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220-1201 Practice Question: Intermittent network connectivity in an office…
A user reports intermittent network connectivity in an office that recently had a new ceiling installed. The network drop runs through the ceiling and is not in a conduit. What is the most likely cause of the intermittent connection?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA A+ emphasizes the importance of physical layer issues. The new ceiling installation can easily pinch or kink the cable, causing impedance mismatches and intermittent connectivity. Candidates may overlook environmental changes and instead incorrectly blame termination or switch hardware.
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
✓
The cable is pinched or kinked by the new ceiling installation.
The new ceiling installation is the most likely cause because the network cable, running without conduit, can easily be pinched or kinked by ceiling tiles, support wires, or other hardware. Physical damage like a pinch or kink can cause impedance mismatches, signal reflection, or even a short, leading to intermittent connectivity. This is a classic physical-layer issue where the cable's integrity is compromised by environmental changes.
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 cable is too long for the network speed.
Why it's wrong here
Cable length affects signal strength, but intermittent issues are more likely due to physical damage.
- ✗
The cable is not properly terminated at the patch panel.
Why it's wrong here
Poor termination can cause issues, but the recent ceiling work suggests physical damage is more likely.
- ✓
The cable is pinched or kinked by the new ceiling installation.
Why this is correct
New construction can pinch cables, causing intermittent breaks or shorts. This is a common issue after ceiling work.
- ✗
The network switch port is faulty.
Why it's wrong here
A faulty port would affect all connections on that port, but the timing with the ceiling work points to cable damage.
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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.