A+ Core 1 (220-1201) Review Flashcards

A broad set of flashcards covering mobile devices, networking, hardware, virtualization, and troubleshooting topics from the lecture notes.

What is the first step before replacing a laptop battery?

Ensure compatibility, power off the laptop, unplug from power, locate the battery compartment, release the latch, remove the old battery, install the new one, close the compartment, and power on.

Describe the RAM replacement steps for a laptop.

Power off and unplug; ensure compatible RAM; locate the RAM compartment; release the clips on the sides; insert the new RAM; press until the clips lock.

How do you perform HDD/SSD migration in a laptop?

Use cloning software, connect the new drive via an external USB enclosure or SATA cable, clone data from the old drive to the new one, then swap the drives.

What is the process for replacing an HDD/SSD in a laptop?

Power off and unplug; locate the HDD/SSD compartment; remove screws; replace with the new drive; secure it with screws; power on.

How is a wireless card replaced in a laptop?

Power off and unplug; open the wireless card compartment; remove the old card; insert the new card; screw it in; replace the cover and power on.

Name two biometric security features commonly found on laptops.

Fingerprint scanners and facial recognition.

What are Near-Field Scanner features used for in laptops?

NFC or RFID for contactless payments or data transfer; enable in settings and install necessary software/drivers.

What is the difference between LCD and OLED displays?

LCD uses a backlight and liquid crystals; OLED pixels emit light individually, offering better contrast and color range.

What display components can affect user experience in mobile devices?

WiFi antenna placement, camera, microphone, touch screen, and digitizer quality.

What ports and connection methods are commonly used on mobile devices?

USB/USB-C/microUSB/miniUSB, Lightning (Apple), serial interfaces, NFC, Bluetooth, hotspot.

How do you enable a mobile device hotspot?

Go to Settings and turn on the hotspot feature.

What is Bluetooth pairing and how is it tested after pairing?

Enable Bluetooth on both devices, pair, enter PIN if required, and test by sending a file or playing audio.

What does MDM/MAM stand for and what do they configure?

Mobile Device Management/Mobile Application Management; corporate email, two-factor authentication, and corporate apps.

What is PRL in mobile networks?

Preferred Roaming List updates help devices connect to the correct roaming networks.

What is VPN and its purpose?

Virtual Private Network; encrypts and tunnels traffic to securely connect to a private network over the Internet.

Which protocol is connection-oriented and ensures data is delivered in order, TCP or UDP?

TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is connection-oriented and reliable.

Which protocol is connectionless and does not guarantee delivery, TCP or UDP?

UDP (User Datagram Protocol) is connectionless and best-effort.

List common ports and their associated protocols: 20/21, 22, 23, 25, 53.

20/21 FTP; 22 SSH; 23 Telnet; 25 SMTP; 53 DNS.

What is the primary function of a router in a network?

Connects multiple networks and routes data between them, often performing NAT and security functions.

What is the primary function of a network switch?

Connects devices on the same network and directs data at the data-link layer (Ethernet).

What is a wireless access point (AP)?

Device that provides wireless connectivity to devices in a WLAN.

What is a patch panel used for in data centers?

A central point to connect and manage network cables; simplifies changes and organization.

What is a firewall’s role in a network?

Monitors and controls incoming/outgoing traffic based on security rules to protect the network.

What does PoE stand for and what does it do?

Power over Ethernet; provides power and data over a single Ethernet cable (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt standards).

Define a network hub and contrast it with a switch.

A hub broadcasts data to all ports (physical layer); a switch directs data to the correct device (data-link layer).

What is a cable modem used for?

Provides Internet connectivity over a cable TV network.

What is a DSL modem?

Provides Internet connectivity over a telephone line.

What is an Optical Network Terminal (ONT)?

Connects fiber-optic cable to a home/business network in FTTH setups.

What is a NIC?

Network Interface Card; hardware that connects a device to a network, wired or wireless.

What is SDN?

