CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 (220-1201) — Questions 301–375

A Local Area Network (LAN) connects devices within a limited area, such as a home or office, allowing them to share resources like files and printers. The router creates a LAN for local communication, but internet access requires a properly configured WAN connection. The scenario describes a LAN issue, not a PAN (which is too short-range for a whole home) or a WAN/MAN.

A stand securely mounts the tablet on the counter at an ergonomic viewing angle, while a charging dock provides continuous power to keep the tablet operational throughout the day without battery depletion. These two accessories directly address the deployment requirements of fixed mounting and uninterrupted power for a stationary point-of-sale system.

The correct answer is B because cable internet relies on a coaxial cable connection from the street to the modem. During rainstorms, moisture can seep into damaged or poorly sealed coaxial connectors or cable sheathing, causing signal attenuation or intermittent shorting that drops the connection. This is a classic symptom of RF signal degradation due to water ingress, which directly affects the physical layer (Layer 1) of the cable modem's link.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line) transmits data over standard copper telephone lines using frequencies above the voice band. The wall jack for DSL is a standard RJ-11 phone jack, so the technician must use a telephone cable with RJ-11 connectors to connect the router's DSL port to the wall jack.

Since the gateway is reachable, the issue is likely beyond the local network. DNS is the most common cause of being unable to access resources by name when basic connectivity exists. Checking DNS resolution is the logical next step.

A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is designed to cover a geographic area larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, typically spanning a city or a large campus. For a municipal government connecting public Wi-Fi hotspots across 50 square kilometers, a MAN provides the necessary range and can utilize technologies like Metro Ethernet or fiber-optic rings to deliver secure, high-speed internet access to citizens.

The correct answer is A because the 20+4 pin connector can be used as a 24-pin by combining the 20-pin and 4-pin sections, and the 8-pin CPU connector can be split into a 4+4 pin to fit the 4-pin CPU power header. This tests understanding of modular power supply connectors and their flexibility.

The BIOS/UEFI firmware is responsible for the Power-On Self-Test (POST) and uses the speaker to emit beep codes to indicate hardware errors. The CMOS battery only retains settings, the chipset handles data flow, and the Super I/O manages I/O but not POST beep codes.

The traceroute shows that the first hop (the gateway at 172.16.50.1) responds, but the second hop times out. This indicates that the packet successfully leaves the user's subnet but fails to reach the server at 172.16.50.100, pointing to a routing issue beyond the local gateway. Since the user and server share the same subnet (172.16.50.0/24), the gateway should be able to forward traffic directly to the server; a timeout at the second hop suggests either a missing route on the gateway or an intermediate router dropping the packets.

Option C is correct because enabling a guest network creates a separate SSID and VLAN (or subnet) that isolates guest traffic from the main LAN. This prevents guests from accessing local devices (e.g., printers, file shares) while still providing internet access through the router's NAT. The isolation is typically achieved via client isolation or AP isolation settings, ensuring Layer 2 separation between the guest and main networks.

A USB-C to HDMI adapter allows you to connect the tablet directly to the laptop via a wired video connection, enabling it to function as a secondary display without relying on any Wi-Fi network. This solution uses the DisplayPort Alt Mode over USB-C, which is a standard feature on many modern tablets and laptops, providing a stable, low-latency video signal.

The wall jack may be connected to a different network drop. The technician should use a tone generator and probe to identify which port on the patch panel corresponds to that wall jack, ensuring correct connectivity.

Port forwarding (option B) is the correct answer because it allows the router to translate incoming traffic on a specific public IP address and port (e.g., TCP 80) to a specific internal private IP address and port of the web server. This is a form of Destination NAT (DNAT) that enables external hosts to reach internal services when only a single public IP is available.

A fixed-size virtual disk (also called thick provisioning) allocates all required space at creation, reducing fragmentation and I/O overhead compared to dynamically expanding disks. This is best for performance-sensitive workloads like databases.

Option C is correct because Bluetooth operates in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, which is shared with Wi-Fi, cordless phones, and other wireless devices. In a conference room with many active devices, RF interference can cause packet loss or retransmission delays, leading the Bluetooth Adaptive Frequency Hopping (AFH) mechanism to fail to avoid all congested channels, resulting in periodic disconnections. The fact that the earbuds work fine with a different phone isolates the issue to the smartphone's environment rather than the earbuds themselves.

