easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1102 Practice Question: That they can no longer connect to the company…
A user reports that they can no longer connect to the company network from home using VPN. They confirm their internet connection is working and that they can browse websites. Which of the following should a technician check first to resolve the VPN connectivity issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the principle of 'start with the simplest and most likely cause'—the trap here is that candidates jump to advanced fixes like updating software or restarting servers, overlooking the basic credential check that resolves the majority of single-user VPN failures.
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 the user's VPN username and password
The user's internet connection is working (they can browse websites), which rules out general network connectivity issues. The most common cause of VPN authentication failure is incorrect or expired credentials, so verifying the username and password is the quickest and most logical first step before escalating to more complex troubleshooting.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Check if the VPN client software is up to date
Why it's wrong here
While outdated VPN client software can certainly introduce compatibility issues or security vulnerabilities over time, it is generally not the primary suspect for a sudden, abrupt loss of connectivity. A sudden failure typically points to a change in configuration, network status, or authentication. Troubleshooting should prioritize immediate changes or common points of failure before investigating software versioning, which usually manifests as gradual degradation or specific feature malfunctions rather than a complete connection drop.
- ✓
Verify the user's VPN username and password
Why this is correct
Incorrect or expired user credentials, including the username and password, are an extremely common and easily overlooked cause of VPN connection failures. Authentication is the initial gateway to establishing a secure tunnel, and any mismatch or invalidation of these details will prevent the client from authenticating with the VPN server. Verifying these details with the user and potentially testing them is a fundamental and efficient first troubleshooting step, as it addresses a frequent point of failure without impacting other systems.
- ✗
Restart the VPN server at the data center
Why it's wrong here
Restarting the central VPN server is a highly disruptive action that would impact all active users connected to that server, potentially causing widespread service interruption. This drastic measure should only be considered as a last resort after thoroughly exhausting all client-side troubleshooting steps and confirming that the issue is not isolated to a single user or a specific client configuration. Initiating a server restart without proper diagnosis is inefficient and can lead to unnecessary downtime for the entire organization.
- ✗
Reinstall the network adapter drivers
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling network adapter drivers is an inappropriate troubleshooting step in this scenario because the user can still browse websites, indicating that the underlying network adapter and its drivers are fundamentally functional for basic internet connectivity. VPN issues are typically at a higher layer of the network stack, involving secure tunneling protocols and authentication, rather than the physical or data link layer handled by the network adapter drivers. This action would be irrelevant to the specific problem of VPN connection failure.
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SOHO Network Security
Key term
VPN
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) creates a secure, encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote server, protecting your data and hiding your online activity.
Key term
VPN
A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel over a public network to securely connect remote users or sites to a private network.
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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.