easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1202 Practice Question: That they cannot connect to the company's…
A user reports that they cannot connect to the company's internal file server from home using the provided VPN client. They can access the internet without issues. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this problem?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to assume any remote access issue is due to firewall blocking or server failure, overlooking the specific split tunneling misconfiguration that allows internet but blocks internal resources.
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 VPN client is configured for split tunneling, and the file server's IP range is not in the allowed routes.
Split tunneling allows the VPN client to route only specific traffic (e.g., corporate subnets) through the encrypted tunnel, while all other traffic goes directly to the internet. If the file server's IP range is not included in the allowed routes, traffic to that server will bypass the VPN and be sent unencrypted to the user's local gateway, which cannot reach the internal server. This matches the symptom: internet works, but the file server is unreachable.
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 user's home router is blocking VPN traffic on port 443.
Why it's wrong here
If port 443 (commonly used for SSL VPNs) were blocked on the user's home router, the VPN tunnel itself would fail to establish, preventing *any* traffic from traversing the VPN, including internet access if the VPN is configured for full tunneling. Since the user can access the internet, the VPN tunnel is likely established and functioning at a basic level. Therefore, port blocking is an unlikely cause for *selective* internal resource access failure while external internet access remains operational.
- ✓
The VPN client is configured for split tunneling, and the file server's IP range is not in the allowed routes.
Why this is correct
Split tunneling is a VPN configuration where only traffic destined for specific corporate network subnets is routed through the VPN tunnel, while all other traffic, such as general internet browsing, is sent directly from the user's local network. If the file server's IP range or subnet is not explicitly included in the VPN client's routing table for the tunnel, the client will attempt to reach it directly via the local network. This attempt will fail as the server is on the corporate network, explaining why internet access works but internal resources are unreachable.
- ✗
The file server is powered off or experiencing a hardware failure.
Why it's wrong here
If the file server were powered off or suffering a hardware failure, *all* users, both local and remote, would be unable to access it. The problem statement implies a specific issue for a *remote* user connecting via VPN, while their internet access still functions. This indicates the issue is client-side or VPN-related, specifically affecting the remote user's access to internal resources, rather than a universal server outage.
- ✗
The user's VPN client software is outdated and needs to be reinstalled.
Why it's wrong here
While outdated VPN client software can certainly lead to connection issues or instability, the fact that the user can successfully connect to the internet (presumably through the VPN if full tunneling is configured, or directly if split tunneling) indicates the core VPN tunnel establishment and client functionality are operational. An outdated client would typically prevent the VPN from connecting at all, rather than selectively blocking access to internal resources while allowing internet traffic.
Visual reference
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 495 original 220-1202 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 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.