FC0-U71 Infrastructure Practice Question
A technician is connecting a desktop PC directly to a cable modem to provide internet access. The PC needs to receive a public IP address automatically from the ISP. Which protocol should the technician ensure is enabled on the PC's network adapter?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse DNS, which translates names, with DHCP, which actually leases the IP address and related settings to the adapter.
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
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DHCP
The PC must obtain a public address from the ISP without manual entry, which is the role of DHCP. The ISP's DHCP server leases the address along with gateway and DNS details. DNS, SMTP, and SNMP serve naming, email, and management functions respectively and cannot assign an address to the adapter.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
DHCP
Why this is correct
DHCP lets the ISP's server automatically lease a public IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server settings to the PC's adapter. This is exactly how a cable modem delivers connectivity without manual configuration, so enabling DHCP satisfies the requirement to receive an address automatically.
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DNS
Why it's wrong here
DNS resolves human-readable domain names into IP addresses, but it does not assign an IP address to the PC's network adapter. Without a valid IP address already in place, DNS queries cannot even be sent. Enabling DNS alone on the adapter would leave the PC without a usable public address from the ISP, so it fails this scenario.
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SNMP
Why it's wrong here
SNMP is used to monitor and manage network devices such as switches and routers, collecting statistics and status information. It does not configure or hand out IP addresses to endpoints. Enabling SNMP on the PC's adapter would not obtain a public address from the ISP and therefore does not meet the stated goal.
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SMTP
Why it's wrong here
SMTP is an email-sending protocol that operates at the application layer for mail transfer between servers and clients. It has no role in assigning IP addressing parameters to a network adapter. Relying on SMTP here would not give the PC a public address, so the connection to the ISP would not function.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
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