IP address is configured as static and does not match the NAT subnet
Why this is correct
When a virtual switch utilizes Network Address Translation (NAT), it typically operates within a specific private IP subnet and acts as the gateway, often assigning addresses via DHCP. If a virtual machine is manually configured with a static IP address that falls outside of this designated NAT subnet range, it will be unable to locate or communicate with the NAT gateway. This misconfiguration directly prevents the VM from accessing the internet or any external network resources, explaining the isolated connectivity failure.
- ✗
The host's firewall is blocking all outbound traffic
Why it's wrong here
If the host machine's firewall were configured to block all outbound network traffic, this restriction would universally impact every virtual machine that relies on the host's network adapter for its NAT connectivity. The problem description specifies that the issue is isolated to a single virtual machine, implying that other VMs on the same NAT network are likely functioning correctly. Consequently, a host-level firewall block is inconsistent with an isolated VM connectivity problem.
- ✗
The hypervisor needs to be reinstalled
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling the entire hypervisor is an extreme and disruptive troubleshooting measure, typically reserved for widespread system failures, corruption, or issues affecting all virtual machines. Given that the problem is specifically isolated to the network connectivity of a single virtual machine, it strongly suggests a targeted configuration error within that VM or its virtual network settings, rather than a fundamental hypervisor malfunction requiring a complete system overhaul.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
This 220-1201 question is part of Courseiva's 972-question bank — original exam-style content with full explanations and wrong-answer analysis, never real exam questions or exam dumps. 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.