220-1101 Question 292
Single answerExpansion cardsA technician is upgrading a small form factor desktop that has one open PCIe x1 slot and one open PCIe x16 slot. The user needs to add a dedicated wireless network adapter for faster Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but the existing graphics output on the motherboard will continue to be used. Which expansion card should the technician install to best meet the requirement while preserving the larger slot for future upgrades?
- A
A PCIe x1 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo adapter
- B
A PCIe x16 graphics card with onboard wireless support
- C
A PCI sound card with Bluetooth capability
- D
A PCIe x1 USB expansion card and an external USB Wi-Fi dongle
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best choice is a PCIe x1 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo adapter because it matches the required functionality and uses the most appropriate slot size. In PC hardware best practice, technicians should select the smallest suitable expansion slot for the device to preserve higher-bandwidth or more versatile slots such as PCIe x16 for future upgrades. PCIe expansion cards are commonly used to add functions such as wireless networking, sound, video capture, USB ports, and storage controllers. Motherboard and expansion card documentation should always be checked for slot compatibility, physical clearance, and driver support, but in this scenario the x1 wireless adapter is the most efficient and standard solution.
- A. Correct.
Correct. A PCIe x1 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo adapter is the most appropriate choice because it adds the required wireless networking and Bluetooth functionality while using the smaller PCIe x1 slot. This preserves the PCIe x16 slot for future devices such as a dedicated GPU, higher-bandwidth controller card, or other expansion needs. This is a practical and common upgrade path in desktop systems.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A graphics card is not an appropriate solution for adding wireless networking in this scenario. Standard graphics cards do not provide onboard Wi-Fi/Bluetooth as a normal or expected feature for A+ Core 1 purposes. It would also consume the PCIe x16 slot unnecessarily when the user is not requesting a graphics upgrade.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A sound card is designed to improve or add audio input/output functions, not provide primary wireless networking. While some devices may include niche secondary features, a sound card is not the correct or standard way to add Wi-Fi connectivity. Choosing this reflects confusion about the purpose of common expansion card types.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. This could potentially add wireless capability through an external adapter, but it is not the best answer. The requirement specifically asks for a dedicated wireless network adapter, and using two devices is less elegant, consumes USB resources, and does not directly leverage the available expansion slots as efficiently as a PCIe x1 wireless adapter.