Free Practice Questions for CompTIA 220-1201 Exam

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation (100–150+ Words):

CompTIA A+ stresses that printers must use static IP addresses to remain consistently reachable on a LAN. When using DHCP, the printer's IP address may change, causing laptops to lose access. By assigning a static IP within the same subnet, the printer becomes a stable, discoverable network resource for all laptops.

Using dynamic IPs for the laptops is perfectly acceptable in SOHO environments, because clients don’t require permanent IPs. Assigning public IPs (Option B) is incorrect and unsafe. APIPA (169.254.x.x) does not route and cannot reach the internet or a standard printer. Using dynamic ISP-assigned IPs for all devices (Option D) is also incorrect because ISP routers typically give only one public IP, not multiple internal ones.

Therefore, to ensure the printer is always reachable, the correct configuration is: DHCP for laptops, static IP for printer a best practice detailed in CompTIA’s networking and SOHO setup guidelines.

A managed switch allows an administrator to enable or disable individual ports as part of network security and management. If a port on a managed switch has been disabled, the device connected to that port will lose connectivity, which matches the scenario described.

DisplayPort is a fully digital video interface that supports HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection), a digital rights-management protocol used to protect copyrighted content such as movies, streaming video, and Blu-ray playback. The CompTIA A+ study guide notes that DisplayPort and HDMI support HDCP, while analog connections like VGA and DVI-A do not support HDCP because analog signals cannot enforce digital content protection.

F-type connectors are used for coaxial cabling (cable TV, satellite), not digital video output. DisplayPort's support for encrypted high-definition video streams makes it the correct answer and aligns with CompTIA’s coverage of display connectors and digital content protection technologies.

The symptoms clearly point to a hardware-level signal degradation issue, which is most commonly caused by a malfunctioning or damaged Wi-Fi antenna in the smartphone. CompTIA A+ mobile device troubleshooting emphasizes comparing the affected device's signal strength with other nearby devices. In this case, other devices in the same location have stronger Wi-Fi signals, meaning the network itself is functioning normally. The consistent low signal across multiple networks strongly suggests antenna failure.

Modern smartphones use internal antenna assemblies located along the frame or behind the back cover. If the antenna becomes loose, damaged, or obstructed, the device may show weak or unstable Wi-Fi connectivity, especially in crowded environments where strong, stable reception is required to maintain a connection.

Option B (outdated Wi-Fi standard) would limit speed but not cause significant signal weakness compared to surrounding devices. Option C (interference) affects all devices in an area similarly—not just one device. Option D (power settings) may reduce background activity or scanning frequency, but it does not cause consistently low signal strength.

Therefore, the most likely cause is a malfunctioning Wi-Fi antenna inside the smartphone.

Channel configuration(e.g.,dual-channel,quad-channel) determines how memory modules communicate with the memory controller. Usingmatched pairs in dual- or quad-channel setupscan significantlyincrease memory bandwidth, improving performance especially for gaming and video-intensive tasks.

Option A (Error correction):ECC RAM is used in servers for reliability, not performance or gaming.

Option B (RAM voltage):Affects compatibility and overclocking but not bandwidth.

Option D (Physical size):Refers to module form factor (e.g., DIMM, SO-DIMM) and does not impact bandwidth.

CompTIA A+ Core 1 Exam Objective Reference:

Objective 3.2: Given a scenario, install RAM types.

Port 23 is used by Telnet, an unencrypted remote connection protocol that poses significant security risks. Disabling Telnet and using secure alternatives like SSH (port 22) is best practice.

From CompTIA A+ 220-1101 Official Study Guide, Objective 2.1 – Common ports and protocols:

"Port 23 (Telnet) provides unencrypted remote access and should be disabled to increase security. Use SSH (port 22) for secure remote connections."

Verified Source:

CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Official Study Guide, Chapter 2: Ports and Protocols

CompTIA Exam Objectives 220-1101, Domain 2.1

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A loopback plug is a diagnostic tool used to test whether a physical port such as an Ethernet NIC port or serial port is capable of sending and receiving its own signal. When inserted, it “loops” outgoing signals back into the device, confirming the port's transmit/receive functionality.

CompTIA A+ emphasizes loopback plugs as essential tools during hardware and network troubleshooting, especially when isolating physical port or NIC failures.

Network taps passively monitor traffic, crimpers attach RJ45 connectors to cables, and patch panels organize cabling none of these verify port-level functionality. Therefore, only a loopback plug can confirm that a port is working correctly by testing signal integrity and hardware responsiveness.

Comprehensive and Detailed Explanation From Exact Extract:

A firewall allows for detailed traffic control, including blocking outbound connections while allowing inbound ones. This is contrary to typical security setups, but it can be configured via advanced firewall rules.

Gaming laptops prioritize speed, low latency, fast read/write times, and quick loading. CompTIA A+ explains that NVMe M.2 SSDs provide the fastest consumer storage available due to their use of the PCIe bus, which delivers significantly higher performance compared to SATA-based drives.

HDDs (Options A and C) are mechanical and have slow seek times, making them unsuitable for high-performance gaming. SAS SSDs (Option D) are enterprise-grade, rarely used in laptops, and require SAS controllers not found in consumer systems.

Thus, a 512GB NVMe M.2 SSD offers the best performance, fastest boot times, rapid texture loading, and optimal gaming responsiveness fully aligning with A+ hardware performance recommendations.

B. USB-C:

USB-C is a versatile connector that supports charging, high-speed data transfer, and the ability to send audio and video signals (e.g., DisplayPort over USB-C).

It is used by most modern mobile devices and laptops because of its fast transfer speeds and power delivery capabilities.

Incorrect Options:

A. Lightning: Lightning is proprietary to Apple devices and does not natively support video output.

C. MicroUSB: MicroUSB is outdated and does not support video output.

D. MiniUSB: MiniUSB is an older standard and does not support modern features like video output or fast charging.

Key Takeaway: USB-C is the most versatile connector for charging and transferring data, audio, and video.