Free CompTIA 220-1101 Practice Exam with Questions & Answers

The most likely cause of the wireless network connectivity issues is A. External interference.

External interference is any signal or noise that disrupts or degrades the quality of a wireless network. External interference can come from various sources, such as other wireless networks, cordless phones, microwaves, Bluetooth devices, or electrical appliances. External interference can affect the wireless network performance, reliability, and security, by causing issues such as signal loss, packet drops, latency, or interference.

In this scenario, a company in a large building uses a wireless network for its workstations. After a new company moves into the building on the floor below, the old company’s wireless network begins experiencing connectivity issues. This could indicate that the new company’s wireless network is using the same or overlapping frequency channel as the old company’s wireless network, and creating external interference. Wireless networks use radio frequency channels to transmit and receive data, and each channel has a certain bandwidth and range. If two or more wireless networks use the same or overlapping channel, they may interfere with each other and cause congestion or collision.

To resolve this issue, the old company’s network technician should change the wireless network channel to a different one that is less crowded or more compatible with the wireless network standard. The technician should also check the wireless network settings and features, such as SSID (Service Set Identifier), encryption, authentication, or power level, and adjust them if necessary. The technician should also scan the wireless environment and identify the sources and levels of external interference, and try to avoid or minimize them if possible.

For more information about external interference and how to prevent or reduce it, you can refer to the following web search results: [What Is Wireless Interference?], [How to Find the Best WiFi Channel for Your Router], [How to Reduce Wireless Interference].

C. Installing redundant PSUs (Power Supply Units):

Redundant PSUs provide fault tolerance by ensuring that if one power supply fails, another will take over seamlessly.

This is a cost-effective way to increase uptime while waiting for the UPSs to arrive.

Incorrect Options:

A. Purchasing backup generators: Generators are costly and are typically used for long-term outages, not as an immediate or cost-effective solution.

B. Increasing input voltage: This is not a practical solution to hardware failures or power issues.

D. Activating a hot site: A hot site is an expensive, fully operational backup facility that would not be a cost-effective solution for this scenario.

Key Takeaway: Installing redundant PSUs is a cost-effective way to balance uptime requirements in case of power or hardware failure.

The correct answer is A. Serial.

A serial cable is a type of cable that can be used to connect a laptop to a network device via a serial port. A serial port is a physical interface that allows data transmission between devices using serial communication, which is a method of sending data one bit at a time over a single wire. Serial ports are often used for console access to network devices, such as routers, switches, firewalls, or servers, when other methods of connection, such as SSH (Secure Shell), are not available or not working.

SSH is a protocol that allows secure and encrypted remote login and command execution over a network. SSH uses public key cryptography to authenticate the client and the server, and to encrypt the data exchanged between them. SSH can be accessed through different ports, depending on the configuration of the server and the client. The default port for SSH is 22, but it can be changed to any other port for security reasons.

HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a type of cable that can be used to transmit audio and video signals between devices, such as laptops, monitors, TVs, or projectors. HDMI cables support high-definition video and audio formats, and can also carry Ethernet and power signals. HDMI cables are not suitable for connecting to network devices via SSH, as they are designed for multimedia purposes.

Parallel cables are a type of cable that can be used to connect devices that use parallel communication, which is a method of sending data multiple bits at a time over multiple wires. Parallel cables are often used for connecting printers or scanners to computers, but they are not commonly used for network devices or SSH connections.

Lightning cables are a type of cable that can be used to connect Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads, or iPods, to computers or chargers. Lightning cables support data transfer and power delivery, and can also be used with adapters to connect to other types of ports, such as USB or HDMI. Lightning cables are not compatible with network devices or SSH connections, as they are specific to Apple products.

Therefore, the only cable that can be used as an alternative connection method with a laptop when SSH is not working is a serial cable. Serial cables can provide console access to network devices and allow configuration and troubleshooting commands to be executed. For more information about SSH and its alternatives, you can refer to the following web search results: Alternatives to SSH, How To Configure Custom Connection Options for your SSH Client, Understanding the SSH Encryption and Connection Process, How to Use Public Key Authentication with SSH.

Rapid elasticity is a cloud feature that allows cloud services to scale up or down automatically according to demand or load on the server, without requiring manual intervention or configuration changes by users or administrators.This enables cloud services to provide optimal performance and efficiency at all times, as well as reducing costs by only using resources when needed. Reference: https://www.comptia.org/training/books/a-core-1-220-1101-study-guide (page 98)

VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) is a special-purpose memory type used by graphics controllers to store image data that is displayed on the screen. VRAM is faster and more expensive than regular RAM, and it allows the graphics controller to access the image data directly without involving the CPU or the system memory. VRAM can improve the performance and quality of graphics-intensive applications, such as video editing, gaming, and 3D rendering.

