Practice for the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) exam with 20 exam-style practice questions, instant answer reveals, and concise explanations of every correct answer. Topics include: Which of the following network devices is used to put each connected network host in its own collision domain?. Follow @CertPunch and visit certpunch.com for more certification practice exams and study content.
Prefer hands-on? Take this round as an interactive practice test — answer every question, get instant feedback, and see your score: Start the CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) practice test →
What you will practice
- Which of the following network devices is used to put each connected network host in its own collision domain?
- You have been asked to run to the store and purchase a network cable for your boss's new laptop. They need a…
- A laptop's trackpad lost multi-touch gesture support after an OS update, though basic cursor movement still w…
- What are the dimensions of a MicroATX motherboard?
- What network device uses ACLs to prevent unauthorized access into company systems?
- A help desk needs to provide voice-only support to clients using VoIP technology without video. Which device…
Answers and explanations
Tap a question to expand the answer and the exam reasoning. Try to commit to your own pick first.
Q1. Which of the following network devices is used to put each connected network host in its own collision domain?
Answer: C. Unmanaged switch
A switch places each connected host into its own collision domain by using MAC address tables to forward frames only to the correct port. Hubs and repeaters create a single shared collision domain, while access points manage wireless connections.
Q2. You have been asked to run to the store and purchase a network cable for your boss's new laptop. They need a network cable that supports at least 750 Mbps. Which of the following network cables should you purchase to meet the bandwidth req…
Answer: C. CAT 5e
Category 5e cable supports gigabit speeds up to one thousand megabits per second, meeting the requirement. It remains the cheapest acceptable option, as Category 6 and 7 cables cost more while Category 5 only supports fast Ethernet.
Q3. A laptop's trackpad lost multi-touch gesture support after an OS update, though basic cursor movement still works. The user restarted the laptop without success. What should you do next?
Answer: D. Verify that multi-touch gestures are enabled in the trackpad settings
Operating system updates can occasionally reset hardware configurations or disable specific features. Checking the trackpad settings ensures multi-touch gestures are enabled before assuming third-party software interference or hardware failure.
Q4. What are the dimensions of a MicroATX motherboard?
Answer: C. 9.6" x 9.6"
The microATX form factor has maximum dimensions of 9.6 inches by 9.6 inches. Mini-ITX is smaller at 6.7 inches square, while standard ATX is larger at 12 by 9.6 inches.
Q5. What network device uses ACLs to prevent unauthorized access into company systems?
Answer: C. Firewall
A firewall uses access control lists to explicitly permit or deny traffic based on ports and IP addresses. An intrusion detection system only monitors passively for malicious signatures, while a load balancer distributes traffic.
Q6. A help desk needs to provide voice-only support to clients using VoIP technology without video. Which device should agents use to meet this requirement?
Answer: D. Microphone
A microphone is the required input device for transmitting voice over an IP network without video. A webcam would be necessary only if the support call included a live video feed, which the requirement specifically excludes.
Q7. A team of developers is using a virtual machine to test a web application. One developer reports that their VM frequently runs out of storage during testing, causing errors. The VM is configured with dynamic disk allocation. What is the mo…
Answer: A. The host system has insufficient free space, so increase storage on the host machine
Dynamic disk allocation relies on available storage space on the host machine to expand the virtual machine disk. If the host runs out of physical space, the virtual disk cannot grow, so increasing host storage resolves the issue.
Q8. A computer technician is building a server that will run multiple virtual machines simultaneously. Which CPU technology should be selected so that the processor can utilize two logical cores?
Answer: A. Hyperthreading
Hyperthreading allows a single physical processor core to function as two logical cores for improved multitasking. A multi-core processor provides additional physical cores rather than virtualizing logical threads within a single core.
Q9. Which of the following refers to using virtual machines as a method of provisioning workstations for corporate users?
Answer: B. VDI
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure provisions virtual machines as desktops for users. Thin clients connect to these hosted virtual machines. SaaS provides applications, PaaS provides platforms, and IaaS provides basic computing resources.
Q10. What is the main difference between a punchdown tool and a crimping tool?
