hardMultiple Choice
220-1102 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting an Android phone…
A technician is troubleshooting an Android phone that cannot connect to Wi-Fi networks, even though other devices connect fine. The technician notices that the phone's MAC address is displayed as '02:00:00:00:00:00' in the Wi-Fi settings. Which feature is likely causing this, and how should it be resolved?
⚠ Common exam trap
On the CompTIA A+ exam, MAC randomization is a privacy feature, not a hardware fault. Candidates often mistakenly choose hardware failure or static IP issues when they see an unusual MAC address.
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 phone has a randomized MAC address enabled; disable it for the network.
A MAC address of '02:00:00:00:00:00' is not a normal hardware MAC; it is a placeholder/zeroed address often seen when MAC randomization is enabled or when the device is masking its real MAC. Android uses MAC randomization by default for privacy, and some networks that filter or authenticate by MAC address will reject the device. Disabling randomized MAC for that specific network lets the phone use its permanent hardware MAC, which typically resolves the connection issue.
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 phone is using a static IP configuration; change it to DHCP.
Why it's wrong here
A static IP issue would not cause a fake MAC address; the MAC shown is a randomized one, not a static IP problem.
- ✗
The Wi-Fi hardware is faulty; the phone needs repair.
Why it's wrong here
A hardware fault would typically show no MAC or an error, not a specific randomized address like 02:00:00:00:00:00.
- ✓
The phone has a randomized MAC address enabled; disable it for the network.
Why this is correct
Android 10+ uses randomized MACs by default to enhance privacy; the address shown is a randomized one, and disabling it for that network can fix connection issues.
- ✗
The phone is in Airplane Mode; turn it off.
Why it's wrong here
Airplane Mode disables all radios, but the MAC address would not appear as a randomized value; it would simply show 'Not available'.
Visual reference
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Topology Documentation
Key term
Privacy
Privacy in IT is the control over how personal data is collected, stored, used, and shared by systems and organizations.
Key term
Android
Android is an open-source operating system used primarily on mobile devices like smartphones and tablets, developed by Google.
About these practice questions
Courseiva writes every 220-1202 question from scratch — 687 in total, each with an explanation and a wrong-answer breakdown. None are copied from real exams or dumps. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.