A community cloud model is a cloud solution in which infrastructure is shared among organizations that have common interests, goals, or concerns, such as security, compliance, or industry standards. This model would best address the bank’s need to leverage cloud computing while maintaining a high level of security and privacy for its data and transactions. The other cloud models are not suitable for this scenario, as they either do not offer enough control over the infrastructure (public cloud), or do not allow for sharing of resources among similar organizations (private cloud and hybrid cloud). Verified References: [What Is Community Cloud?]

Near Field Communication (NFC) is the most suitable connection method for the user's need to quickly collect contact information. NFC allows for short-range communication between compatible devices by simply bringing them close together or tapping them together. This feature is ideal for exchanging contact information or transferring small amounts of data quickly and conveniently, making it perfect for a sales environment at a conference. This recommendation is supported by the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1101) Exam Objectives, specifically in sections 2.3 "Compare and contrast protocols for wireless networking" and 1.3 "Given a scenario set up and configure accessories and ports of mobile devices", where NFC is mentioned as a connection method for mobile devices .

The correct answers are C. Rollers and E. Heating element.

A 3in (2.5cm) point-of-sale printer is a type of thermal printer that uses heat to print receipts on special thermal paper. The printer has a heating element that heats up the paper as it passes through the rollers, creating black marks on the paper where the heat is applied. The heating element and the rollers are two critical components of the thermal printer that can affect the quality of the printout.

If the printer is only printing fully black receipts, it means that the heating element is overheating or malfunctioning, causing the entire paper to turn black. The heating element may need to be replaced or repaired by a technician. Alternatively, the rollers may be dirty or damaged, causing the paper to stick to the heating element and get burned. The rollers may need to be cleaned or replaced by a technician.

The other options are not likely to cause the printer to print fully black receipts. The power supply may affect the printer’s performance, but it would not cause the heating element to overheat or the rollers to malfunction. The humidity and room temperature may affect the quality of the thermal paper, but they would not cause the entire paper to turn black. The fuser is a component of a laser printer, not a thermal printer, and it has no effect on the point-of-sale printer.

The correct answer is B. Gather additional details.

According to the CompTIA troubleshooting process for the A+ certification exams1, the technician should gather additional details after testing a theory that is incorrect. This step helps to identify the problem more accurately and establish a new theory of probable cause. The other options are not appropriate for this stage of the troubleshooting process. Documenting the findings, escalating the problem, and identifying user changes are steps that should be done later in the process, after determining the cause and implementing a solution1.

OLED (Organic Light Emitting Diode) displays have lower power consumption than LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) displays because they do not require a backlight to produce light. Each pixel in an OLED display can emit its own light, which also allows for higher contrast and finer grayscale levels. However, OLED displays are more prone to color degradation over time than LCD displays, which use filters to create colors. Verified References: OLED vs LCD: How to choose the right display for your phone.

The maximum distance that Cat 5, Cat 5e, Cat 6, and Cat 6a cables can be ran is 100 meters or 328 feet, according to the TIA/EIA standards. This is the maximum length for a cable segment, which is the distance between two devices, such as a switch and a computer, or a router and a printer. If the cable segment exceeds this length, the signal quality may degrade and cause errors or loss of data. Therefore, it is important to measure the cable length before installation and use repeaters or extenders if necessary.

References

1 Cable Distance | Comms InfoZone

2 Discussing Cat5 and Cat6 Max Length Limits - ShowMeCables

3 Cat5e vs Cat6 - Difference and Comparison | Diffen

The most likely component that is failing and causing the PC to overheat is D. CPU fan. The CPU fan is a vital part of the cooling system that prevents the CPU from overheating by blowing air over the heatsink and dissipating the heat. If the CPU fan is faulty, noisy, or clogged with dust, it can reduce the airflow and cause the CPU temperature to rise12. This can result in poor performance, instability, or shutdowns of the PC.

The other components are less likely to be the cause of overheating. RAM, motherboard, and SSD do not generate as much heat as the CPU and usually do not require fans to cool them down1. They may overheat if there is poor ventilation in the case or if they are defective, but they are not as common as a failing CPU fan.

Therefore, the correct answer is D. CPU fan. This is the most likely component that is failing and causing the PC to overheat.

NVMe stands for Non-Volatile Memory Express, and it is a type of SSD (solid state drive) that uses PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) interface to connect to a computer. NVMe SSDs offer faster performance and lower latency than other types of SSDs, such as SATA (Serial ATA) or M.2 SATA. If a user reports that a PC occasionally fails to boot and makes clicking sounds in the area where non-volatile storage is installed, it indicates that the hard drive is failing and needs to be replaced with an NVMe SSD.

