220-1101 Question 83
Single answerBandsA technician is troubleshooting poor Wi-Fi performance for users in a small office. The wireless router is broadcasting both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands under the same SSID. Employees near the conference room complain that video calls stutter and large file downloads are slow, even though they are only about 20 feet from the access point. A Wi-Fi analyzer shows that the 2.4 GHz band is crowded with many neighboring networks, while the 5 GHz band has little interference. Which action should the technician take FIRST to improve performance for those nearby users?
- A
Configure nearby users' devices to prefer or connect to the 5 GHz band
- B
Change the router to use only the 2.4 GHz band for better wall penetration
- C
Replace the wireless router with one that supports only 802.11n
- D
Lower the router's transmit power so devices stop switching between bands
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The best answer is to move nearby users to the 5 GHz band. In A+ Core 1 wireless objectives, candidates are expected to understand practical differences between Wi-Fi bands: 2.4 GHz generally provides longer range and better penetration through obstacles, while 5 GHz usually provides higher speeds with less interference but shorter range. In a real support scenario, when clients are close to the access point and 2.4 GHz is congested, using 5 GHz is a standard best practice. This aligns with common wireless deployment guidance from networking vendors and Wi-Fi best practices: use 2.4 GHz when range is the priority, and use 5 GHz when performance and reduced interference are more important.
- A. Correct.
Correct. For users who are close to the access point, moving them to the 5 GHz band is the best first step because 5 GHz typically offers higher throughput and is often less congested than 2.4 GHz. In this scenario, the analyzer already shows that 2.4 GHz is crowded while 5 GHz has little interference, so steering nearby clients to 5 GHz directly addresses the likely cause of poor performance.
- B. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Although 2.4 GHz generally has better range and wall penetration than 5 GHz, it is also more prone to interference and congestion. Since the issue is affecting users who are already close to the access point and the 2.4 GHz band is crowded, forcing all devices onto 2.4 GHz would likely make performance worse rather than better.
- C. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Replacing the router with one that supports only 802.11n would not be an appropriate first step and could reduce capability. 802.11n can operate on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz, but removing support for newer standards would not solve the immediate issue of band congestion. The problem described is specifically about band utilization, not a lack of basic wireless support.
- D. Incorrect.
Incorrect. Lowering transmit power is sometimes used in advanced wireless tuning, but it is not the first or best action in this scenario. The evidence points to congestion on 2.4 GHz and better conditions on 5 GHz. Reducing transmit power could create coverage gaps and does not directly solve the interference problem affecting nearby users.