hardMultiple Choice
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 can prevent DHCP, but APIPA also appears with working cabling when the DHCP server is down or the scope is exhausted, so the cable is not the most likely cause. Cable testing is the right step when link lights are dark or the NIC reports no carrier.
- ✗
The DNS server is unreachable
Why it's wrong here
A 169.254 address is an APIPA self-assignment, meaning the DHCP server could not be reached; DNS resolution plays no part in address assignment. DNS servers are queried only after a host already holds a valid lease, so an unreachable DNS server would leave the address intact while breaking name lookups.
- ✗
The gateway is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
APIPA indicates the DHCP lease request itself failed, so no default gateway was ever supplied; a misconfigured gateway would still allow a valid DHCP-assigned address. Gateway configuration matters only for routing traffic beyond the local subnet, not for obtaining an address.
- ✓
The DHCP server is unavailable
Why this is correct
The 169.254.x.x range is APIPA, which Windows self-assigns when no DHCP server responds to lease requests. The client cannot obtain a valid address, so the most likely cause is an unreachable or failed DHCP server, not a DNS or gateway fault.
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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.