Answer: B. A punchdown tool secures wires into a punchdown block, while a crimping tool secures connectors onto cables
A punchdown tool secures individual wires into a punchdown block. A crimping tool attaches connectors onto the ends of cables. Punchdown blocks are for patch panels, while crimping creates direct device connections.
Q11. A user reports that their external monitor's screen is intermittently flashing on and off, with the display going black for a second before reappearing. What is the most likely cause of this symptom?
Answer: B. Loose cable connections
Loose or faulty video cable connections cause intermittent signal loss and screen flashing. Electrical connections interrupted momentarily make monitors go black. RAM, CPU overheating, and outdated systems cause performance issues, not signal loss.
Q12. You are building a desktop PC for a newly hired employee. The computer's motherboard doesn't have a wireless network adapter integrated into it, so you need to purchase an expansion card to provide this functionality. Which of the followin…
Answer: C. PCIe x1
Wireless network adapters typically use PCIe x1 expansion slots for connectivity. PCIe x1 slots handle smaller peripherals like network cards. PCIe x16 slots are reserved for graphics cards, AGP is obsolete, and eSATA handles external storage.
Q13. You have been asked to install a network cable inside a conduit placed underground and connected to two buildings located about 1 km apart. Which of the following cable types should you choose?
Answer: A. Fiber
Fiber optic cable is the required medium for network links exceeding 100 meters. Copper cables like shielded or plenum are limited to short distances, making fiber the only viable choice for connecting buildings a kilometer apart.
Q14. Which of the following types of networks would be created by installing an 802.11ax access point inside an office?
Answer: B. WLAN
Installing an 802.11ax access point creates a wireless local area network. Wireless protocols designate local coverage areas, eliminating wide area, storage area, and metropolitan area network options.
Q15. A user cannot complete NFC payments after updating their smartphone's OS. The store's payment terminal works for other customers. What is the most logical first step?
Answer: B. Check if NFC is enabled in the smartphone's settings
An operating system update can reset settings or disable features like near field communication. Since the payment terminal works for other customers, checking the smartphone settings to ensure NFC is enabled is the logical first step.
Q16. Your company's file server is using a RAID 5 configuration. You just received an alert from the server that states that "RAID is degraded" and that the "Local Disk 0, Physical Disk 3 has failed." Which of the following is the BEST way to f…
Answer: A. Schedule an authorized downtime period, replace physical disk 3, rebuild the array, and confirm that the RAID is no longer reporting itself as degraded
A degraded RAID 5 array still functions but lacks redundancy, so you should schedule downtime before replacing the failed drive and rebuilding the array. Reformatting the drives or changing the RAID level would cause data loss.
Q17. A child dropped their touchscreen laptop. The screen has spiderweb cracks but displays images correctly and responds to touch. Which component needs replacement?
Answer: B. LCD panel
Spiderweb cracks with a correct image indicate physical damage to the LCD panel. The digitizer handles touch input, so if touch still works, the digitizer glass is intact and only the LCD panel needs replacement.
Q18. You are troubleshooting a connection between a wall jack and an unlabeled switch port. Which tool should you use to identify which cable connects to the wall jack?
Answer: D. Tone generator and probe
A tone generator and probe trace cables by sending an audible signal through the wire. A multimeter cannot easily span distant rooms, while punchdown tools and loopback plugs are for terminating and testing ports locally.
Q19. A customer wants to enable TPM to add password protection as the system boots up for an added security layer. Which of the following should you check to determine if TPM is enabled on the system?
Answer: B. BIOS settings
The BIOS or UEFI settings control firmware-level hardware like the Trusted Platform Module. Device Manager and Computer Management only display operating system level peripherals, not low level boot security configurations.
Q20. After extensive troubleshooting, including testing with minimal components, a computer has spinning fans but no display and no POST beep codes. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Answer: D. The power supply wattage is too low for the components in the computer
An underrated power supply causes partial operation where low-draw components like fans spin but the system lacks wattage to complete POST. A dead CMOS battery rarely prevents display output, while voltage mismatches prevent startup.
More CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201) drills and other practice exams are on @CertPunch. New rounds drop every few days at certpunch.com.