220-1101 Hardware and Network Troubleshooting Practice Question
A technician is troubleshooting a desktop computer that periodically loses network connectivity for about one minute at a time. The link light on the NIC remains lit during the outage. The technician has replaced the Ethernet cable and the NIC with known-good parts, but the issue persists. The computer is connected to a managed switch. Which of the following should the technician check NEXT?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that a lit link light guarantees a fully functional Layer 1 connection, when in fact the link light only indicates carrier detect and basic electrical continuity, not that the NIC is in an active, non-sleeping state.
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 Power Management settings for the network adapter
The periodic one-minute loss of connectivity with the link light still lit strongly indicates the network adapter is entering a low-power state. Windows Power Management settings allow the OS to turn off the NIC to save power, and when the adapter wakes from this state, it can take up to a minute to re-establish the link. Since the cable and NIC have already been replaced, checking and disabling the 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' option in the NIC's Power Management tab is the logical next step.
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 device drivers for the network adapter
Why it's wrong here
While outdated or corrupt drivers can cause network instability, the issue persisting after swapping the NIC with a known-good part strongly implicates external configuration rather than driver code. Driver-related faults usually appear as constant errors, degraded throughput, or immediate unreliability, not a precise schedule of one-minute outages that recur on every boot. Since the hardware replacement did not alter the symptom, the drivers are not the primary suspect, though updating them may still be a harmless diagnostic step.
When this WOULD be correct
If the NIC was not replaced and the issue occurred after a driver update or OS update, checking device drivers would be appropriate. For example, a driver incompatibility causing intermittent drops with link light on.
- ✓
The Power Management settings for the network adapter
Why this is correct
The Power Management settings for the network adapter include the 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' checkbox in Device Manager. When enabled, Windows may periodically power down the NIC to conserve energy, especially during low network activity, which would interrupt connectivity for roughly one minute. Disabling this power-saving feature forces the adapter to stay fully powered at all times and typically eliminates the recurring disconnects.
- ✗
The switch port configuration for VLAN assignment
Why it's wrong here
VLAN assignments on a switch port determine which broadcast domain and subnets are accessible, and a mismatch typically prevents all communication with the expected resources from the moment the link comes up. If the port were in the wrong VLAN, the computer might send frames that are never delivered, resulting in a constant failure rather than an intermittent one-minute loss. Since the user experiences periodic drops followed by recovery, the port configuration is not consistent with the observed behavior, making VLAN misassignment an improbable root cause.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician connects a computer to a managed switch but cannot reach any network resources, while other devices on the same switch work. Checking the switch port configuration for VLAN assignment would be correct to ensure the port is in the correct VLAN.
- ✗
The network hub for electrical interference
Why it's wrong here
A hub is a half-duplex repeater that does not intelligently switch frames, whereas the scenario explicitly involves a switch, making a hub-based collision domain irrelevant. Even if electrical interference from nearby motors or lighting were present, it would induce random CRC errors or sporadic frame corruption, not a deterministic outage that lasts exactly one minute and then clears. Wired Ethernet in an office environment is also well-shielded against such interference, so this explanation lacks technical plausibility.
When this WOULD be correct
A technician reports intermittent connectivity and the link light on the NIC is off during outages. The network cable runs near fluorescent lights or heavy machinery, suggesting electrical interference.
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.
✓The Power Management settings for the network adapterCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
The Power Management settings for the network adapter include the 'Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power' checkbox in Device Manager. When enabled, Windows may periodically power down the NIC to conserve energy, especially during low network activity, which would interrupt connectivity for roughly one minute. Disabling this power-saving feature forces the adapter to stay fully powered at all times and typically eliminates the recurring disconnects.
✗The device drivers for the network adapterWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The technician already replaced the NIC with a known-good part, which would include its drivers if they were the issue. The periodic loss with link light still on points to power saving, not driver problems.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
If the NIC was not replaced and the issue occurred after a driver update or OS update, checking device drivers would be appropriate. For example, a driver incompatibility causing intermittent drops with link light on.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates often default to driver issues for network problems, especially when hardware replacement doesn't fix it, overlooking power management settings that can cause similar symptoms.
✗The switch port configuration for VLAN assignmentWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The issue is periodic loss of connectivity with the link light remaining on, which points to power-saving features rather than VLAN misconfiguration. VLAN assignment would cause persistent connectivity issues or no connectivity at all, not intermittent one-minute outages.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician connects a computer to a managed switch but cannot reach any network resources, while other devices on the same switch work. Checking the switch port configuration for VLAN assignment would be correct to ensure the port is in the correct VLAN.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think that managed switch features like VLANs could cause intermittent issues, but VLAN misconfiguration typically results in constant failure, not periodic short outages.
✗The network hub for electrical interferenceWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The question states the link light remains lit during outages, ruling out physical layer issues like electrical interference. The problem is intermittent and persists after replacing cable and NIC, so interference is unlikely.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A technician reports intermittent connectivity and the link light on the NIC is off during outages. The network cable runs near fluorescent lights or heavy machinery, suggesting electrical interference.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume that any intermittent network issue could be caused by electrical interference, especially if they have encountered such problems in the past.
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?”
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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.