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CCNA Network Infrastructure and Connectivity Practice Question
Drag and drop the following steps into the correct order to configure a WPA3 SSID on a Cisco WLC and complete a wireless client association.
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap is that candidates may think security can be configured after enabling the WLAN, or that client IP assignment occurs before association. Remember: always configure all settings before enabling the WLAN, and client DHCP occurs after association.
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
✓
Create a new WLAN with SSID and WPA3-Personal security, enable the WLAN, then the client scans, associates, and obtains an IP via DHCP.
The steps follow the standard WLC configuration sequence: create the WLAN, set WPA3-Personal security, enable it, then the client associates and gets an IP.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Create a new WLAN with SSID and WPA3-Personal security, enable the WLAN, then the client scans, associates, and obtains an IP via DHCP.
Why this is correct
This is correct because the standard WLC configuration sequence is: first create the WLAN with the desired SSID and security settings (WPA3-Personal), then enable the WLAN. After that, the client can scan, associate, and obtain an IP address via DHCP.
- ✗
Enable the WLAN first, then create the WLAN with SSID and WPA3-Personal security, then the client associates and obtains an IP.
Why it's wrong here
Cannot enable a WLAN that does not yet exist in the controller's configuration database; the 'enable WLAN' command references a WLAN profile ID/SSID, and the WLC rejects the request because no such WLAN object is available. Even if a profile existed, a client can only discover and associate with an SSID that the controller has already created and advertising through AP beacons. Therefore, creation and configuration must precede enabling, and client DHCP always follows successful association.
- ✗
Create the WLAN, enable it, then configure WPA3-Personal security, then the client associates and gets an IP.
Why it's wrong here
On Cisco WLCs, security parameters such as WPA3-Personal are part of the WLAN's operational profile, and changing security mode on an already-enabled WLAN is either blocked or forces the controller to temporarily disable the WLAN to rebuild beacon and probe-response parameters. If you enable first and then try to apply WPA3-Personal, existing clients may be dropped, and the controller may require a disable-and-reenable cycle, so the order presented is not the supported procedure. The correct order is to configure security while the WLAN is still disabled (or via a new WLAN template) before enabling it.
- ✗
Create the WLAN, configure WPA3-Personal security, enable the WLAN, then the client obtains an IP before associating.
Why it's wrong here
DHCP is an IPv4 Layer 2/IP-layer exchange that requires the client to first complete 802.11 association and, in WPA3-Personal, the Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) handshake; until these are done, the client has no encrypted data path to the AP to carry DHCP DISCOVER messages. A wireless client's operational sequence is always scan for beacons/probe responses, associate with the chosen BSS, perform security handshake, and only then send DHCP packets to obtain an IP address. Thus, obtaining an IP before associating inverts the mandatory protocol stack ordering and cannot happen.
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.
✓Create a new WLAN with SSID and WPA3-Personal security, enable the WLAN, then the client scans, associates, and obtains an IP via DHCP.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because the standard WLC configuration sequence is: first create the WLAN with the desired SSID and security settings (WPA3-Personal), then enable the WLAN. After that, the client can scan, associate, and obtain an IP address via DHCP.
✗Enable the WLAN first, then create the WLAN with SSID and WPA3-Personal security, then the client associates and obtains an IP.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that enabling a WLAN before creation is impossible; the WLAN must exist first.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think enabling is a separate step that can be done at any time, but the WLAN must be created first.
✗Create the WLAN, enable it, then configure WPA3-Personal security, then the client associates and gets an IP.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that security configuration should be done before enabling the WLAN to ensure proper operation.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might think security can be changed after enabling, but best practice is to configure all settings before enabling.
✗Create the WLAN, configure WPA3-Personal security, enable the WLAN, then the client obtains an IP before associating.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The specific factual error is that IP address assignment occurs after association, not before.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates might confuse the order of client operations, thinking DHCP happens before association, but association is required first.
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?”
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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.