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?
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 workstation's IP address is from a different subnet than the default gateway.
The IP address (192.168.10.50) and gateway (192.168.10.1) are in the same subnet (192.168.10.0/24), so this is not a subnet mismatch.
Best answer
The switch port is assigned to VLAN 10, while the default gateway exists on VLAN 20, preventing connectivity without proper inter-VLAN routing.
The port's VLAN assignment restricts the workstation to communicate only within VLAN 10. The gateway is on a different VLAN, so inter-VLAN routing must be enabled to allow access. The current configuration lacks this, causing the failure.
Distractor review
The workstation's network interface card (NIC) is malfunctioning.
The workstation received an IP address via DHCP and has link connectivity, indicating the NIC is functional. Other workstations on the same switch work fine, further ruling out a NIC issue.
Distractor review
The DHCP server provided an incorrect default gateway address.
The DHCP server provided the correct gateway address (192.168.10.1) for the subnet, but that gateway is on VLAN 20. The issue is not the address but the VLAN segmentation preventing access to it.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need
A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
- Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
- Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
- Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.
TExam Day Tips
- Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
- Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
- Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.
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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 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 4
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 5
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?
Question 6
A cloud administrator needs to increase the amount of RAM allocated to a running virtual machine (VM) from 4GB to 8GB to handle a temporary workload spike. The administrator logs into the cloud management console, selects the VM, and changes the instance type to one with 8GB of RAM. The change takes effect immediately without requiring a reboot. Which cloud computing characteristic does this scenario BEST illustrate?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1101 question test?
Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The switch port is assigned to VLAN 10, while the default gateway exists on VLAN 20, preventing connectivity without proper inter-VLAN routing. — The workstation is assigned to VLAN 10 via the switch port configuration, but the default gateway is on a different VLAN (20). Without proper inter-VLAN routing (e.g., a router-on-a-stick with ACLs permitting traffic between VLANs), devices in VLAN 10 cannot reach the gateway on VLAN 20. The DHCP server provided an IP within VLAN 10's subnet, which is correct for that VLAN, but the gateway is in another subnet. The switch port VLAN assignment is the root cause; it should be on VLAN 20 to match the gateway, or inter-VLAN routing must be configured correctly.
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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