220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A user reports that their desktop computer's built-in Ethernet port is not working. The link light on the computer's NIC is off, and the user cannot connect to the network. The technician has verified that the Ethernet cable and switch port work with another computer. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often jump to driver updates or OS reinstallation without first verifying the basic device status in Device Manager, assuming a software fix is needed when the NIC might simply be disabled or not detected.
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
✓
Check the network adapter settings in Device Manager
Since the Ethernet cable and switch port are verified working with another computer, the issue is isolated to the desktop itself. The link light being off indicates the NIC is not establishing a physical or data-link layer connection. Checking the network adapter in Device Manager is the next logical step to see if the adapter is disabled, has a driver error, or is not detected by the OS, which would prevent the NIC from initializing and lighting the link LED.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Replace the motherboard
Why it's wrong here
Replacing the motherboard is excessive because the fault is isolated to the built-in Ethernet port, not the entire system board. The link light being off with a known-good cable and switch port points to a failure in the NIC itself, which can be resolved by installing a separate PCIe network adapter. This option is tempting because a dead onboard NIC often requires motherboard replacement in laptops or all-in-ones, but in a desktop with expansion slots, adding a dedicated NIC is the standard repair.
- ✓
Check the network adapter settings in Device Manager
Why this is correct
Device Manager provides a direct view of the NIC's status. It can show if the adapter is disabled (Code 22), has a driver problem (Code 31 or 43), or is not detected at all. Since you've already verified a known-good cable and switch port, checking here first tells you whether the issue is a configuration/software problem versus a physical adapter failure.
- ✗
Update the network adapter driver
Why it's wrong here
Updating the driver is only effective if the current driver is corrupted or incompatible. Blindly updating without first checking the adapter's status in Device Manager could waste time if the NIC is simply disabled or has failed. Moreover, if Windows does not enumerate the device at all, a driver update won't make it appear, and the real fix is hardware replacement or adding a separate NIC.
- ✗
Reinstall the operating system
Why it's wrong here
Reinstalling the operating system is a time-consuming last resort that resets all software but cannot repair a dead physical Ethernet port. Since you've already confirmed a known-good cable and switch port, the symptom points to a hardware fault in the onboard NIC. Even a corrupted driver would be better addressed by a targeted driver reinstall or rollback in Device Manager, not a full OS reinstall.
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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.