220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their desktop computer can ping other workstations on the local network and can connect to the internet by IP address (e.g., pinging 8.8.8.8 works), but cannot browse any websites using domain names. The network settings show the workstation obtains an IP address automatically via DHCP. The technician checks the DHCP server and confirms it is providing a valid DNS server address. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume a working internet connection (ping to 8.8.8.8) means DNS must be fine, but the exam tests the distinction between IP-based connectivity and name resolution — the DNS server address may be provided by DHCP but not applied by the client due to a stale lease or a misconfigured DHCP option.
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
✓
The DNS server address is not being applied correctly
The user can ping by IP address (e.g., 8.8.8.8) and reach local hosts, confirming Layer 3 connectivity and a correct default gateway. The inability to resolve domain names while the DHCP server is configured to provide a valid DNS server address points to the client not receiving or applying that DNS server address correctly. This is a classic symptom of a DNS resolution failure where the workstation's DNS client configuration is missing or incorrect, often due to a stale DHCP lease, a misconfigured DHCP scope option, or a local DNS cache issue.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
The default gateway address is incorrect
Why it's wrong here
An incorrect default gateway would break all traffic destined outside the local subnet, so the fact that pinging 8.8.8.8 succeeds proves the gateway is correctly configured and routing is functional. Since the user can reach external IPs, the OS has a valid route to the Internet; the failure is specifically with translating hostnames to addresses, which is not a gateway function. Thus this cannot be the cause of the DNS-style failure.
- ✓
The DNS server address is not being applied correctly
Why this is correct
The workstation may be carrying a stale static DNS server address from a previous configuration, or the DHCP lease renewal has not replaced the old DNS setting; this permits IP-based communication but leaves name resolution pointed at an unreachable or non-responsive resolver. Because pinging by IP works while pinging by domain name fails, the resolver configuration is the prime suspect. Checking ipconfig /all and comparing the DNS servers to the expected DHCP-provided values would confirm the mismatch.
- ✗
The network cable is faulty
Why it's wrong here
A faulty network cable is a Layer 1 issue that would manifest as link flaps, slow throughput, or complete loss of connectivity, affecting every protocol that relies on the physical medium. Since the desktop can ping other workstations and reach 8.8.8.8 by IP, the cable, NIC, and switch port are all passing frames reliably; a broken cable cannot selectively suppress DNS requests while allowing normal IP traffic. Therefore, a cable fault is ruled out by the observed successful IP-based communications.
- ✗
The web browser is corrupted
Why it's wrong here
Browser corruption only affects the browser executables and profile; it would not alter how the operating system's resolver translates domain names for all applications. If the issue were browser-specific, typing an IP address like http://8.8.8.8 would still load a site, and other command-line tools such as nslookup or ping to a hostname would continue to work. Here, the inability to resolve names extends beyond the browser, clearly pointing to a system-level DNS configuration problem rather than a browser defect.
Visual reference
Quick reference
IPv4 Address Class Summary
| Class | First Octet Range | Default Mask | Networks | Hosts per Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1–126 | /8 (255.0.0.0) | 126 | 16,777,214 |
| B | 128–191 | /16 (255.255.0.0) | 16,384 | 65,534 |
| C | 192–223 | /24 (255.255.255.0) | 2,097,152 | 254 |
| D | 224–239 | N/A | Multicast groups | — |
| E | 240–255 | N/A | Reserved / experimental | — |
127.x.x.x is reserved for loopback. Modern networks use CIDR (classless) rather than classful addressing.
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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.