A technician is troubleshooting a newly connected desktop computer that can communicate with adjacent computers on the same physical switch segment, but cannot access any remote subnets or internet resources. Running `ipconfig` shows that the workstation has automatically configured its IPv4 address to with a subnet mask of . Which of the following best explains why this system is unable to reach remote network destinations?
- APIPA automatically assigns non-routable link-local IPv4 addresses and does not provide a default gateway address.Answer
- BThe primary DNS server leased an invalid gateway IP address during host name resolution.
- CUnmanaged Layer 2 network switches drop APIPA packets before forwarding them to adjacent hosts.
- DThe network interface is constrained to transmit data over secure HTTPS port 443 instead of standard networking ports.
Answer
APIPA automatically assigns non-routable link-local IPv4 addresses and does not provide a default gateway address.
When a client configured for dynamic addressing cannot contact a DHCP server, Windows automatically self-assigns an APIPA address (). APIPA only configures the IP address and subnet mask () for local broadcast domain communication; it never assigns a default gateway, making remote subnets and internet destinations unreachable.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) Characteristics