200-301 Question 79
Single answerA network administrator notices that a newly connected switch port is experiencing high collision rates and a significant number of late collisions. Upon investigation, the administrator observes that the interface is configured as full-duplex, while the connected device is operating at half-duplex. What is the most likely cause of this problem?
- A
A duplex mismatch between the switch and the connected device
- B
A faulty Ethernet cable causing intermittent connectivity issues
- C
An incorrect IP address configuration on the connected device
- D
A speed mismatch between the switch and the connected device
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario describes a classic duplex mismatch issue. Full-duplex communication allows simultaneous sending and receiving of frames, while half-duplex operates on a collision-based method. If both ends of a connection are not set to the same duplex mode, the half-duplex device will experience collisions while the full-duplex device does not expect them, leading to significant communication errors and late collisions.
- A. Correct.
A duplex mismatch is a common cause of high collision rates and late collisions. When one end of the link operates at full-duplex and the other at half-duplex, it leads to communication issues.
- B. Incorrect.
A faulty Ethernet cable can cause connectivity issues, but it is unlikely to result in consistent high collisions and late collisions specifically.
- C. Incorrect.
An incorrect IP address configuration would cause network communication issues but would not directly lead to collisions or late collisions.
- D. Incorrect.
A speed mismatch can cause connectivity problems, but it typically results in link failure or degraded performance rather than collisions.