220-1101 Question 446
Single answerSlow network speedsA technician is troubleshooting complaints of slow network speeds from users in one area of an office. All affected users are connected to the same access point over Wi-Fi. Users in other areas report normal performance. The technician confirms the ISP connection is healthy and notices the affected access point is mounted near a break room microwave and several cordless phones. Which action is the BEST first step to improve performance?
- A
Change the wireless channel on the affected access point to reduce interference
- B
Replace the office router because slow speeds indicate a failing WAN interface
- C
Upgrade all affected users from 802.11n to fiber network adapters
- D
Disable DHCP on the access point so clients can use static IP addresses
- E
Increase the monitor refresh rate on affected workstations
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
This question tests practical wireless troubleshooting for slow network speeds. When only users on a single access point are affected, and nearby sources of electromagnetic interference are present, the technician should first suspect RF interference rather than ISP failure or a site-wide routing issue. In many office environments, microwaves and some cordless phones can disrupt 2.4 GHz wireless networks. A common first response is to change the AP's channel, and if needed, move users to 5 GHz or relocate the AP. CompTIA A+ Core 1 objectives emphasize identifying common causes of weak or poor wireless performance, including interference, and applying the most appropriate corrective action before replacing hardware. Vendor and standards documentation for wireless LANs also supports channel planning and interference avoidance as core best practices.
- A. Correct.
Correct. Microwave ovens and many cordless phones can interfere with 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, causing poor throughput, retransmissions, and inconsistent performance. Since only users on one access point are affected and the ISP connection is healthy, RF interference is a likely cause. Changing the wireless channel is an appropriate first troubleshooting step and aligns with common wireless best practices.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. A failing router or WAN interface would be more likely to affect multiple users or the entire site, not just clients associated with one specific access point in one area. The scenario points to a localized wireless issue rather than an internet edge device problem.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Fiber network adapters are not a practical upgrade for Wi-Fi client devices in this scenario and would not address wireless interference from nearby devices. This option confuses link type upgrades with RF troubleshooting.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. DHCP assigns IP configuration and is not a typical cause of slow wireless throughput in a localized interference scenario. Switching to static IP addresses would add administrative overhead without resolving the likely RF contention problem.
- E. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Monitor refresh rate affects display output, not network throughput. This is unrelated to diagnosing or resolving slow network speeds.