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220-1201 Practice Question: A user configures their laptop to use a static IP…
A user configures their laptop to use a static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. They can ping other devices on the same subnet but cannot reach the internet. What network service is most likely missing from their configuration?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers assume internet access requires DHCP or NAT on the client, but the question explicitly states a static IP is configured, so the missing piece is the DNS server address, which is essential for name resolution but not for IP-level 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
✓
DNS server
A static IP configuration includes the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway, but if the DNS server address is not manually set, the laptop cannot resolve domain names to IP addresses. Since the user can ping devices on the same subnet (local connectivity works) but cannot reach the internet, the missing DNS server prevents name resolution for external hosts, even though routing via the default gateway is functional.
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 server
Why it's wrong here
When a user manually configures a static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway, the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server is no longer involved in assigning network parameters. The laptop bypasses the DHCP discovery process entirely, making the absence or misconfiguration of a DHCP server irrelevant to its ability to communicate on the network with its assigned static settings. Therefore, a problem with internet access after setting a static IP is not attributable to the DHCP server.
- ✓
DNS server
Why this is correct
The Domain Name System (DNS) server is essential for translating human-readable domain names (like google.com) into numerical IP addresses that computers use to locate resources on the internet. Even if a laptop has a correctly configured static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway, it cannot establish connections to websites or other internet services by name without a functional DNS server address. This inability to resolve names effectively prevents "internet access" as users perceive it, despite underlying network connectivity.
- ✗
NAT
Why it's wrong here
Network Address Translation (NAT) is a function typically performed by a router or firewall, not by the end-user device itself. Its purpose is to translate private IP addresses within a local network to a single public IP address for communication with the internet, and vice-versa. A user's static IP configuration on their laptop does not directly impact the router's NAT functionality, and if local network pings are successful, it indicates the laptop's basic network stack is operational and the issue lies further upstream or with name resolution.
- ✗
Proxy server
Why it's wrong here
A proxy server acts as an intermediary for requests from clients seeking resources from other servers, often used for security, caching, or content filtering. While some corporate or specific network environments might mandate a proxy for internet access, it is not a fundamental requirement for basic internet connectivity in most typical home or small office setups. The absence or misconfiguration of a proxy server would not prevent a device from accessing the internet if DNS resolution and routing are correctly established.
Visual reference
Quick reference
IPv4 Address Class Summary
| Class | First Octet Range | Default Mask | Networks | Hosts per Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–126 | /8 (255.0.0.0) | 126 | 16,777,214 |
| B | 128–191 | /16 (255.255.0.0) | 16,384 | 65,534 |
| C | 192–223 | /24 (255.255.255.0) | 2,097,152 | 254 |
| D | 224–239 | N/A | Multicast groups | — |
| E | 240–255 | N/A | Reserved / experimental | — |
127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Hardware and Components
Key term
Fully Qualified Domain Name
A Fully Qualified Domain Name is the complete and unambiguous website or server name that includes the host, domain, and top-level domain, leaving no room for guesswork.
Key term
Subnet mask
A subnet mask is a 32-bit number that helps a computer or network device determine which part of an IP address identifies the network and which part identifies the host device on that network.
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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.