This is an example of a public IP address that can be assigned by an ISP to a router’s WAN (Wide Area Network) port. A public IP address is a globally unique and routable address that allows a device to communicate with other devices on the internet. A private IP address, such as 10.1.50.30 or 172.22.40.6, is a non-routable address that is used within a local network and cannot be directly accessed from the internet. A link-local IP address, such as 169.254.168.10, is a self-assigned address that is used when a device cannot obtain a valid IP address from a DHCP server.

A firewall is a network device that performs stateful packet inspection, which means it analyzes incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predefined rules and filters, and allows or blocks packets based on their source, destination, protocol, port, or content. A firewall can enhance security by preventing unauthorized access, blocking malicious traffic, enforcing policies, and logging events. A firewall can be hardware-based or software-based, or a combination of both. Reference: https://www.comptia.org/training/books/a-core-1-220-1101-study-guide (page 78)

Hyperthreading is a feature of some CPUs that allows them to execute two threads (sequences of instructions) simultaneously on each core. Hyperthreading can improve the performance of CPU-intensive tasks, such as data analytics, by increasing the utilization of CPU resources and reducing idle time. The technician should verify that hyperthreading is enabled in the BIOS settings of the workstation.

The correct answers are D. The overall IT cost goes down and F. Upgrading applications is easier.

Application virtualization is a technology that allows users to run applications without installing them on their devices. The applications are stored and executed on a remote server, and the users can access them through a network connection. Application virtualization has several benefits, such as12:

•The overall IT cost goes down: Application virtualization reduces the need for hardware, software, and maintenance costs, as the applications are centralized and managed on the server side. This also saves energy and space, as fewer physical machines are required to run the applications. Additionally, application virtualization can reduce licensing costs, as the applications can be delivered on-demand and based on usage.

•Upgrading applications is easier: Application virtualization simplifies the process of updating and patching applications, as the changes can be made on the server side and pushed to the users instantly. This eliminates the need for manual installation and configuration on each device, and ensures that all users have the latest version of the applications.

Other benefits of application virtualization include123:

•Allows the running of legacy apps: Application virtualization can enable users to run applications that are developed for older or incompatible operating systems, such as Windows 7 or XP. This can extend the lifespan of legacy applications and avoid compatibility issues.

•Enables cross-platform operations: Application virtualization can allow users to run applications that are designed for different platforms, such as Windows apps on iOS, Android, macOS, or Chrome OS. This can increase the accessibility and mobility of the applications and enhance the user experience.

•Improves security and compliance: Application virtualization can isolate the applications from the underlying operating system and hardware, preventing malware or unauthorized access from affecting them. This can also protect the data and settings of the applications from being tampered with or lost. Furthermore, application virtualization can help enforce compliance policies and regulations, as the applications can be controlled and monitored by the server.

The best component for a technician to upgrade to fix the issue of slow performance writing data is B. HDD. HDD stands for hard disk drive, which is a type of storage device that uses physical disks to store data. HDDs have moving parts that can slow down the read and write operations, especially when the data is fragmented or the disk is full12.

A better alternative to HDDs is SSDs, which stands for solid state drives. SSDs use flash memory and do not have any moving parts. SSDs can read and write data faster and use less power, which can improve the performance and battery life of the laptop13. Upgrading to an SSD can provide a significant improvement in performance2.

The other components are not as relevant or effective as upgrading the HDD. RAM stands for random access memory, which is a type of memory that stores temporary data for the CPU to process. RAM can affect the overall speed of the laptop, but it does not directly affect the writing performance of the storage device1. TPM stands for trusted platform module, which is a security chip that encrypts and protects data on the laptop. TPM does not affect the performance of the laptop, but rather its security1. CPU stands for central processing unit, which is the main processor of the laptop that executes instructions and calculations. CPU can affect the performance of the laptop, but it is not as easy or cost-effective to upgrade as the HDD1.

High availability is a design principle that ensures a system or service can operate continuously without significant downtime or disruption. High availability can be achieved by implementing redundancy, failover, load balancing, and backup strategies. High availability can prevent a single point of failure within the system, which means that if one component fails, another one can take over its function. Rapid elasticity is the ability to scale up or down the resources of a system according to the demand, but it does not prevent a single point of failure. RAID is a method of storing data across multiple disks to provide redundancy and performance, but it does not prevent a single point of failure at the server level. Shared resources are the resources that are pooled and accessed by multiple users or systems, but they do not prevent a single point of failure either. References: https://www.comptia.org/blog/what-is-cloud-computing

Application virtualization is a technique that allows an application to run on a computer without being installed or affecting other applications on the system. Application virtualization creates a virtual environment for the application that isolates it from the underlying operating system and hardware. This way, the technician can verify the application deployment will not affect other legacy applications on the end users’ computers.