Question 641 of 1,020

IP Addressing →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

What Causes an APIPA Address (169.254.x.x)?

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 cannot connect to the internet, but other devices on the same network work fine. The technician runs ipconfig and sees an IP address of 169.254.12.34 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. 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 has a static IP address configured incorrectly.
Why wrong: Incorrect. A static IP would not typically be in the APIPA range unless manually set, which is unlikely.
B
The DHCP server is not responding to the laptop's request.
Correct. APIPA addresses are assigned when DHCP fails, so the DHCP server is likely unreachable or not responding.
C
The subnet mask is wrong; it should be 255.255.255.0.
Why wrong: Incorrect. While the subnet mask differs from a typical home network, the APIPA address itself indicates a DHCP failure, not a mask mismatch.
D
The laptop's network adapter is faulty.
Why wrong: Incorrect. A faulty adapter would likely show no IP address or a disconnected status, not an APIPA address.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The most likely cause is that the DHCP server is not responding to the laptop’s request. When a device configured for automatic IP addressing cannot reach a DHCP server, Windows automatically assigns an APIPA address in the 169.254.x.x range with a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask, as seen in the ipconfig output. This self-assigned address allows local link-only communication but no internet access, which explains why other devices on the same network—presumably with valid DHCP leases—work fine. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of the DHCP failure symptom versus a static IP misconfiguration or a faulty NIC; a common trap is confusing APIPA with a duplicate IP conflict. Remember the memory tip: “169.254 means DHCP is no more”—if you see that address, the client never got a lease from the server.

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 not responding to the laptop's request.

The IP address 169.254.12.34 with a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, assigned by Windows when the DHCP client fails to receive a response from a DHCP server. Since other devices on the same network work fine, the DHCP server is operational, but the laptop's DHCP request is not being answered, likely due to a network connectivity issue between the laptop and the DHCP server or a DHCP client service problem.

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 has a static IP address configured incorrectly.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A static IP would not typically be in the APIPA range unless manually set, which is unlikely.
✓
The DHCP server is not responding to the laptop's request.
Why this is correct
Correct. APIPA addresses are assigned when DHCP fails, so the DHCP server is likely unreachable or not responding.
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 subnet mask is wrong; it should be 255.255.255.0.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. While the subnet mask differs from a typical home network, the APIPA address itself indicates a DHCP failure, not a mask mismatch.
✗
The laptop's network adapter is faulty.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect. A faulty adapter would likely show no IP address or a disconnected status, not an APIPA address.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Cisco often tests the misconception that a 169.254.x.x address indicates a faulty NIC, but the trap here is that the address is actually a sign of DHCP failure, not hardware failure, and the subnet mask 255.255.0.0 is correct for APIPA.

Trap categories for this question

Command / output trap
Incorrect. A faulty adapter would likely show no IP address or a disconnected status, not an APIPA address.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

APIPA is defined in RFC 3927 and uses the 169.254.0.0/16 block, with the client performing a gratuitous ARP probe to ensure no other host uses the chosen address before assigning it. In a real-world scenario, a misconfigured switch port (e.g., with port security or VLAN mismatch) can block DHCP broadcast traffic while allowing unicast traffic, causing the laptop to get an APIPA address while other devices on the same VLAN work fine.

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.

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 DHCP server is not responding to the laptop's request. — The IP address 169.254.12.34 with a 255.255.0.0 subnet mask is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, assigned by Windows when the DHCP client fails to receive a response from a DHCP server. Since other devices on the same network work fine, the DHCP server is operational, but the laptop's DHCP request is not being answered, likely due to a network connectivity issue between the laptop and the DHCP server or a DHCP client service problem.

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.

About these practice questions

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 220-1201

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. 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?

easy

A.The laptop's Wi-Fi adapter is disabled in Device Manager.
B.The office DHCP server is out of available IP addresses.
✓ C.The laptop cannot reach the DHCP server on the office network.
D.The laptop's DNS settings are misconfigured.

Why C: 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.

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