ACSP Network Configuration 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A MacBook Pro connects to Wi-Fi but cannot reach the internet. The IP address shown is 169.254.x.x. What does this indicate?
- The router assigned a static IP
- DHCP failed and the Mac self-assigned a link-local address (Correct answer)
- The DNS server is unreachable
- IPv6 is disabled on the network
Correct answer: DHCP failed and the Mac self-assigned a link-local address
A 169.254.x.x address is an APIPA (Automatic Private IP Addressing) self-assigned address, indicating the DHCP server did not respond.
Question 2: Which macOS Network preference setting allows a Mac to share its internet connection with other devices over Wi-Fi?
- Network Bridge
- Internet Sharing in Sharing preferences (Correct answer)
- Wi-Fi Hotspot in Network preferences
- Firewall Sharing in Security preferences
Correct answer: Internet Sharing in Sharing preferences
Internet Sharing, found in System Settings > General > Sharing, allows a Mac to share its internet connection over Wi-Fi or other interfaces.
Question 3: A user needs to configure a Mac to always use the same IP address without manually setting it each time. Which approach is most appropriate?
- Set the IP as a Manual address in Network settings
- Configure a DHCP reservation on the router using the Mac's MAC address (Correct answer)
- Enable IPv6 link-local addressing
- Use a Bonjour hostname instead of an IP
Correct answer: Configure a DHCP reservation on the router using the Mac's MAC address
Configuring a DHCP reservation on the router assigns the same IP to the Mac's MAC address automatically, combining DHCP convenience with address consistency.
Question 4: What is the purpose of the Network Diagnostics tool in macOS?
- It scans for nearby Wi-Fi networks and rates signal strength
- It steps through network layers to identify where connectivity fails (Correct answer)
- It resets all network settings to factory defaults
- It tests maximum bandwidth between the Mac and the router
Correct answer: It steps through network layers to identify where connectivity fails
Network Diagnostics walks through ISP, Wi-Fi, router, DNS, and internet connectivity checks to pinpoint where a network issue exists.
Question 5: Which command-line tool would an ACSP technician use to display the routing table on a Mac?
- ifconfig -r
- netstat -rn (Correct answer)
- route display
- networksetup --route
Correct answer: netstat -rn
The `netstat -rn` command displays the kernel routing table with numeric addresses on macOS.
Question 6: A Mac's Wi-Fi adapter shows 'No Hardware Found' in System Settings. What is the recommended first troubleshooting step?
- Reinstall macOS
- Reset the System Management Controller (SMC) (Correct answer)
- Delete all Wi-Fi preferred networks
- Change the DNS server settings
Correct answer: Reset the System Management Controller (SMC)
Resetting the SMC resolves hardware recognition issues including Wi-Fi adapter detection failures on Intel-based Macs.
Question 7: In macOS, what does enabling the 'Limit IP Address Tracking' option in Wi-Fi settings do?
- Hides the Mac's IP from all websites
- Uses a private MAC address to prevent cross-network device tracking (Correct answer)
- Disables IPv6 to reduce tracking surface
- Routes traffic through Apple's relay servers
Correct answer: Uses a private MAC address to prevent cross-network device tracking
Limit IP Address Tracking uses a randomized private MAC address for each Wi-Fi network to prevent advertisers and networks from tracking the device across locations.
ACSP Network Configuration 4
A MacBook Pro connects to Wi-Fi but cannot reach the internet.
The IP address shown is 169.254.x.x.
What does this indicate?