Troubleshooting Network Issues

Ann, a new employee within a department, cannot print to any of the printers in the department or access any of the resources that others can.

However, she can access the Internet.

The network engineer has confirmed that Ann's account has been set up the same as the others.

There are no access lists restricting Ann's access.

Which of the following could be the issue for this lack of access?

A.

Duplex/speed mismatch

B.

VLAN mismatch

C.

DNS server issue

D.

DHCP server issue

E.

Spanning tree blocked ports.

B.

Based on the information provided, Ann is experiencing connectivity issues within the department's network. However, she can still access the Internet, indicating that the issue is likely specific to the department's resources.

Given that Ann's account has been set up the same as the others and there are no access lists restricting her access, the issue may lie with the network configuration itself. This leaves us with several possible options:

A. Duplex/speed mismatch: A duplex/speed mismatch could occur if Ann's device is set to a different network speed or duplex mode than the rest of the department's devices. This could result in her inability to connect to the network resources. However, this is unlikely to be the cause if Ann can access the Internet.

B. VLAN mismatch: A VLAN mismatch occurs when Ann's device is on a different VLAN than the department's resources. VLANs allow network administrators to create virtual LANs, which can improve network security and organization. If Ann is on a different VLAN, she will not be able to access resources on the department's VLAN. This is a possible cause of the issue.

C. DNS server issue: A DNS server issue could prevent Ann from accessing the department's resources. DNS translates domain names into IP addresses, allowing devices to locate and access network resources. If the DNS server is not properly configured or is down, Ann will not be able to access the department's resources. However, this is unlikely to be the cause if Ann can access the Internet.

D. DHCP server issue: A DHCP server issue could prevent Ann from obtaining an IP address on the department's network, which would result in her inability to access resources. However, this is unlikely to be the cause if Ann can access the Internet.

E. Spanning tree blocked ports: Spanning tree is a network protocol that prevents network loops. If there is a network loop, spanning tree will block ports to prevent broadcast storms. If Ann's device is connected to a blocked port, she will not be able to access the department's resources. This is a possible cause of the issue.

In summary, the most likely cause of Ann's inability to access the department's resources is a VLAN mismatch or spanning tree blocked ports.