A user connects a laptop to a wired network jack in a remote conference room but cannot access any internal or external network resources. A technician executes `ipconfig /all` on the workstation and receives the following output:
IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 169.254.22.81
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.0.0
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . :
Which of the following is the most likely cause of this issue?
- The client failed to reach a DHCP server and generated an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address.Answer
- BThe default gateway address was statically misconfigured on a different subnet than the host workstation.
- CThe host workstation is missing a valid host (A) record entry on the primary internal DNS server.
- DA duplex mismatch between the host network interface card and the switch port is corrupting all frame headers.
Answer
The client failed to reach a DHCP server and generated an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address.
An IPv4 address beginning with 169.254 (specifically within 169.254.0.1 to 169.254.255.254) indicates that the host operating system self-assigned an Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) address. This occurs automatically when a client configured for DHCP fails to receive a DHCPOFFER message from a DHCP server.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) Diagnosis