- A
Downgrade the WLAN security to WPA2-Enterprise for backward compatibility.
Why wrong: While this might allow connections, it reduces security and does not address the root cause. The issue is not that the WPA3 protocol is incompatible, but that PMF is not properly enabled.
- B
Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) as Required on the WLAN.
WPA3 and 802.11ax require PMF. Setting PMF to Required ensures that the AP and clients use encrypted management frames, preventing disconnections due to failed PMF negotiation or unprotected robust security network associations.
- C
Disable OFDMA and MU-MIMO on the WLC for the affected APs.
Why wrong: OFDMA and MU-MIMO are 802.11ax efficiency features, not related to connection stability or WPA3 authentication.
- D
Adjust the 5 GHz channel width from 80 MHz to 40 MHz to avoid interference.
Why wrong: Symptoms point to connection drops shortly after connecting, not consistent interference. PMF-related disconnections occur at a protocol level, not due to RF interference.
CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of network infrastructure and connectivity. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A network administrator has recently upgraded the corporate wireless LAN to support 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and is using WPA3-Enterprise with a central WLC. Several users with new 802.11ax laptops report that they can connect to the SSID, but after a few minutes their connections drop and then re-establish, while legacy 802.11ac clients work without issues. Which action will resolve this problem?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) as Required on the WLAN.
WPA3-Enterprise requires Protected Management Frames (PMF) to be set to 'Required' on the WLC. When PMF is not enabled or set to 'Optional', 802.11ax clients using WPA3 may experience intermittent disconnects because management frame protection is mandatory for WPA3 operation. Legacy 802.11ac clients using WPA2 do not require PMF, so they remain unaffected.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Downgrade the WLAN security to WPA2-Enterprise for backward compatibility.
Why it's wrong here
While this might allow connections, it reduces security and does not address the root cause. The issue is not that the WPA3 protocol is incompatible, but that PMF is not properly enabled.
- ✓
Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) as Required on the WLAN.
Why this is correct
WPA3 and 802.11ax require PMF. Setting PMF to Required ensures that the AP and clients use encrypted management frames, preventing disconnections due to failed PMF negotiation or unprotected robust security network associations.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Disable OFDMA and MU-MIMO on the WLC for the affected APs.
Why it's wrong here
OFDMA and MU-MIMO are 802.11ax efficiency features, not related to connection stability or WPA3 authentication.
- ✗
Adjust the 5 GHz channel width from 80 MHz to 40 MHz to avoid interference.
Why it's wrong here
Symptoms point to connection drops shortly after connecting, not consistent interference. PMF-related disconnections occur at a protocol level, not due to RF interference.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) as Required on the WLAN.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
WPA3 and 802.11ax require PMF. Setting PMF to Required ensures that the AP and clients use encrypted management frames, preventing disconnections due to failed PMF negotiation or unprotected robust security network associations.
✗Downgrade the WLAN security to WPA2-Enterprise for backward compatibility.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Downgrading to WPA2 is a common workaround when WPA3-related features aren't correctly configured, but it's not the correct solution for PMF-related disconnections.
✗Disable OFDMA and MU-MIMO on the WLC for the affected APs.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Disabling Wi-Fi 6 features does not resolve authentication or management frame protection issues; this misconception stems from blaming new features for instability.
✗Adjust the 5 GHz channel width from 80 MHz to 40 MHz to avoid interference.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Changing channel width addresses co-channel interference and throughput, not authentication or management frame protection issues.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that Wi-Fi 6 issues are caused by physical layer features like OFDMA or channel width, when the actual problem is a mandatory security configuration mismatch (PMF) between WPA3 and the WLC.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, WPA3-Enterprise uses 802.11w-2009 (PMF) to encrypt management frames, preventing deauthentication attacks. When PMF is set to 'Optional' on the WLC, the WPA3 client may attempt to negotiate PMF, but if the AP does not enforce it, the client can drop the connection after a timeout due to a security policy mismatch. In real-world deployments, this often manifests as a 'PMF negotiation failure' in WLC logs, and the fix is to set the WLAN's PMF mode to 'Required'.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
- →
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All 200-301 questions
1,819 questions across all exam domains
- →
CCNA 200-301 v2 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
200-301 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related 200-301 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Network Infrastructure and Connectivity.
Switching and Network Access practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Switching and Network Access.
IP Routing practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to IP Routing.
Network Services and Security practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to Network Services and Security.
AI and Network Operations practice questions
Practise 200-301 questions linked to AI and Network Operations.
CCNA subnetting practice questions
Practise IPv4 subnetting, CIDR, masks, host ranges and subnet selection.
CCNA OSPF practice questions
Practise OSPF neighbours, router IDs, metrics, areas and routing-table interpretation.
CCNA VLAN practice questions
Practise VLANs, access ports, trunks, allowed VLANs and switching scenarios.
CCNA STP practice questions
Practise spanning tree, root bridge election, port roles and STP troubleshooting.
CCNA EtherChannel practice questions
Practise LACP, PAgP, port-channel behaviour and bundle requirements.
CCNA ACL practice questions
Practise standard and extended ACLs, permit/deny logic and traffic filtering.
CCNA NAT practice questions
Practise static NAT, dynamic NAT, PAT and inside/outside address translation.
Practice this exam
Start a free 200-301 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — This question tests Network Infrastructure and Connectivity — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Enable Protected Management Frames (PMF) as Required on the WLAN. — WPA3-Enterprise requires Protected Management Frames (PMF) to be set to 'Required' on the WLC. When PMF is not enabled or set to 'Optional', 802.11ax clients using WPA3 may experience intermittent disconnects because management frame protection is mandatory for WPA3 operation. Legacy 802.11ac clients using WPA2 do not require PMF, so they remain unaffected.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Keep practising
More 200-301 practice questions
- A switchport connected to another switch should carry multiple VLANs, but it was manually configured as an access port.…
- What problem is HSRP designed to solve?
- Which TWO statements correctly describe the causes or implications of CRC errors, runts, giants, or output errors as see…
- You are connected to R1. Configure IPv4 and IPv6 addressing on R1's interfaces and verify reachability to R2. The curren…
- Which TWO statements accurately describe how AI/ML concepts are applied to network operations in modern enterprise netwo…
- Which TWO switch port configurations are required when connecting a Cisco IP phone and a desktop PC to a single access p…
Last reviewed: Jun 25, 2026
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.