The answer is that the VM’s DHCP lease has expired and it failed to obtain a new IP address. In bridged mode, the virtual machine acts as a separate device on the physical network, requesting its own IP from the network’s DHCP server. When that lease expires and the renewal process fails—often due to a temporary server hiccup or a stale lease table—the VM loses connectivity even though the host remains online. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of how bridged adapters differ from NAT or host-only modes, and it’s a common trap to blame the host’s firewall or the virtual switch. Remember: if the host is fine but a single bridged VM is down, think DHCP lease first. A quick memory tip: “Bridged means borrowed—if the lease is lost, the bridge is crossed.”
220-1202 Virtualization and Cloud Technologies Practice Question
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of virtualization and cloud technologies. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A user reports that their virtual machine, which is used for testing software, suddenly lost network connectivity. The host machine is connected to the internet and can browse websites. The VM is configured with a bridged network adapter. What is the most likely cause of this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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 DHCP lease has expired and it failed to obtain a new IP address.
In bridged mode, the VM gets its own IP address from the network's DHCP server. If the DHCP lease expired and the VM cannot renew it, connectivity is lost. The host's connection is fine, so the issue is specific to the VM's network configuration. A misconfigured firewall on the host would affect all VMs, not just one. The virtual switch is part of the hypervisor and unlikely to fail without affecting other VMs.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 host's firewall is blocking the VM's network traffic.
Why it's wrong here
If the host firewall were blocking, the host itself would likely also have issues or other VMs would be affected.
✓
The VM's DHCP lease has expired and it failed to obtain a new IP address.
Why this is correct
Bridged networking relies on DHCP; an expired lease without renewal causes loss of network access.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
The virtual switch on the host has been disabled.
Why it's wrong here
A disabled virtual switch would affect all VMs on that host, not just one.
✗
The VM's operating system is corrupted.
Why it's wrong here
OS corruption would likely cause other symptoms like boot failures or application crashes, not isolated network loss.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
→Underline the problem statement mentally.
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1202 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1202 question in full detail.
Identify which 220-1202 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — This question tests Virtualization and Cloud Technologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The VM's DHCP lease has expired and it failed to obtain a new IP address. — In bridged mode, the VM gets its own IP address from the network's DHCP server. If the DHCP lease expired and the VM cannot renew it, connectivity is lost. The host's connection is fine, so the issue is specific to the VM's network configuration. A misconfigured firewall on the host would affect all VMs, not just one. The virtual switch is part of the hypervisor and unlikely to fail without affecting other VMs.
What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?
Identify which 220-1202 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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