220-1101 Question 76
Single answer5GHzA technician is troubleshooting slow wireless performance in a small office. Employees near the wireless access point report good speeds, but users in offices farther away frequently disconnect during video calls. The AP is currently configured to use only the 5 GHz band. Which of the following is the BEST action to improve connectivity for users farther from the AP while still keeping good wireless performance available where possible?
- A
Reconfigure the wireless network to support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands
- B
Increase the AP channel width to 80 MHz on 5 GHz to improve range
- C
Change the SSID to a different name so clients reconnect with a fresh profile
- D
Disable WPA2/WPA3 security to reduce overhead and extend signal coverage
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best solution is to use both wireless bands when coverage and performance must be balanced. In practice, 5 GHz is preferred for higher speeds and reduced congestion, but 2.4 GHz generally provides better range and better penetration through walls and other obstacles. This makes dual-band operation the most practical choice for offices where some users are close to the AP and others are farther away. Increasing channel width improves theoretical throughput rather than coverage, and changing SSIDs or disabling security does not address radio-frequency limitations. This aligns with common wireless networking best practices and the practical A+ Core 1 expectation that technicians understand the tradeoff between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands.
- A. Correct.
Correct. In a real environment, 5 GHz provides higher throughput but typically has shorter range and less wall penetration than 2.4 GHz. Enabling both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz allows nearby users to benefit from faster 5 GHz performance while more distant users can connect on 2.4 GHz for better coverage and stability.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Wider channels such as 80 MHz can increase potential throughput, but they do not improve range and may actually make the connection less stable in some environments because they consume more spectrum and can be more affected by interference. This does not address the coverage problem for users farther away.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Changing the SSID may force clients to reconnect, but it does not solve the underlying issue of 5 GHz coverage limitations. This is a plausible troubleshooting step for profile corruption or roaming issues, but not for predictable distance-related signal loss.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Disabling security is not an appropriate troubleshooting or performance solution. Any performance gain would be negligible compared with the serious security risk introduced. It also does not meaningfully improve RF propagation or range.