Software-Defined Networking; centralizes network control by separating the control plane from the data plane.

Name the 802.11 wireless standards listed and a key trait for each.

802.11a (5 GHz, 54 Mbps); 802.11b (2.4 GHz, 11 Mbps); 802.11g (2.4 GHz, 54 Mbps); 802.11n (2.4/5 GHz, up to 600 Mbps); 802.11ac (5 GHz, up to ~6.77 Gbps); 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6, 2.4/5 GHz, up to ~9.6 Gbps).

What is the trade-off between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies?

2.4 GHz: longer range, slower speeds; 5 GHz: higher speeds, shorter range, more channels.

What is the difference between licensed and unlicensed long-range fixed wireless?

Licensed: government-allocated frequencies, higher cost, higher bandwidth/security. Unlicensed: freely usable, more interference, lower reliability.

What governs wireless power transfer safety in the US and EU?

FCC regulates wireless charging (US); EU has its own limits and requires safety features like overvoltage protection.

What services can networked hosts provide (DNS, DHCP, etc.)?

DNS, DHCP, File sharing, Print servers, Mail servers, Syslog, Web servers, AAA, spam gateways, UTM, load balancers, proxy servers, SCADA, IoT services.

What is a DNS A record used for?

Maps a domain name to an IPv4 address.

What is a DNS AAAA record used for?

Maps a domain name to an IPv6 address.

What is DMARC and how does it relate to DKIM and SPF?

DMARC builds on DKIM and SPF to provide policy and reporting for email authentication.

What is a VLAN and why is it used?

Virtual LAN; logically separates devices on the same physical network to improve security and performance.

What does DHCP lease mean?

How long a device can use a given IP address; DHCP reservations assign fixed addresses to specific devices.

What is the purpose of a VPN in a network?

Securely connect remote devices/networks to a private network over the Internet using encryption.

Name five Internet connection types and a key trait for each.

Satellite (remote areas; high latency); Fiber (high speed; low latency); Cable (high speed; variable with peak times); DSL (uses phone lines; distance-sensitive); Cellular (mobile access; variable coverage).

What are the common network types and their scopes (LAN, WAN, PAN, MAN, SAN)?

LAN: small area (home/office); WAN: broad area networks; PAN: personal area (bluetooth/Wi‑Fi Direct); MAN: metropolitan area; SAN: storage-area network.

What is a SAN and what technology is commonly used with it?

Storage-area network; high-speed network for storage devices, often using Fibre Channel or iSCSI.

What is a WLAN?

Wireless Local Area Network using Wi‑Fi standards.

Name two network troubleshooting tools.

Crimper, cable stripper, WiFi analyzer, toner probe, punchdown tool, cable tester, loopback plug, network tap.

What is a copper cabling category and its typical use?

Cat 5/Cat 5e/Cat 6/Cat 6a; used for Ethernet with varying speeds; Cat 5e up to 1 Gbps; Cat 6/6a for higher speeds.

What is a fiber-optic cable’s two main types and their distance characteristics?

Single-mode (long distance, up to 40 km); Multimode (shorter distances, up to ~550 m).

What connectors are used with copper cabling (RJ-45 and BNC)?

RJ-45 for twisted-pair; BNC for coaxial cables.

What is the purpose of shielded vs unshielded twisted pair cables?

Shielded reduces electromagnetic interference; unshielded is common in offices.

What is a plenum-rated cable and why is it used?

Plenum cable has a fire-retardant jacket and produces fewer toxic fumes, used in air ducts/ceiling spaces.

What is T568A vs T568B and which is more common?

Ethernet wiring standards for RJ-45; T568B is more commonly used.

Name two USB connector types mentioned.

USB-A, USB-B; USB-C is also noted as newer with reversible plug.

What is a mSATA form factor?

A small SSD form factor using SATA interface, commonly used in laptops.

What is an M.2 SSD and what interfaces can it use?

A small form-factor SSD that connects directly to the motherboard; can use SATA or PCIe (often NVMe).

