220-1102 Question 624
Single answerUnable to access the networkA user reports that their Windows 11 laptop cannot access any internal company websites or shared drives after returning to the office from working remotely. The laptop is connected to the corporate Wi-Fi and shows Internet access, but it cannot reach resources such as \fileserver\public or the intranet site intranet.corp.local. Other employees on the same Wi-Fi can access these resources without issue. Running ipconfig shows the laptop has a valid IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server from DHCP. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
- A
The laptop's VPN client is still connected and forcing traffic through the remote tunnel
- B
The wireless access point is using the wrong WPA3 passphrase
- C
The DHCP server assigned an APIPA address to the laptop
- D
The laptop's network adapter has failed because it can reach the Internet but not internal resources
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This scenario points to a routing or session issue rather than a basic Wi-Fi or DHCP failure. The key clues are that the user has Internet access, received valid TCP/IP settings from DHCP, and only internal company resources are unreachable. That pattern commonly occurs when a VPN client remains connected or leaves behind routes/policies after remote work. In real-world troubleshooting, CompTIA A+ objectives emphasize checking VPN configuration, IP settings, DNS resolution, and connectivity path before replacing hardware. Best practice is to verify whether the VPN is active, disconnect it if the user is now on-site, run ipconfig /all to confirm settings, and review route print or the VPN client status. Microsoft documentation for Windows networking and VPN troubleshooting supports validating adapter configuration, name resolution, and routing when users can reach some networks but not others.
- A. Correct.
Correct. If the VPN client remains connected after returning to the office, it may continue to route corporate traffic through the remote tunnel or apply policies that interfere with local access to internal resources. This can prevent access to local domain resources such as file shares and intranet sites even though general Internet access still works. A technician should check the active VPN status, routing table, and whether split tunneling or full tunneling is in effect.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. If the access point were using the wrong WPA3 passphrase, the laptop would typically fail to authenticate and connect to Wi-Fi at all. In this scenario, the laptop is already connected to corporate Wi-Fi and has Internet access, so wireless authentication is not the most likely issue.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. An APIPA address is in the 169.254.x.x range and indicates that the system could not obtain a valid address from DHCP. The scenario explicitly states that ipconfig shows a valid IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, and DNS server from DHCP, which rules out APIPA.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A failed network adapter would more likely cause broader connectivity problems, such as intermittent or complete loss of network access. Since the laptop can connect to Wi-Fi and access the Internet, the adapter is functioning at a basic level. The more likely issue is a configuration or routing problem specific to internal resource access.