220-1102 Operating Systems Practice Question
A technician needs to check the IP configuration of a Windows 10 computer, including its IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Which command-line utility should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently confuse `ping` as a tool for checking IP configuration because it can show the local IP address in its output when pinging localhost, but it does not display the subnet mask or default gateway, making `ipconfig` the only correct choice for the full configuration details.
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
✓
ipconfig
The `ipconfig` command is the correct utility for checking the IP configuration of a Windows 10 computer, including the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. It displays the current TCP/IP network configuration values for all active network interfaces, which is exactly what the technician needs. In contrast, `ping` is used to test network connectivity to a remote host, not to view local IP settings.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
ping
Why it's wrong here
ping sends ICMP Echo Request messages to a destination host and listens for Echo Reply packets, measuring round-trip latency and packet loss. It operates entirely at the network layer (Layer 3) and does not query the local system's adapter settings, such as the assigned IPv4/IPv6 address, subnet mask, default gateway, or DHCP information. Even pinging the loopback address (127.0.0.1) only verifies that the TCP/IP protocol stack is initialized, not the actual network interface configuration. Therefore, ping cannot be used to check the IP configuration of a Windows 10 computer.
- ✓
ipconfig
Why this is correct
ipconfig is the built-in Windows command-line utility that directly queries the system's TCP/IP configuration from the network stack and displays it for every active network adapter. The basic command lists the IPv4 address, subnet mask, and default gateway for each interface, while the ipconfig /all option also shows the MAC address, DHCP lease details, DNS server addresses, and whether the adapter obtained its settings dynamically or manually. Because it reads from the actual active network adapters, it is the definitive tool for checking the local IP configuration on a Windows 10 machine.
- ✗
tracert
Why it's wrong here
tracert (traceroute) traces the route that packets take from the local computer to a specified destination by sending ICMP Echo Requests with increasing Time-to-Live (TTL) values. Each router in the path that decrements the TTL to zero responds with an ICMP Time Exceeded message, and tracert displays the IP addresses and hostnames of those intermediate hops. The output reflects only the path to a remote host and the latency of each hop, containing no information about the local computer's own IP configuration such as its address, subnet mask, or gateway. Thus, tracert cannot be used to check the IP configuration of the local Windows 10 system.
- ✗
nslookup
Why it's wrong here
nslookup is a DNS diagnostic tool that queries DNS servers to map domain names to IP addresses or to perform reverse lookups of IP addresses back to hostnames. It can query records such as A, AAAA, MX, and NS, but it operates purely at the DNS application layer and requires a DNS server to respond. nslookup does not access the local network adapter configuration, so it cannot display the computer's own IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, or even the DNS servers configured on the local interface beyond what the resolver sends. Using nslookup is therefore not a valid method for checking the local IP configuration of a Windows 10 computer.
Visual reference
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Windows Command Line Tools
Key term
Windows 10
Windows 10 is a personal computer operating system developed by Microsoft that combines the familiarity of Windows 7 with the modern features of Windows 8, designed to run on a wide range of devices from desktops to tablets.
Key term
ICMP
ICMP is a network-layer protocol used by network devices to send error messages and operational information about network connectivity.
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Same concept, more angles
1 more way this is tested on 220-1102
These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.
Variation 1. A technician needs to check the IP configuration of a Windows 10 workstation, including the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Which command-line tool should the technician use?
easy- A.ping
- B.netstat
- ✓ C.ipconfig
- D.tracert
Why C: The ipconfig command is the correct tool because it displays the current TCP/IP network configuration values for Windows 10, including the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway for each network adapter. This is the standard command-line utility for viewing and managing IP configuration on Windows systems.
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1102 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 220-1102 exam.