What is RAID 0 and its trade-off?

Data striping across disks for performance, no redundancy; if one disk fails, data is lost.

What is RAID 1?

Data mirroring across two disks for redundancy; if one disk fails, the other remains functional.

What is RAID 5 and its benefit?

Block-level striping with distributed parity across three or more disks; provides redundancy.

What is RAID 10?

A combination of RAID 0 and RAID 1; minimum four disks; provides redundancy and improved performance.

What is TPM and how does it differ from HSM?

TPM is a motherboard-integrated security chip for hardware-based keys; HSM is a dedicated device for higher-security key management.

What is the purpose of BIOS/UEFI boot options and TPM security features?

Boot order control, USB permissions, TPM for secure boot and encryption, fan settings, Secure Boot, boot passwords.

What is the difference between x64/x86 CPU architectures?

x64 is 64-bit; x86 is 32-bit; 64-bit CPUs handle more memory and larger files.

What is the purpose of an ATX vs ITX motherboard form factor comparison?

ATX offers more expansion slots and power regulation; ITX is smaller for compact builds and power efficiency.

What are PCI and PCIe connectors used for?

PCI is an older expansion-bus standard; PCIe is the high-speed serial interface for GPUs, sound cards, NICs.

What is M.2 used for on a motherboard?

A small form factor connector for SSDs and sometimes Wi‑Fi cards; supports NVMe via PCIe or SATA.

What is a 24-pin ATX vs 20-pin motherboard power connector adapter used for?

Adapters enable use of older power supplies with newer motherboards that require 24 pins.

What is the purpose of an ADF on a multifunction printer?

Automatic Document Feeder for scanning or copying multiple pages efficiently.

What are PCL and PostScript in printing?

Printer languages; PCL is common for most printers; PostScript is used for graphic-intensive tasks.

Name two major categories of printer maintenance tasks for laser printers.

Replacing toner cartridges and maintenance kit components (e.g., fuser, pickup rollers); cleaning and calibration.

Which component in a laser printer transfers toner to paper?

Imaging drum (charges, develops with toner, then transfers toner to paper).

What is the function of a 3D printer’s filament vs resin?

Filament is used in FDM printers; resin is used in SLA printers and cured with UV light.

What is the difference between VDI on premises and VDI in the cloud?

On-premises VDI runs in a private data center; cloud VDI runs in a service provider’s cloud for scalability.

What is the purpose of a virtual machine sandbox?

Isolated environment to test software and tools without affecting the host system.

What is S.M.A.R.T. and why is it important?

Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology; monitors drive health and predicts failure.

What is the troubleshooting framework often summarized as a seven-step process?

1) Identify problem, 2) Establish probable cause, 3) Test theory, 4) Plan action, 5) Implement/escalate, 6) Verify, 7) Document.

What is a POST beep code and where do you interpret it?

Beep codes indicate hardware POST status; refer to motherboard documentation to interpret.

Name common problems when troubleshooting video/display issues.

Incorrect data source/input, cabling issues, wrong resolution/focus, burn-in, dead pixels, color issues, audio problems.

What are common smartphone device symptoms and fixes?

Poor/swollen battery; cracked screen; improper charging; connectivity issues; liquid damage; overheating.

What is a toner cartridge maintenance task in printers?

Replace toner when low and calibrate the printer for color accuracy.

What is a toner fusing issue and which component is involved?

Toner not fusing to paper; check and possibly replace the fuser assembly.

Why is calibration important for printers?

Ensures color accuracy and proper alignment of printed output.

What is the function of a loopback plug in networking tools?

Tests network interfaces by routing the outgoing signal back to the input to verify operation.

What is the purpose of a network tap?

Monitors and captures network traffic for diagnostics and security analysis.

What is a NAS/SAN difference in storage networking terms?

SAN provides storage networking; NAS is file-level storage over a network; SAN uses block-level access.

What is the difference between a 2.5-inch and a 3.5-inch hard drive form factor?

2.5