220-1101 Question 19
Single answerTethering/hotspotA field technician needs temporary internet access for a laptop at a customer site where the wired network is down and no guest Wi-Fi is available. The technician enables the mobile hotspot feature on a smartphone, but the laptop still cannot get online after connecting to the hotspot SSID. The laptop shows it is connected to the wireless network. Which action should the technician take FIRST to most likely restore internet access?
- A
Verify that cellular data is enabled on the smartphone and that the phone has an active mobile data connection
- B
Change the hotspot's SSID to match the customer's corporate wireless network name
- C
Assign a static IP address, default gateway, and DNS server on the laptop's wireless adapter
- D
Disable WPA2/WPA3 security on the hotspot so the laptop can connect without encryption
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests practical troubleshooting of tethering/hotspot connectivity. In a hotspot scenario, there are two separate links to consider: the Wi-Fi link between the laptop and the phone, and the phone's upstream cellular data connection to the internet. Since the laptop is already connected to the hotspot SSID, the local wireless association is working. The most likely failure point is the smartphone's mobile data connection or the hotspot feature not successfully sharing that connection. Best practice is to verify the upstream connection first before changing client TCP/IP settings or weakening security. This aligns with standard CompTIA A+ Core 1 wireless/mobile device troubleshooting logic: confirm service availability, verify the simplest likely cause, and preserve secure configurations.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A mobile hotspot shares the smartphone's cellular data connection with other devices. If the phone does not currently have mobile data enabled, has poor cellular service, or lacks an active data connection, connected devices may associate to the hotspot SSID but still have no internet access. Checking the phone's cellular connectivity is the most direct and likely first troubleshooting step in this scenario.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Matching the hotspot SSID to a corporate wireless network name does not provide internet access and may create confusion or unintended connection issues. SSID naming does not affect whether the smartphone's cellular data connection is being shared successfully.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. In a normal hotspot setup, the smartphone typically provides DHCP, NAT, and basic routing to connected clients. Manually assigning static TCP/IP settings on the laptop is unnecessary as a first step and may even cause addressing conflicts or incorrect gateway settings if the technician guesses wrong.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Disabling wireless security is not a best practice and does not address the likely issue described. The laptop is already connected to the hotspot SSID, so authentication/encryption is not the primary problem. Removing encryption would expose the connection to unauthorized use.