220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their network printer is not responding to print jobs sent from their Windows workstation. The technician can successfully ping the printer's IP address (192.168.1.50) from the user's computer. The printer's web interface shows it is online and ready. The technician checks the print queue on the workstation and sees documents stuck with an 'Access Denied' error. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates see 'Access Denied' and assume it is a network or spooler issue, but the error specifically points to a permissions or driver problem, not connectivity or service state.
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
✓
Verify printer permissions and ensure the correct driver is installed.
The 'Access Denied' error in the print queue indicates a permissions or driver mismatch issue, not a connectivity problem. Since the printer is reachable via ping and its web interface shows it is online, the network and printer hardware are functional. The next logical step is to verify that the user has the necessary permissions to print and that the correct printer driver is installed, as an incompatible or corrupted driver can cause access errors.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Replace the Ethernet cable connecting the printer.
Why it's wrong here
The 'Access Denied' error is an application/authorization-layer failure, not a physical-layer connectivity issue. A successful ping to the printer's IP address confirms the cable, NIC, and network path are operational. Replacing the cable would be an unnecessary hardware swap that cannot affect the permission or driver state generating the error.
- ✗
Restart the Windows Print Spooler service.
Why it's wrong here
The Windows Print Spooler service manages print jobs and queues, but an 'Access Denied' error typically indicates the user account lacks the 'Manage Printers' or 'Print' permission on the printer's security ACL, or a driver mismatch. Restarting the spooler will flush pending jobs and reload drivers, but the same permission check will fail on the next job; the error will recur unless the ACL or driver is corrected.
- ✓
Verify printer permissions and ensure the correct driver is installed.
Why this is correct
The error 'Access Denied' when printing to a network printer is usually returned by the Print Server's security descriptor, not the network stack. Checking and updating the printer's share permissions and the printer's own security tab ensures the authenticated user has Print rights. Additionally, an incorrect or outdated driver can cause the client to send malformed data that the print server rejects with an access-like error; reinstalling the correct driver resolves that condition.
- ✗
Assign a static IP address to the printer.
Why it's wrong here
Since the printer responded to a ping, its current IP configuration is valid and reachable on the network. 'Access Denied' is an authentication/authorization response from the print server or printer's print service, not a routing or IP conflict issue. Assigning a static IP might help if DHCP leases changed, but it does not alter the security token or driver being used, so it cannot resolve the error.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 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 220-1101 exam.