hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
FC0-U71 Practice Question: A technician is setting up a new computer on a…
A technician is setting up a new computer on a network. The computer receives an IP address of 169.254.1.5. Which of the following is the most likely issue?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse APIPA with a DNS or gateway problem, but APIPA is a direct indicator of DHCP failure, not name resolution or routing issues.
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 DHCP server is unavailable
The IP address 169.254.1.5 falls within the Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) range (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows automatically assigns when a DHCP client fails to receive an IP lease from a DHCP server. This indicates that the DHCP server is either unreachable or not responding, making D the correct answer.
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 network cable is faulty
Why it's wrong here
A faulty cable would show no connectivity.
- ✗
The DNS server is unreachable
Why it's wrong here
DNS failure does not cause APIPA.
- ✗
The gateway is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
Gateway misconfiguration does not cause APIPA.
- ✓
The DHCP server is unavailable
Why this is correct
APIPA is assigned when DHCP is not available.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This FC0-U71 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 FC0-U71 exam.