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CompTIA A+ Core 1 practice questions and answers

20 free questions from our 300-question CompTIA A+ Core 1 bank, each with the correct answer and a cited explanation. The real exam: 90 MCQs + PBQs · 675/900 to pass · 90-minute limit.

Questions last updated September 14, 2026 · Questions written from the CompTIA A+ 220-1201 V15 Exam Objectives and verified against its domain weights.

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  1. Mobile devices

    1. A smartphone charges slowly and drains quickly. What should the technician check first?

    1. ACharging cable and port
    2. BReplace the battery
    3. CFactory reset device
    4. DOS update

    Answer: A. A damaged cable or dirty port is the most common cause of slow charging. Battery replacement, resets, and updates are less likely.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  2. Mobile devices

    2. Which mobile component enables contactless payment at retail terminals?

    1. ABluetooth Low Energy
    2. BNear Field Communication
    3. CMiracast display
    4. DInfrared port

    Answer: B. NFC enables short-range data exchange for tap-to-pay. Bluetooth Low Energy connects peripherals, Miracast mirrors displays.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  3. Mobile devices

    3. A user wants to project their tablet screen to a conference room TV wirelessly. Which feature should they use?

    1. AHotspot tethering
    2. BMobile device management
    3. CScreen mirroring
    4. DAirplane mode

    Answer: C. Screen mirroring wirelessly projects the device display to a TV. Hotspot tethering shares internet, MDM enforces policies.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  4. Mobile devices

    4. A technician needs to configure 20 phones with the same email and security policies. Which tool is best?

    1. ARemote desktop
    2. BDisk imaging
    3. CBIOS setup
    4. DMobile device management

    Answer: D. MDM pushes standardized configurations to multiple devices simultaneously. Remote desktop controls one PC at a time.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  5. Mobile devices

    5. Which mobile display technology offers the deepest black levels and lowest power use?

    1. AOLED
    2. BIPS LCD
    3. CVA LCD
    4. DCCFL LCD

    Answer: A. OLED pixels turn off completely for true black and use less power. LCD variants require a backlight that cannot disable pixels.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  6. Mobile devices

    6. After dropping a laptop, a thin colored line appears along one screen edge. What is the most likely cause?

    1. ALoose video cable
    2. BDamaged LCD panel
    3. CFailing GPU
    4. DDriver corruption

    Answer: B. A persistent line after impact indicates a cracked LCD panel. Loose cables cause intermittent issues, GPUs show broader artifacts.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  7. Mobile devices

    7. A device connects to Wi-Fi but has no internet. Other devices on the same network work fine. What should the technician check first?

    1. AReplace wireless card
    2. BDisable Wi-Fi adapter
    3. CReconnect with correct password
    4. DContact ISP

    Answer: C. A wrong saved password can pass association but fail internet authentication. Hardware replacement is premature.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Mobile Devices, 13%

  8. Networking

    8. Which protocol verifies connectivity between two local network devices?

    1. AICMP ping
    2. BSMTP send
    3. CSNMP query
    4. DDHCP lease

    Answer: A. ICMP ping tests reachability with echo requests. SMTP is for email, SNMP monitors devices, DHCP assigns addresses.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  9. Networking

    9. Which port does HTTPS use by default?

    1. APort 21 FTP
    2. BPort 443
    3. CPort 80 HTTP
    4. DPort 8080 alt

    Answer: B. HTTPS encrypts web traffic over port 443. Port 21 is FTP, 80 is HTTP, and 8080 is an alternate HTTP port.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  10. Networking

    10. A workstation shows an APIPA address. What does this indicate?

    1. ADNS unreachable
    2. BGateway wrong
    3. CDHCP not responding
    4. DSubnet mask off

    Answer: C. APIPA (169.254.x.x) means Windows cannot reach a DHCP server. DNS issues affect name resolution.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  11. Networking

    11. To assign a static IP to a printer, which info is needed besides the IP address?

    1. AMAC address only
    2. BISP credentials
    3. CVPN settings
    4. DSubnet mask and gateway

    Answer: D. Static IP requires IP, subnet mask, and default gateway. MAC address is inherent to the NIC.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  12. Networking

    12. Which device operates at Layer 2 and forwards frames using MAC addresses?

    1. ASwitch
    2. BRouter
    3. CHub
    4. DFirewall

    Answer: A. Switches use MAC tables to forward frames. Routers use IP at Layer 3, hubs broadcast to all ports.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  13. Networking

    13. `nslookup www.example.com` returns no response. What is the most likely issue?

    1. ASSL expired
    2. BDNS unreachable
    3. CGateway wrong
    4. DSwitch port disabled

    Answer: B. nslookup relies on DNS servers. No response means DNS is unreachable. SSL issues occur after resolution.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  14. Networking

    14. Which cable supports 10 Gbps Ethernet up to 100 meters?

    1. ACat 5e UTP
    2. BRG-6 coaxial
    3. CCat 6a UTP/STP
    4. DMultimode fiber

    Answer: C. Cat 6a supports 10 Gbps up to 100m. Cat 5e maxes at 1 Gbps, coaxial is for cable TV.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  15. Networking

    15. Which topology connects all devices to a single central hub?

    1. AMesh
    2. BRing
    3. CBus
    4. DStar

    Answer: D. Star topology connects every device to a central hub or switch. Mesh connects nodes to each other.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  16. Networking

    16. A cable must run through a plenum space above the ceiling. Which jacket is required by code?

    1. APlenum-rated OFNP
    2. BPVC jacket
    3. CDirect burial
    4. DLSZH rated

    Answer: A. Plenum cable (OFNP) emits less toxic smoke and is required in air-handling spaces.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  17. Networking

    17. What is the main purpose of a proxy server on a corporate network?

    1. AAssign IP addresses
    2. BFilter and cache web traffic
    3. CTag VLAN traffic
    4. DEncrypt disk data

    Answer: B. Proxy servers filter and cache web traffic for security and performance. DHCP assigns IPs.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  18. Networking

    18. A user reaches internal sites but not external ones. Which device is most likely misconfigured?

    1. ALocal NIC
    2. BDNS server
    3. CDefault gateway
    4. DSwitch port

    Answer: C. Internal sites work without a gateway, but external traffic needs the default gateway.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  19. Networking

    19. Which wireless standard is 5 GHz only with channels up to 160 MHz wide?

    1. A802.11b
    2. B802.11g
    3. C802.11n
    4. D802.11ac

    Answer: D. 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) operates only on 5 GHz with 160 MHz channels. 802.11b/g use 2.4 GHz.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Networking, 23%

  20. Hardware

    20. A user upgrades RAM from DDR4-2400 to DDR4-3200. What must they verify first?

    1. AMotherboard supports speed
    2. BRAM has heat spreader
    3. CRAM color matches
    4. DPSU is 80 Plus

    Answer: A. The motherboard chipset and CPU must support the higher RAM speed. Heat spreaders and color are cosmetic.

    Source: CompTIA A+ 220-1201 — Hardware, 25%

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