easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: That their laptop cannot connect to the internet,…
A user reports that their laptop cannot connect to the internet, but other devices on the same wired network work fine. The technician checks the IP configuration and sees the laptop has an IP address of 169.254.3.12. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The most common mistake on this question is to assume that a 169.254.x.x address points to a DNS or gateway problem, but APIPA specifically indicates a DHCP failure, not a higher-layer or routing 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 DHCP server is not responding
The IP address 169.254.3.12 falls within the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when a DHCP discovery broadcast fails to receive a response. Since other devices on the same wired network work fine, the issue is isolated to this laptop's inability to reach the DHCP server, most likely due to a local configuration problem or a faulty network interface.
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 DNS server is unreachable
Why it's wrong here
An unreachable DNS server would prevent name resolution, meaning the laptop could not translate domain names to IP addresses for web browsing or accessing network resources by name. However, the device would still successfully obtain an IP address from a functioning DHCP server. The presence of a 169.254.x.x APIPA address indicates a failure in the fundamental IP address acquisition process itself, which occurs before any DNS resolution attempts.
- ✓
The DHCP server is not responding
Why this is correct
Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) assigns an IP address in the 169.254.x.x range specifically when a client is configured for DHCP but fails to receive an IP address from a DHCP server. This indicates that the client attempted to contact a DHCP server but received no response, making the DHCP server unreachable, offline, or misconfigured as the most probable cause for the APIPA assignment.
- ✗
The default gateway is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
A misconfigured default gateway would impact a device's ability to communicate with hosts outside its local subnet, preventing access to the internet or other networks. However, it would not prevent the device from obtaining a valid IP address, subnet mask, and DNS server information from a DHCP server. The client would still receive a proper IP, only failing when attempting to route traffic beyond its immediate network segment.
- ✗
The network cable is faulty
Why it's wrong here
While a faulty network cable can certainly prevent network connectivity, the assignment of an APIPA address implies that a physical link has been established and the network adapter is active. If the cable were completely faulty, disconnected, or the network interface card (NIC) was disabled, the operating system would typically report no link status, and the device would not even attempt DHCP or subsequently assign an APIPA address.
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.