Replacing the existing NVMe SSD with a larger capacity model is the most direct way to increase internal storage while maintaining NVMe performance. Adding a SATA SSD via a 2.5-inch bay is also viable but slower. External drives are not internal.

This question tests DNS resolution. If the IP works but the hostname does not, the problem is with DNS—either the server's A record is missing or the DNS server is not responding for that zone.

The correct answer is B because a SATA expansion card adds additional SATA ports via a PCIe slot, allowing more drives to be connected. This tests knowledge of expansion cards and SATA controller limitations.

A cable tester verifies continuity, wiring, and signal integrity in Ethernet cables. This is the correct tool to diagnose a faulty physical connection between the switch and router.

Enabling Data Saver mode restricts background data usage and limits non-essential app activity, directly reducing cellular data consumption. This is the most appropriate setting for field workers who need to stay connected but minimize data costs, as it works at the OS level to restrict background syncs and downloads without disabling connectivity.

802.11r, also known as Fast BSS Transition or Fast Roaming, enables clients to authenticate and reassociate with a new access point using a cached PMK (Pairwise Master Key) from the initial full authentication, reducing the handshake process from four EAP frames to two. In a warehouse with metal shelving causing signal attenuation, this minimizes the time clients spend scanning and reconnecting, ensuring seamless roaming for handheld scanners without dropping connections.

Link Layer Discovery Protocol (LLDP) is essential because it allows the switch to inform the VoIP phone of the configured voice VLAN ID. When a switch port is in trunk mode, the phone uses LLDP (specifically LLDP-MED) to learn which VLAN to tag its voice traffic with, enabling it to communicate with the call manager. Without LLDP, the phone would not know which VLAN to use and would fail to register.

To access the display cable, the technician must first remove the back cover, then the battery (if not integrated), and disconnect the display cable from the motherboard. This sequence ensures safe access without risking a short circuit from a live battery. The display cable is typically a thin ribbon cable near the motherboard.

RAID 5 with four drives of equal size should yield (n-1) * capacity = 30 TB. A 10 TB result suggests only two drives are being used, possibly due to a misconfiguration like RAID 1 or a stripe set of two drives. This tests RAID 5 capacity calculation and troubleshooting.

To diagnose overheating, a technician needs real-time temperature monitoring. A tool like HWMonitor or Core Temp provides accurate CPU temperature readings. BIOS/UEFI shows idle temps only, and Event Viewer logs crashes but not temperatures.

A failing HDD often causes constant drive activity and slow file access due to bad sectors or mechanical wear. This is a common symptom that technicians should recognize before data loss occurs. SSDs or other components do not typically exhibit this behavior.

Option C is correct because the laptop can see multiple Wi-Fi networks (indicating the wireless adapter is functional and scanning is successful) but fails to connect to any of them. This points to a common credential mismatch issue: if the saved password for a network is incorrect or outdated, the 4-way handshake (WPA2/WPA3) will fail, preventing association even though the SSID is visible. Other devices connecting successfully rules out router-side problems.

A tone generator and probe allow a technician to trace the wall jack back to the patch panel and verify continuity. Since the link light is off and a known-good cable didn't help, the issue may be in the wall jack or its termination, and tracing the cable is the next step.

This question assesses understanding of connectivity options for shared multifunction devices. A network connection (Ethernet) allows multiple users on the same subnet to access the printer simultaneously. USB is limited to a single directly connected computer.

This question tests advanced troubleshooting of laser printer mechanical issues. The imaging drum is a common wear item that can cause grinding noises and vertical streaks when damaged. The fuser or pickup rollers would produce different symptoms.

Quad-channel memory requires a compatible CPU that supports quad-channel architecture. Most consumer CPUs (like Intel Core i7/i9) only support dual-channel, even if the motherboard has four slots. Server or HEDT (High-End Desktop) CPUs are needed for quad-channel.

An eSATA or SATA expansion card adds more SATA ports via a PCIe slot. USB adapters are slower, and replacing the motherboard is unnecessary. External enclosures are not internal.

A series of short beeps on a laptop usually indicates a memory failure, such as incompatible or improperly seated RAM. The most common cause is that the new RAM module is not fully inserted into the slot, causing a poor connection. The technician should reseat the module firmly until it clicks into place.

This question tests resource allocation awareness. Over-allocating vCPUs can cause contention as the hypervisor tries to schedule multiple virtual CPUs on limited physical cores, leading to performance degradation. The correct answer is to reduce the vCPU count.

Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol (RSTP) is the correct choice because it provides loop prevention in redundant switch topologies while offering faster convergence than classic STP. In a data center with multiple servers connected to a core switch via redundant paths, RSTP (IEEE 802.1w) ensures that only one active path exists at a time, blocking redundant links to prevent broadcast storms and MAC table instability, yet automatically unblocking them if the primary path fails.

Cloud VMs often experience resource contention due to noisy neighbors in multi-tenant environments. Even if the instance type meets specs, performance can degrade if other tenants on the same physical host consume resources. The technician should check if the instance is on a shared host and consider dedicated instances.

Satellite internet (Option C) is the correct answer because the user's dish is mounted on the roof, and the connection drops out during rainstorms—a phenomenon known as 'rain fade.' Rain attenuates the Ku-band or Ka-band radio frequencies (typically 12–18 GHz or 26–40 GHz) used by satellite systems, causing signal loss. Fiber-optic, cable, and DSL are terrestrial connections that do not use a roof-mounted dish and are not significantly affected by rain.

When migrating from an HDD to an NVMe SSD, the BIOS may detect the drive but the boot configuration may be missing or incorrect. The solution is to ensure the boot mode is set to UEFI (not Legacy) and that the drive is formatted with GPT, as NVMe drives require UEFI to boot.

A short circuit triggers the PSU's overcurrent protection, causing immediate shutdown. This is common if a motherboard standoff is missing or a screw is lodged under the board. Other causes like insufficient wattage or loose cables typically cause instability, not instant shutdown.

Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) uses TCP port 3389 by default to establish a graphical interface connection to a Windows workstation. Forwarding this port on the home router allows the technician to route incoming RDP traffic from the internet to the specific internal IP address of the target Windows machine, enabling remote access.

The cable tester indicates intermittent shorts, which are classic symptoms of physical damage to the cable. The 85-meter run with sharp bends in the conduit creates a high risk of the cable being pinched or crushed, leading to conductor contact or insulation breakdown. This physical stress causes intermittent connectivity issues, not a length or interference problem.

RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) uses TCP port 3389 by default. Since the firewall allows outbound traffic on all ports, the issue is likely that the server-side firewall or the RDP service is not listening on port 3389, or the port is blocked inbound on the server's firewall. Verifying that port 3389 is open and the RDP service is running on the server is the correct next step.

SNMP uses UDP port 161 for sending queries and receiving responses between the manager and agents, and UDP port 162 for the agent to send unsolicited traps or informs to the manager. These two ports must be allowed through firewalls for proper SNMP communication.

An IP address starting with 169.254 indicates the printer failed to obtain an address from a DHCP server and assigned itself an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address. The network connection or DHCP server should be checked.

Microwave ovens operate at approximately 2.45 GHz, which falls within the 2.4 GHz ISM band used by Wi-Fi. When a microwave is running near an access point, it generates strong electromagnetic interference that can cause intermittent signal degradation or drops, affecting wireless clients like laptops but not wired desktops.

High CPU temperatures under load with dry thermal paste indicate poor heat transfer. Replacing the thermal paste is the most direct and effective solution, as it restores proper thermal conductivity between the CPU and heatsink.

Since the BIOS also reports only 8 GB, the issue is hardware-related, not an OS limitation. The most likely cause is that the motherboard or CPU does not support 16 GB of RAM. The technician should check the system's maximum supported RAM and the compatibility of the new modules.

This scenario points to a display or backlight failure, not a total system crash. The device is operational (vibrates), so the problem is likely with the LCD, backlight, or display cable. Testing with an external display or checking for physical damage is the logical next step.

The corporate network uses WPA2-Enterprise with 802.1X authentication, which requires the smartphone to have the correct 802.1X credentials (e.g., username/password or certificate) configured for that specific SSID. Without these credentials, the phone cannot complete the EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) handshake with the RADIUS server, even though it can connect to a home WPA2-Personal network. Option C directly addresses this missing configuration.

This scenario describes a stuck or dead pixel, a common LCD defect. A dark spot that remains constant indicates a pixel that is not receiving power or is stuck in the off state. This is a hardware defect, not a software or connection issue.

If the OS only detects half the cores, the CPU might be faulty, but a more common cause is that the motherboard's BIOS needs an update to support the new CPU's full feature set. Older BIOS versions may not recognize all cores.

