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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is setting up a new file server and…
A technician is setting up a new file server and needs to ensure that users can access shared folders using a friendly name like \\fileserver\share instead of an IP address. Which protocol must be configured correctly on the network?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA A+ often tests the distinction between the protocol that provides the service (SMB) and the protocol that enables name resolution (DNS), leading candidates to mistakenly select SMB because it is directly involved in file sharing.
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
✓
DNS
DNS (Domain Name System) resolves the friendly hostname 'fileserver' to the server's IP address, allowing users to use \\fileserver\share instead of an IP address. Without DNS, the SMB client cannot translate the name, and the connection fails. This makes DNS the correct protocol for name resolution in this scenario.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
DNS
Why this is correct
When users need to access a file server by its friendly name (e.g., \\fileserver), the Domain Name System (DNS) is crucial. It translates this human-readable hostname into the corresponding numerical IP address (e.g., 192.168.1.100) that network devices use for communication. Without DNS, users would have to remember and type the server's IP address directly, which is impractical and prone to errors in dynamic environments. This resolution is fundamental for client devices to locate and establish a connection with the server.
- ✗
DHCP
Why it's wrong here
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) is responsible for automatically assigning IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and DNS server information to client devices on a network. While it provides the client with the *means* to perform name resolution (by giving it the DNS server's IP), DHCP itself does not perform the actual hostname-to-IP address translation. Its role is primarily in network configuration management, not name resolution services for accessing resources.
- ✗
SMB
Why it's wrong here
Server Message Block (SMB) is the application-layer network protocol primarily used for providing shared access to files, printers, and serial ports between nodes on a network. While SMB is the *mechanism* for the file sharing itself, it does not handle the initial step of resolving a server's hostname to its IP address. Instead, SMB clients rely on underlying name resolution services, such as DNS or, historically, NetBIOS, to find the server's network location before initiating an SMB session.
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HTTP
Why it's wrong here
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the foundational protocol for data communication on the World Wide Web, primarily used for retrieving web pages and other web resources from web servers. It operates on a different port (typically 80 or 443 for HTTPS) and serves a distinct purpose from traditional file sharing. HTTP is entirely unrelated to the process of resolving a file server's hostname for access via protocols like SMB.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration: IP, DNS, DHCP
Key term
SMB
SMB (Server Message Block) is a network protocol used primarily for sharing files, printers, and other resources between computers over a local network.
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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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.