220-1101 Question 162
Single answerWide area network (WAN)A small medical clinic is opening a satellite office 20 miles away and needs secure, always-on connectivity to its main office so staff can access the on-premises practice management system in real time. The clinic does not want to build and maintain its own long-distance network infrastructure, and management wants the connection delivered by a telecommunications provider with a service agreement. Which WAN solution best meets these requirements?
- A
A leased line from a carrier between the two offices
- B
A Bluetooth PAN between workstations in both offices
- C
A local Ethernet switch uplinked with Cat 6 cabling between buildings
- D
An ad hoc Wi-Fi network shared from a laptop hotspot
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is a leased line because the scenario specifically describes a need for secure, always-on connectivity between distant sites using carrier-provided infrastructure and service commitments. In A+ Core 1, WAN technologies are distinguished from LAN, PAN, and ad hoc wireless solutions by their ability to connect networks across large geographic areas through a service provider. CompTIA exam objectives commonly associate WAN connections with carrier services such as leased lines, cable, DSL, fiber, cellular, and satellite. In practice, a leased line is chosen when an organization needs stable site-to-site connectivity with predictable performance and support from the provider. The other options are common distractors because they describe valid networking technologies, but they apply to PAN, LAN, or temporary wireless access rather than WAN use cases.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A leased line is a classic WAN service provided by a telecommunications carrier for connecting geographically separated sites. It offers dedicated, always-on connectivity and is commonly used when an organization wants predictable performance and a service agreement (SLA) rather than building its own long-distance infrastructure.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Bluetooth PAN is a personal area network technology designed for very short-range device connectivity, such as connecting peripherals or nearby mobile devices. It is not suitable for linking offices miles apart and does not meet WAN requirements.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Ethernet over Cat 6 is appropriate for local area network connections within a building or limited campus environments, subject to cable distance limits. It is not a practical or standards-based solution for connecting offices 20 miles apart through public space.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A laptop hotspot or ad hoc Wi-Fi setup is temporary, limited in range, and not an enterprise-grade WAN solution. It would not provide the reliability, security, or provider-backed service level expected for continuous access to a business-critical application.