Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A technician is replacing a 10/100 Mbps network switch with a new Gigabit switch. After connecting all devices, the technician notices that the link LEDs on several ports are showing amber instead of green. The switch documentation states that green indicates a 1000 Mbps link, and amber indicates a 10/100 Mbps link. All connected devices support Gigabit Ethernet. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of this 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.
A
Distractor review
The devices are configured for half-duplex, causing auto-negotiation to fail.
Auto-negotiation on Gigabit Ethernet requires both devices to support the same duplex settings for gigabit; a mismatch typically causes a link at 10/100 Mbps in half-duplex, but the most common cause for a speed fallback on gigabit-capable devices is a cabling issue, not duplex mismatch.
B
Distractor review
The power supply of the switch is insufficient for all ports.
Insufficient power would cause ports to not function at all, not to link at a lower speed. Power over Ethernet (PoE) might cause issues, but this switch is not specified as PoE, and a standard switch does not have power issues that cause speed downgrades.
C
Best answer
The Ethernet cables between the switch and devices are faulty or of poor quality.
Correct. A faulty or low-quality cable is the most common reason for a Gigabit connection to fall back to 100 Mbps. The cable may have damage or exceed length specifications, forcing auto-negotiation to a lower speed.
D
Distractor review
The switch is not properly configured for Gigabit mode.
Most unmanaged switches auto-negotiate speed and duplex. A Gigabit switch does not require explicit configuration for Gigabit mode; it automatically detects the highest common speed. Configuration is typically not the issue.
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 Ethernet cables between the switch and devices are faulty or of poor quality. — If both the switch and the connected devices support Gigabit Ethernet, but the link is only establishing at 100 Mbps, the most common cause is a degraded or faulty Ethernet cable that cannot reliably support Gigabit speeds. Gigabit Ethernet is more sensitive to cable quality and length. Cat5e cables can handle gigabit, but if the cable is damaged, too long, or of poor quality, the switch and NIC will fall back to a lower speed (100 Mbps). Auto-negotiation should match speeds, but it will negotiate to the highest reliable speed. Replacing the cable with a known good Cat5e or Cat6 cable typically resolves the issue.
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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