easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A small office uses a network printer that is…
A small office uses a network printer that is shared via a print server. Users report that print jobs are not reaching the printer. The technician pings the print server successfully but cannot connect to the printer's web interface using its IP address. Which protocol is most likely blocked or malfunctioning?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the distinction between ICMP (ping) success and application-layer protocol failure, trapping candidates who assume that a successful ping guarantees full network connectivity to all services.
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
✓
HTTP
The technician can ping the print server (ICMP success) but cannot connect to the printer's web interface via its IP address. The web interface uses HTTP (port 80) or HTTPS (port 443). Since ICMP is working but HTTP is not, the most likely issue is that HTTP traffic is being blocked by a firewall or the HTTP service on the printer is malfunctioning. This directly points to HTTP as the blocked or malfunctioning protocol.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
HTTP
Why this is correct
HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is the application-layer protocol specifically designed for transmitting hypermedia documents, such as HTML, which forms the basis of a web interface. To access a network printer's web-based management interface, a web browser sends requests using HTTP (or HTTPS for secure connections) to the printer's embedded web server. If the printer's HTTP service is not running, or if a firewall blocks the standard HTTP port (80) or HTTPS port (443), the web interface will be unreachable, even if the printer is otherwise online and responding to pings.
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TCP
Why it's wrong here
TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is a transport layer protocol that provides reliable, ordered, and error-checked delivery of a stream of bytes between applications. While HTTP, the protocol used for the web interface, relies on TCP for its underlying transport, TCP itself is not the application protocol that provides the web interface. A printer could have active TCP connections for other services (like print jobs) but still have its specific HTTP service disabled or blocked, preventing web interface access.
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UDP
Why it's wrong here
UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is a transport layer protocol that offers a connectionless and unreliable communication service, prioritizing speed over guaranteed delivery. While many network services utilize UDP, such as DNS or DHCP, the printer's web interface specifically uses HTTP, which is built upon the reliable, connection-oriented services of TCP. Therefore, the operational status or availability of UDP-based services is irrelevant to accessing the printer's web-based management interface.
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SNMP
Why it's wrong here
SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) is an application layer protocol used for monitoring and managing network devices, including printers, by collecting information and sending commands. While a printer typically supports SNMP for integration with network management systems, it does not provide the graphical web interface accessed through a web browser. Accessing the printer's web interface requires the HTTP or HTTPS protocol, not SNMP.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration: IP, DNS, DHCP
Key term
HTTPS
HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) is the secure version of HTTP that encrypts data between a web browser and a web server using SSL/TLS protocols.
Key term
IP address
An IP address is a unique numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication.
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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.