This FC0-U61 practice question tests your understanding of infrastructure. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A user can access the internet and other computers on the network but cannot print to a network printer that is on the same subnet. The printer's IP is 192.168.1.100. What is the most likely cause?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
The printer is powered off
Option D is correct because if the printer is powered off, it cannot respond to print jobs, yet the user can still access the internet and other computers on the network since those services are independent of the printer. The printer's IP address (192.168.1.100) being on the same subnet means that connectivity to it relies solely on the printer being powered on and operational at Layer 2 (Ethernet) and Layer 3 (IP). A powered-off printer will not respond to ARP requests or TCP connections, causing print jobs to fail while other network functions remain unaffected.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 router is not forwarding print jobs
Why it's wrong here
Print jobs on the same subnet do not traverse the router.
✗
The user's computer has a wrong subnet mask
Why it's wrong here
A wrong subnet mask would affect all network communication, not just the printer.
✗
The printer's DNS is misconfigured
Why it's wrong here
DNS is not required for local subnet communication.
✓
The printer is powered off
Why this is correct
A powered-off printer is unreachable, while other network functions work.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume a network configuration issue (like DNS or subnet mask) is the cause, overlooking the simplest physical-layer problem—a powered-off device—which is a common CompTIA troubleshooting focus.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Network printing on the same subnet uses protocols like SMB (Server Message Block) or LPR (Line Printer Remote) over TCP/IP, relying on ARP to resolve the printer's IP to its MAC address. If the printer is powered off, the user's computer will fail to receive an ARP reply, causing the print job to time out at the transport layer. In a real-world scenario, a printer might appear powered on (e.g., with a standby light) but have its network interface disabled, leading to the same symptom—this is why checking the physical power state is a first troubleshooting step.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A network engineer segments a warehouse floor into three subnets: 20 scanners, 5 printers, and 2 management hosts. Picking the wrong mask wastes addresses or leaves too few usable hosts. Exam questions test whether you can apply CIDR notation, calculate block size, and identify the correct usable-host range for a given prefix.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Infrastructure — This question tests Infrastructure — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The printer is powered off — Option D is correct because if the printer is powered off, it cannot respond to print jobs, yet the user can still access the internet and other computers on the network since those services are independent of the printer. The printer's IP address (192.168.1.100) being on the same subnet means that connectivity to it relies solely on the printer being powered on and operational at Layer 2 (Ethernet) and Layer 3 (IP). A powered-off printer will not respond to ARP requests or TCP connections, causing print jobs to fail while other network functions remain unaffected.
What should I do if I get this FC0-U61 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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