A small business has a single router with four built-in LAN ports. They need to connect 12 workstations to the network. The technician adds a 24-port unmanaged switch and connects it to one of the router's LAN ports. After connecting all workstations, some users report intermittent network connectivity. The technician checks the switch and notices the collision LED is flashing rapidly. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the issue?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
Distractor review
The switch is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced
A faulty switch is possible but less likely than a configuration issue. The flashing collision LED specifically points to a duplex mismatch problem rather than a hardware failure.
Distractor review
The router's LAN port is not configured for the correct speed
A speed mismatch (e.g., 1000Mbps on one side and 100Mbps on the other) typically causes a link to not establish or to operate at the lower speed, but it does not cause collision LEDs to flash. Duplex is the likely culprit.
Best answer
The network is experiencing excessive collisions due to a duplex mismatch
When one device is set to half-duplex and the other to full-duplex, the half-duplex device interprets simultaneous transmissions as collisions. This leads to frame retransmissions, errors, and intermittent connectivity.
Distractor review
The switch is not receiving enough power from the router
Standard unmanaged switches are powered by an AC adapter, not by PoE from the router. Power delivery is not a factor in this scenario.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A user reports intermittent network connectivity on a desktop computer. The technician observes that the Ethernet link light on the NIC turns off for a few seconds and then turns back on. The cable passes a wiremap test, the switch port is verified good with another device, and the NIC driver is updated. The issue occurs more frequently when the computer's case fan runs at high speed. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Question 2
A workstation is unable to connect to the internet. The technician runs the 'ipconfig' command and sees the IPv4 address is 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. The workstation can ping other devices on the local subnet but cannot ping the default gateway or any external addresses. Which TWO actions should the technician take to resolve this issue? (Select two.)
Question 3
A workstation is connected to a managed switch. It obtains a valid IP address (192.168.10.50) from the DHCP server, but it cannot ping the default gateway (192.168.10.1). The link light on both the workstation NIC and the switch port are solid green. Other workstations on the same switch CAN ping the default gateway successfully. The technician accesses the switch management interface and finds that the workstation's port is configured as an access port on VLAN 10. The default gateway is located on VLAN 20. An inter-VLAN router is configured but not explicitly allowing VLAN 10 access to VLAN 20. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
Question 4
A company develops a web application that relies on a custom library available only for a specific Linux distribution. They want to deploy the application in the cloud with minimal administrative overhead, but they need full control over the software stack, including the ability to install the custom library and configure the web server. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
Question 5
A company has a legacy virtual machine running on a deprecated hypervisor (Hyper-V). They want to migrate this VM to a new hypervisor (VMware vSphere) hosted in a private cloud while preserving the VM's configuration, installed applications, and data. The migration must be performed with minimal downtime. Which of the following methods is MOST appropriate?
Question 6
A company hosts a critical database on a virtual machine in a public cloud. The database requires persistent storage that must be retained even if the VM is terminated. The storage must also be accessible from multiple VMs simultaneously for a future high-availability configuration. Which type of cloud storage BEST meets these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1101 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The network is experiencing excessive collisions due to a duplex mismatch — On a switched network, collisions should not occur because each port is a separate collision domain. A rapidly flashing collision LED on an unmanaged switch indicates that one or more devices are operating in half-duplex mode while the switch is set to full-duplex, causing a duplex mismatch. Duplex mismatches lead to high error rates and intermittent connectivity. The switch itself is likely functioning, the router port speed is not the cause, and power is not typically a factor for an unmanaged switch of this size.
What should I do if I get this 220-1101 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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