Option C is correct because the 'No Signal' message with a DisplayPort connection typically indicates a loss of link training between the GPU and monitor. Since the cable is secure and the monitor is powered on, the next logical step is to isolate whether the issue is with the cable or the GPU port by trying an alternative DisplayPort cable or a different port on the GPU. This is a standard hardware troubleshooting step before moving to driver or replacement actions.

A dim display on a laptop with a working external monitor points to a backlight issue. In LED-backlit screens, the backlight is driven by an LED driver circuit on the display or motherboard. A failing backlight or its driver causes dimness while the LCD panel itself may still function.

USB 3.1 Gen 2 over USB-C supports a maximum signaling rate of 10 Gbps, which is significantly faster than any wireless or NFC option. For transferring large files to a central server, this wired connection provides the highest throughput and lowest latency, making it the optimal choice for the scenario.

The legacy 2.4 GHz router operates in the same frequency band as microwave ovens, which emit broadband interference around 2.45 GHz. Upgrading to a dual-band router and moving clients to the 5 GHz SSID directly avoids this interference because 5 GHz is not affected by microwave emissions, providing a cleaner RF environment and more available channels.

A Wi-Fi analyzer (Option B) is specifically designed to measure wireless signal strength (RSSI) and identify interference sources such as overlapping channels, co-channel interference, or non-Wi-Fi devices (e.g., Bluetooth, microwave ovens) by displaying real-time spectrum usage and channel utilization. This tool provides the granularity needed to diagnose weak signal in a specific area, unlike generic tools that lack wireless analysis capabilities.

This question tests knowledge of 10GbE connectivity options. The correct answer is multimode fiber with LC connectors, as SFP+ ports typically use fiber or DAC cables, and multimode fiber with LC is common for short-range 10GbE in data centers.

An IP address in the 169.254.x.x range is an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address, assigned when a DHCP server is unreachable. This means the computer failed to get a valid IP from DHCP, so it cannot communicate beyond the local link.

This describes image persistence or burn-in, common in LCD panels left on static images for extended periods. Unlike dead pixels or backlight issues, this is a temporary or permanent ghosting of static content. The correct answer identifies the root cause as static image retention, which can sometimes be reversed with screen refreshers.

A firmware update can reset UEFI settings to defaults, including boot mode. If the drive was formatted for Legacy (CSM) but the system now defaults to UEFI, or vice versa, the bootloader won't be found. This tests understanding of boot mode compatibility.

This question tests understanding of mobile app permissions. For an app that needs location data to function, the technician must grant the location permission when prompted or via settings. Denying or ignoring the permission will prevent the app from accessing location services, leading to malfunction.

A network extender (repeater) regenerates the electrical signal, allowing a Cat5e segment to exceed the 100-meter distance limitation while maintaining 1 Gbps speed. Since the administrator already has Cat5e cable and only needs to extend the reach, a repeater operates at Layer 1 to boost the signal without replacing the cable.

When a PoE switch's power budget reaches 95% capacity, it may begin to prioritize power delivery, potentially power-cycling lower-priority devices like VoIP phones to free up power for critical devices. This intermittent power loss causes the audio drops, as the phone reboots or loses power momentarily. The issue is directly tied to PoE power management, not cable length, hardware faults, or VLAN configuration.

Windows Memory Diagnostic is a built-in tool in Windows that performs a thorough test of installed RAM to detect errors. It can be run from the boot menu or within Windows and is the standard first step for diagnosing memory issues. Other tools like MemTest86 are also common, but Windows Memory Diagnostic is readily available without additional downloads.

The boot order in the VM's BIOS must be set to boot from the CD/DVD drive (ISO) before the hard disk. If the ISO is not mounted or boot order is wrong, the VM cannot find an OS.

Modular PSU cables are keyed to prevent incorrect insertion, but they are not standardized across brands. Using cables from a different PSU can cause shorts and damage components. Always use the cables that came with the specific PSU.

Option C is correct because a Chromecast device connects to the TV via HDMI and uses Wi-Fi Direct (not Miracast) to receive a screen mirror from an Android smartphone. Since the TV lacks Miracast support but has an HDMI port, Chromecast provides the necessary hardware and protocol (Google Cast) to enable wireless display mirroring.

Option B is correct because when a Windows computer's network profile is set to 'Public', the Windows Firewall automatically enables the 'Public' profile rules, which block Network Discovery and file sharing. This prevents the computer from seeing other devices on the local subnet even though internet access (which uses the default gateway) remains functional. The symptom—internet works but LAN visibility fails—is a classic indicator of a network profile misconfiguration.