220-1101 Question 18
Single answerBluetoothA user reports that their Bluetooth headset worked with a company laptop last week, but today it will not reconnect. The headset powers on and connects successfully to the user's phone. On the laptop, Bluetooth is enabled and the headset appears in the list of paired devices with a status of "Paired" but not "Connected." The user needs audio working again as quickly as possible for a video call. Which action should the technician take FIRST?
- A
Remove the headset from the laptop's paired devices list and pair it again
- B
Disable Wi-Fi on the laptop to reduce 2.4 GHz interference before reconnecting
- C
Update the laptop's BIOS to restore Bluetooth compatibility
- D
Replace the headset because it is defective
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best first step is to remove the Bluetooth headset from the laptop and pair it again. In real-world support, when a Bluetooth device shows as paired but will not connect, re-establishing the pairing relationship is one of the fastest and most effective troubleshooting actions. This aligns with standard vendor guidance from operating system and device manufacturers, which commonly recommends turning Bluetooth on, removing the device, and pairing it again when reconnection fails. The scenario also gives an important diagnostic clue: the headset connects to the phone, so the headset is not the most likely point of failure. More invasive actions such as BIOS updates or hardware replacement are not justified before basic Bluetooth troubleshooting is attempted.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In this scenario, the headset still works with another device, which shows the headset itself is functional. A Bluetooth device that remains listed as paired but will not reconnect is often resolved by forgetting/removing the pairing and pairing it again. This is a practical first step that is fast, low risk, and commonly used when Bluetooth pairing data becomes stale or corrupted.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Bluetooth and many Wi-Fi networks both use the 2.4 GHz range, so interference can sometimes affect reliability. However, the stronger clue here is that the device is already paired but not reconnecting, while the headset works normally with the phone. Disabling Wi-Fi is not the best first action because it is more disruptive and less directly targeted than re-pairing the Bluetooth device.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. BIOS updates can sometimes address hardware compatibility or firmware-level issues, but this is not an appropriate first troubleshooting step for a headset that was recently working and still appears as paired. BIOS updates are higher risk and less efficient than basic Bluetooth troubleshooting steps such as removing and re-adding the device.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. The headset is unlikely to be defective because it connects successfully to the user's phone. That test demonstrates the headset can still power on, advertise over Bluetooth, and establish a connection. Replacing hardware before trying simple connection troubleshooting would be premature.