Question 679 of 1,020

IP Addressing →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

220-1201 IP Addressing Practice Question

This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of ip addressing. 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 reports that their laptop can connect to the internet when using a wired connection at home, but cannot connect to any network resources when using Wi-Fi at the office. The office uses DHCP with a scope of 192.168.10.0/24. The laptop's IP configuration shows an address of 169.254.15.22. What is the most likely cause of this issue?

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.

A
The laptop's Wi-Fi adapter is disabled in Device Manager.
Why wrong: If the adapter were disabled, the laptop would not have any IP address assigned, not an APIPA address.
B
The office DHCP server is out of available IP addresses.
Why wrong: An exhausted DHCP scope would cause the server to not respond, but the client would still attempt DHCP and eventually fall back to APIPA. However, the most common cause is the DHCP server being unreachable, not necessarily exhausted.
C
The laptop cannot reach the DHCP server on the office network.
APIPA is assigned when a DHCP server is not reachable, so the laptop cannot obtain a valid IP. This is the most direct explanation.
D
The laptop's DNS settings are misconfigured.
Why wrong: DNS misconfiguration would not cause an APIPA address; it would affect name resolution after a valid IP is obtained.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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 laptop cannot reach the DHCP server on the office network.

The IP address 169.254.15.22 is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when a DHCP client fails to receive a lease from a DHCP server. Since the laptop can connect via wired Ethernet at home but not via Wi-Fi at the office, the most likely cause is that the Wi-Fi adapter cannot communicate with the office DHCP server, preventing it from obtaining a valid 192.168.10.0/24 address.

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 laptop's Wi-Fi adapter is disabled in Device Manager.
Why it's wrong here
If the adapter were disabled, the laptop would not have any IP address assigned, not an APIPA address.
✗
The office DHCP server is out of available IP addresses.
Why it's wrong here
An exhausted DHCP scope would cause the server to not respond, but the client would still attempt DHCP and eventually fall back to APIPA. However, the most common cause is the DHCP server being unreachable, not necessarily exhausted.
✓
The laptop cannot reach the DHCP server on the office network.
Why this is correct
APIPA is assigned when a DHCP server is not reachable, so the laptop cannot obtain a valid IP. This is the most direct explanation.
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.
✗
The laptop's DNS settings are misconfigured.
Why it's wrong here
DNS misconfiguration would not cause an APIPA address; it would affect name resolution after a valid IP is obtained.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

The A+ exam often tests the distinction between a DHCP server that is unreachable versus one that is out of addresses; the trap here is that candidates may assume a depleted scope (Option B) is the cause, but the APIPA address specifically indicates the client never received any response, not that it received a NAK or no available lease.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

When a DHCP client sends a DHCPDISCOVER broadcast and receives no DHCPOFFER within a timeout period (typically 4 seconds per attempt, with up to 4 retransmissions), the Windows TCP/IP stack automatically assigns an APIPA address from the 169.254.0.0/16 range (per RFC 3927). This behavior ensures link-local connectivity but prevents access to routed networks. In a corporate office, the DHCP server is usually on a different VLAN or subnet, so a misconfigured Wi-Fi SSID, incorrect VLAN assignment, or a faulty access point could block the broadcast from reaching the DHCP server.

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 practitioner preparing for the 220-1201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

Visual reference

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.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1201 question test?

IP Addressing — This question tests IP Addressing — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The laptop cannot reach the DHCP server on the office network. — The IP address 169.254.15.22 is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address (169.254.0.0/16), which Windows assigns when a DHCP client fails to receive a lease from a DHCP server. Since the laptop can connect via wired Ethernet at home but not via Wi-Fi at the office, the most likely cause is that the Wi-Fi adapter cannot communicate with the office DHCP server, preventing it from obtaining a valid 192.168.10.0/24 address.

What should I do if I get this 220-1201 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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