easyMultiple Choice
220-1201 Practice Question: Allow employees to securely access the corporate…
A company wants to allow employees to securely access the corporate network from home using their laptops. Which network service should be deployed to provide encrypted remote access?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA A+ often tests the misconception that port forwarding alone provides secure remote access, but candidates must remember that port forwarding lacks encryption and authentication, making it insecure for remote connectivity.
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
✓
VPN
C is correct because a Virtual Private Network (VPN) creates an encrypted tunnel between the employee's laptop and the corporate network, typically using protocols such as IPsec or TLS. This ensures that all data transmitted over the public internet is confidential and integrity-protected, meeting the requirement for secure remote access.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
DHCP
Why it's wrong here
DHCP assigns IP addresses, default gateways and DNS servers to hosts; it provides no tunnelling or encryption, so remote laptop traffic crosses the internet in clear text. DHCP is the right service for automatic address configuration on a LAN, not for encrypted remote access.
- ✗
DNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS resolves names to IP addresses and carries no encryption or tunnelling, so it cannot secure remote laptop traffic. DNS is the correct service for name resolution, whereas encrypted remote access requires a VPN or similar tunnel terminating on the corporate network.
- ✓
VPN
Why this is correct
A VPN builds an encrypted tunnel across the public internet between the employee's laptop and a corporate gateway, protecting data in transit and authenticating the remote user. It satisfies the encrypted remote access requirement without dedicated leased circuits to each home.
- ✗
Port forwarding
Why it's wrong here
Port forwarding on the home router merely maps an inbound port to an internal host; it creates no encrypted tunnel and exposes the service directly to the internet. It suits publishing a specific internal service, not granting employees encrypted remote access to the corporate network.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Keyboard and Touchpad Replacement
Key term
VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, protecting your data and hiding your online activity.
Key term
Laptop
A portable personal computer that integrates a display, keyboard, touchpad, battery, and internal components into a single clamshell device for mobile computing.
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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.