Question 211 of 1,052
hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped

CCNA Practice Question: A network administrator notices that wireless…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. Examine the command output carefully: the correct answer depends on what the output actually shows, not on general recall alone. 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.

Exhibit

WLC# show wlan summary

Number of WLANs................................ 3

WLAN ID  WLAN Profile Name / SSID               Status    Interface
-------  ------------------------------------   --------  ------------
1        CorpNet / CorpNet                       Enabled  management
2        GuestNet / GuestNet                     Enabled  guest
3        AdminNet / AdminNet                     Disabled admin

WLC# show wlan 1

WLAN Profile Name.................................. CorpNet
SSID................................................. CorpNet
Status.............................................. Enabled
Security Policies.................................... WPA2+CCKM
...
Layer 2 Security..................................... WPA2
  802.1x............................................. Disabled
  PSK................................................ Enabled
  PSK Passphrase..................................... Cisco123
  CCKM.............................................. Enabled
...
Interface........................................... management
Multicast Interface.................................. management
...

A network administrator notices that wireless clients are unable to associate with the corporate SSID 'CorpNet' on an AP that is managed by a WLC. The AP has been joined to the WLC successfully, and the WLC is reachable from the AP. The administrator checks the WLC configuration. Based on the exhibit, what is the most likely cause of the association failure?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

  • Clue: "most likely"

    Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →

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

The WLAN is mapped to the management interface.

The root cause is that the WLAN 'CorpNet' is mapped to the 'management' interface. In WLC deployments, the management interface is used for out-of-band management traffic between the WLC and APs, not for client data traffic. Wireless client traffic must be carried on a dynamic interface (VLAN) or the AP-manager interface. Using the management interface for client data can cause association failures because the AP expects client traffic to be on a data VLAN. The correct fix is to change the interface to a dynamic interface (e.g., 'corp-data'). Options A, B, and C are incorrect: the WLAN is enabled, the PSK is configured, and CCKM is not required for basic association.

Key principle: A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

  • The WLAN is disabled.

    Why it's wrong here

    The 'show wlan summary' output shows the WLAN status as 'Enabled'.

  • The WLAN is missing a pre-shared key.

    Why it's wrong here

    The output shows PSK is enabled with a passphrase 'Cisco123'.

  • CCKM is not supported by the clients.

    Why it's wrong here

    CCKM is a fast roaming method, but it is not required for initial association; clients can still associate without it.

  • The WLAN is mapped to the management interface.

    Why this is correct

    The management interface should not be used for client data traffic; it should be a dynamic interface.

    Clue confirmation

    The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.

    Related concept

    Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.

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.

The WLAN is mapped to the management interface.Correct answer

Why this is correct

The management interface should not be used for client data traffic; it should be a dynamic interface.

The WLAN is disabled.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

This is a common misdiagnosis because the status is clearly enabled.

The WLAN is missing a pre-shared key.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

The PSK is configured, so this is not the issue.

CCKM is not supported by the clients.Wrong answer — click to see why

Why this is wrong here

This would not prevent association entirely; it would only affect roaming.

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: an active trunk can still block the VLAN you need

A trunk being up does not prove every VLAN is crossing it. Check allowed VLAN lists, native VLAN mismatch, VLAN existence and access-port assignment.

Trap categories for this question

  • Keyword trap

    The output shows PSK is enabled with a passphrase 'Cisco123'.

  • Command / output trap

    The 'show wlan summary' output shows the WLAN status as 'Enabled'.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

VLAN questions usually combine access-port and trunking clues. The key is to identify whether the issue is local to one switchport, caused by the trunk, or caused by the VLAN not existing where it needs to exist.

KKey Concepts to Remember

  • Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.
  • Trunk ports carry multiple VLANs between switches.
  • Allowed VLAN lists decide which VLANs can cross a trunk.
  • Native VLAN mismatch can create confusing symptoms.

TExam Day Tips

  • Use show vlan brief to verify access VLANs.
  • Use show interfaces trunk to verify trunk state and allowed VLANs.
  • Do not treat every same-VLAN issue as a routing problem.

Key takeaway

A trunk being up does not mean the VLAN is allowed across it. Always verify the allowed VLAN list and whether the VLAN exists on both switches.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.

Related practice questions

Related 200-301 practice-question pages

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The WLAN is mapped to the management interface. — The root cause is that the WLAN 'CorpNet' is mapped to the 'management' interface. In WLC deployments, the management interface is used for out-of-band management traffic between the WLC and APs, not for client data traffic. Wireless client traffic must be carried on a dynamic interface (VLAN) or the AP-manager interface. Using the management interface for client data can cause association failures because the AP expects client traffic to be on a data VLAN. The correct fix is to change the interface to a dynamic interface (e.g., 'corp-data'). Options A, B, and C are incorrect: the WLAN is enabled, the PSK is configured, and CCKM is not required for basic association.

What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?

Review VLAN allowed lists, native VLAN mismatch detection, and how to verify VLAN membership with show vlan brief and show interfaces trunk. Then practise related 200-301 questions on switching, trunking, and access-port configuration.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Access ports place end devices into a single VLAN.

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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.