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220-1101 Networking Practice Question

A small office network consists of 12 workstations and a single router. The administrator wants each workstation to obtain an IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway automatically without manual configuration. Which protocol must be enabled on the router to provide this functionality?

⚠ Common exam trap

Test-takers frequently confuse DNS with DHCP because both are 'automatic' services, but DNS only resolves names, while DHCP provides the actual IP configuration that makes network connectivity possible.

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

✓

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the correct answer because it automatically assigns IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, and other network parameters to clients from a defined pool. Without DHCP, each workstation would require static manual configuration, which violates the requirement for automatic assignment.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • ✗

    DNS (Domain Name System)

    Why it's wrong here

    DNS (Domain Name System) is wrong because its role is to translate human-readable domain names, like example.com, into numerical IP addresses so that clients can locate servers. While DNS does interact with IP addresses, it provides a directory lookup service and does not assign IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, or other network settings to a client's interface. A workstation must already have a valid IP configuration—often obtained via DHCP—before it can even query a DNS server.

    When this WOULD be correct

    In a scenario where workstations need to resolve hostnames to IP addresses for network communication, such as accessing a web server by its domain name, DNS would be the correct protocol to enable on the router or a dedicated server.

  • ✓

    DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)

    Why this is correct

    DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the correct answer because it is the service specifically designed to automatically assign IP configuration parameters—such as IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers—to network clients. By using a lease-based mechanism, DHCP centrally manages addressing, eliminating the need for manual static configuration on each workstation and reducing the risk of IP conflicts.

  • ✗

    HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)

    Why it's wrong here

    HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is incorrect because it is an application-layer protocol used to request and deliver web content, such as HTML pages, images, and API responses, over TCP/IP. It does not participate in IP address assignment or any aspect of network-layer configuration; it merely relies on an already-configured IP stack to communicate with servers. Even if HTTP could retrieve a dynamic IP from a remote service, that is not its built-in function.

    When this WOULD be correct

    A question asking which protocol a web server uses to deliver web pages to a client browser would have HTTP as the correct answer, especially if options include other application-layer protocols like FTP or SMTP.

  • ✗

    FTP (File Transfer Protocol)

    Why it's wrong here

    FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is not the answer because this protocol is used for transferring files between a client and a server over a TCP/IP network, typically using ports 20 and 21. FTP operates at the application layer and depends on an existing, correctly configured IP connection to establish sessions; it has no mechanism for assigning IP addresses or configuring network interfaces. Therefore, while FTP is a network service, it is completely unrelated to the automatic provisioning of IP settings.

    When this WOULD be correct

    FTP would be correct in a question asking: 'Which protocol should be used to upload web pages to a web server?' or 'Which protocol allows a client to download files from a remote server?'

Option-by-option analysis

Why each answer is right or wrong

Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.

✓DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol)Correct answer▾

Why this is correct

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is the correct answer because it is the service specifically designed to automatically assign IP configuration parameters—such as IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS servers—to network clients. By using a lease-based mechanism, DHCP centrally manages addressing, eliminating the need for manual static configuration on each workstation and reducing the risk of IP conflicts.

✗DNS (Domain Name System)Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

DNS resolves domain names to IP addresses, but does not assign IP addresses, subnet masks, or default gateways to workstations. The question specifically asks for automatic IP configuration, which is DHCP's role.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

In a scenario where workstations need to resolve hostnames to IP addresses for network communication, such as accessing a web server by its domain name, DNS would be the correct protocol to enable on the router or a dedicated server.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse DNS with DHCP because both are network services that involve IP addresses, and they might think DNS is needed for workstations to obtain network settings automatically.

✗HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol)Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

HTTP is used for transferring web content, not for automatic IP address assignment. The question requires a protocol that provides IP configuration, which is DHCP's role.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

A question asking which protocol a web server uses to deliver web pages to a client browser would have HTTP as the correct answer, especially if options include other application-layer protocols like FTP or SMTP.

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse HTTP with DHCP because both are common network protocols, or they might think 'automatic configuration' includes web-based setup interfaces.

✗FTP (File Transfer Protocol)Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

FTP is used for transferring files between systems, not for automatic IP address assignment. The question requires a protocol that provides IP configuration automatically, which is DHCP.

★ When this WOULD be the correct answer

FTP would be correct in a question asking: 'Which protocol should be used to upload web pages to a web server?' or 'Which protocol allows a client to download files from a remote server?'

Why candidates choose this

Candidates may confuse FTP with DHCP because both involve network services, or they may think FTP is needed for initial configuration file transfer, but the question specifically asks for automatic IP assignment.

Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”

Visual reference

Client DHCP Server 1 Discover (broadcast) 2 Offer (IP: 192.168.1.10) 3 Request (I accept) 4 Acknowledge (lease confirmed) DORA — the four-step DHCP lease process

Quick reference

IPv4 Address Class Summary

ClassFirst Octet RangeDefault MaskNetworksHosts per Network
A1–126/8 (255.0.0.0)12616,777,214
B128–191/16 (255.255.0.0)16,38465,534
C192–223/24 (255.255.255.0)2,097,152254
D224–239N/AMulticast groups—
E240–255N/AReserved / experimental—

127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.

About these practice questions

One of 896 original 220-1101 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

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JA

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.