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Difficulty: MediumTroubleshooting Methodology

A technician is troubleshooting a corporate laptop that fails to connect to the internal network via VPN. The technician has gathered symptoms from the user, verified that local Internet connectivity is functioning properly, and formed a theory that an expired VPN client security certificate is preventing authentication. Which of the following actions should the technician perform NEXT according to the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology?

  1. Test the theory by installing a valid test certificate on the laptop to determine if authentication succeeds.Answer
  2. B
    Establish a plan of action and deploy updated certificates to all corporate laptops using group policy.
  3. C
    Reconfigure the network DHCP server to handle domain name resolution for the VPN gateway.
  4. D
    Replace the unmanaged network switch at the remote site with a Layer 3 router to fix the authentication issue.

Answer

Test the theory by installing a valid test certificate on the laptop to determine if authentication succeeds.
According to the CompTIA troubleshooting methodology, once a technician gathers symptoms and establishes a theory of probable cause (Step 2), the mandatory next step is to test the theory to determine the root cause (Step 3). Testing the certificate hypothesis on the user's laptop validates whether the expired certificate is indeed responsible for the connection failure prior to implementing permanent changes.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify current progress within the CompTIA 6-step troubleshooting methodology.
The technician has already identified the problem (gathered symptoms, verified local Internet) and established a theory of probable cause (expired VPN certificate).
Determining the current phase ensures adherence to standard IT methodology.
2
Determine the mandatory next sequential step in the process.
The standard sequence is: 1. Identify problem -> 2. Establish theory -> 3. Test theory -> 4. Establish plan of action & implement -> 5. Verify system functionality & preventive measures -> 6. Document findings.
Step 3 (Test the theory to determine cause) must follow Step 2 before any broad solution plan is established or deployed.
3
Select the option that represents testing the theory.
Temporarily applying a valid certificate to verify if authentication succeeds confirms or disproves the hypothesis.
Testing confirms the root cause with minimal impact before proceeding to solution implementation.

Key Concept

CompTIA Troubleshooting Methodology - Testing the Theory of Probable Cause
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Topics

Troubleshooting Methodology

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