220-1101 Question 154
Single answerSatelliteA technician is troubleshooting internet performance for a remote sales office that uses a satellite internet connection. Users report that file downloads complete at expected speeds, but video meetings and remote desktop sessions feel sluggish, with noticeable delays after each mouse click or spoken response. The satellite modem shows a healthy signal and no packet loss alarms. Which networking characteristic of satellite internet best explains these symptoms?
- A
High latency caused by the long distance signals must travel to and from the satellite
- B
Insufficient bandwidth because satellite links cannot support video traffic
- C
Excessive electromagnetic interference from nearby wireless access points
- D
Incorrect DNS settings causing delayed application responses
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests the practical difference between bandwidth and latency. Satellite internet is a valid connectivity option for remote locations, but one of its major drawbacks is high latency due to signal travel distance. In A+ Core 1, candidates should recognize that satellite connections are often suitable for general internet access but can perform poorly for real-time, interactive workloads. This aligns with common networking best practices and vendor documentation describing satellite service as higher-latency than cable, DSL, or fiber, particularly for voice, video conferencing, gaming, and remote control applications.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Satellite internet commonly has much higher latency than terrestrial broadband because data must travel from the client site to a satellite in orbit and back to a ground station, then return the same way for responses. This delay is especially noticeable in interactive applications such as VoIP, video conferencing, online gaming, and remote desktop, even when download throughput appears normal.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Satellite service can often provide enough bandwidth for basic video traffic and file downloads, and the scenario specifically states that downloads complete at expected speeds. The issue described is delayed responsiveness during interactive sessions, which points to latency rather than raw bandwidth limits.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Wireless interference can cause poor performance, retransmissions, or unstable connectivity on local Wi-Fi, but the scenario identifies the WAN technology as satellite and notes that the modem has a healthy signal with no packet loss alarms. The consistent delay after each action is more characteristic of propagation delay than local RF interference.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. DNS problems typically affect name resolution, such as delays when opening websites or connecting to services by hostname. They do not usually create ongoing delay during an already established video meeting or remote desktop session. The symptoms here occur continuously during interactive use, which aligns with high-latency satellite links.