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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 network work fine. The technician runs ipconfig and sees an IP address of 169.254.12.34 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests the misconception that a 169.254.x.x address indicates a faulty NIC, but the trap here is that the address is actually a sign of DHCP failure, not hardware failure, and the subnet mask 255.255.0.0 is correct for APIPA.
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 to the laptop's request.
The IP address 169.254.12.34 with a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, assigned by Windows when the DHCP client fails to receive a response from a DHCP server. Since other devices on the same network work fine, the DHCP server is operational, but the laptop's DHCP request is not being answered, likely due to a network connectivity issue between the laptop and the DHCP server or a DHCP client service problem.
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 laptop has a static IP address configured incorrectly.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. If a laptop were configured with a static IP address, it would attempt to use that specific address, regardless of its correctness. The operating system would not fall back to assigning an APIPA address (169.254.x.x) unless the static configuration was removed or DHCP was enabled and subsequently failed. APIPA is a mechanism for automatic IP assignment when DHCP is unavailable, not a result of an incorrectly configured static IP.
- ✓
The DHCP server is not responding to the laptop's request.
Why this is correct
This is correct. When a client device is configured to obtain an IP address automatically via DHCP and fails to receive a response from a DHCP server, the operating system will self-assign an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address. These addresses are always in the 169.254.0.0/16 range, indicating that the device cannot communicate with a DHCP server and thus cannot obtain a routable IP address for network access.
- ✗
The subnet mask is wrong; it should be 255.255.255.0.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. While an APIPA address uses a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask, the presence of an APIPA address itself signifies a failure to obtain *any* IP configuration from a DHCP server, not merely an incorrect subnet mask. If an IP address had been successfully obtained but with a wrong subnet mask, the device would have a valid IP (e.g., 192.168.1.10) but would experience routing issues, not an APIPA address.
- ✗
The laptop's network adapter is faulty.
Why it's wrong here
This is incorrect. A physically faulty network adapter would typically manifest as a 'media disconnected' status, an inability to detect network cables, or a complete lack of network interface functionality. The assignment of an APIPA address indicates that the network adapter is functional enough to attempt DHCP communication and, upon failure, to self-assign an IP address, rather than being completely inoperable.
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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.