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Difficulty: HardWired and Wireless Network Issues

A desktop computer in a corporate office loses all network and internet connectivity immediately following a cubicle relocation. The operating system reports a 'Network cable unplugged' status. A junior technician immediately opens the command line and attempts to run `ipconfig /release` and `ipconfig /renew`, followed by attempting to ping the local default gateway, but all attempts fail because the network interface is down. Which of the following actions should the technician perform FIRST to properly troubleshoot this issue?

  1. Inspect the Ethernet cable connection and verify the status of the link LED lights on the network interface card and wall port.Answer
  2. B
    Replace the patch cable with an unmanaged Layer 2 switch to route traffic between the workstation and the corporate subnets.
  3. C
    Reconfigure the building's wireless access points to broadcast on adjacent channels 2, 3, and 4 to boost signal propagation to the desk.
  4. D
    Reconfigure the corporate DNS server to lease a new dynamic IP address and subnet mask to the workstation's network adapter.

Answer

Inspect the Ethernet cable connection and verify the status of the link LED lights on the network interface card and wall port.
When an operating system reports that a network cable is unplugged, the network interface card (NIC) is failing to detect a physical carrier signal (Layer 1). Following standard troubleshooting procedures, the technician must first verify physical connectivity by ensuring the Ethernet cable is securely connected at both ends and inspecting the link lights on the NIC and wall jack.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the reported symptom and operating system status message.
The OS reports 'Network cable unplugged', indicating a Layer 1 (Physical layer) connectivity failure.
Higher-layer protocol steps like DHCP renewals or pings require an active physical link to function.
2
Apply the CompTIA CompTIA bottom-up troubleshooting methodology.
Prioritize physical layer inspection over logical software configurations.
Verifying physical seating, cable integrity, and hardware link LEDs directly identifies or rules out physical disconnects caused by the cubicle relocation.
3
Select the appropriate initial action.
Checking physical patch cable seating and NIC/switch link LED activity.
This is the most direct, efficient, and methodologically correct first troubleshooting action.

Key Concept

Physical Layer Diagnostics and Troubleshooting Methodology
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Topics

Wired and Wireless Network Issues

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