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CCNA Practice Question: A network administrator is troubleshooting a…

This 200-301 practice question tests your understanding of 200-301 exam topics. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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

AP Name                 Slot  Radio  Channel  Width  Tx-Power  Clients  Noise(dBm)  Util(%)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AP-Office-1              0     5GHz   36       80     17        3        -92         45
AP-Office-2              0     5GHz   40       80     17        2        -91         42
AP-Office-3              0     5GHz   44       80     17        1        -93         38
AP-Office-4              0     5GHz   48       80     17        4        -92         50
AP-Office-5              0     5GHz   149      80     17        0        -95         30
AP-Office-6              0     5GHz   153      80     17        0        -96         28
AP-Office-7              0     5GHz   157      80     17        0        -94         32
AP-Office-8              0     5GHz   161      80     17        0        -95         35

Note: The WLC is configured for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) on the 5 GHz band.

A network administrator is troubleshooting a wireless performance issue on a Cisco 9800 WLC. Clients report slow speeds and frequent disconnections when connecting to an SSID named 'Corp-WiFi6'. The WLC is configured for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) on the 5 GHz band. The administrator runs the command 'show ap dot11 5ghz summary' and sees the output below. Based on the output, what is the most likely cause of the performance issue?

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
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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 channel width is set to 80 MHz, which is not optimal for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and may cause congestion.

The correct answer is B. The output shows all APs using an 80 MHz channel width, which is the maximum channel width supported by 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) but not by 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). 802.11ax requires a minimum of 20 MHz channels but supports up to 160 MHz. However, the key issue is that 802.11ax introduces OFDMA, which requires channel widths of 20, 40, 80, or 160 MHz. If the WLC is configured for 802.11ax but the APs are using 80 MHz, this is acceptable for 802.11ax, but the high channel utilization (45% max) indicates that the channel width is too narrow for the number of clients, causing congestion. Option A is incorrect because all channels are non-overlapping (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161). Option C is incorrect because the output shows clients connected. Option D is incorrect because the noise levels are low (-90 dBm).

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.

  • ✗

    The APs are using overlapping channels, causing co-channel interference.

    Why it's wrong here

    The channels shown (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161) are all non-overlapping channels for 80 MHz width, so co-channel interference is not the issue.

  • ✓

    The channel width is set to 80 MHz, which is not optimal for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and may cause congestion.

    Why this is correct

    802.11ax supports up to 160 MHz channels to reduce congestion. Using 80 MHz for all APs can lead to high utilization (45%) and poor performance.

    Clue confirmation

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

    Related concept

    Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

  • ✗

    The APs have no clients connected, indicating a hardware failure.

    Why it's wrong here

    The 'Clients' column shows 0 for some APs (AP-Office-5 through 8) but others have clients (1-4). This does not indicate a hardware failure.

  • ✗

    The noise levels are too high, causing signal degradation.

    Why it's wrong here

    Noise levels around -90 dBm are very low and not problematic for wireless performance.

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 channel width is set to 80 MHz, which is not optimal for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and may cause congestion.Correct answer▾

Why this is correct

802.11ax supports up to 160 MHz channels to reduce congestion. Using 80 MHz for all APs can lead to high utilization (45%) and poor performance.

✗The APs are using overlapping channels, causing co-channel interference.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Channels are properly spaced to avoid overlap.

✗The APs have no clients connected, indicating a hardware failure.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Some APs do have clients, so a total failure is not present.

✗The noise levels are too high, causing signal degradation.Wrong answer — click to see why▾

Why this is wrong here

Low noise is good for signal quality.

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

Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.

Trap categories for this question

  • Command / output trap

    The channels shown (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161) are all non-overlapping channels for 80 MHz width, so co-channel interference is not the issue.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.

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.
  • Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.

TExam Day Tips

  • Underline the problem statement mentally.
  • 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 practitioner preparing for the 200-301 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 200-301 question test?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The channel width is set to 80 MHz, which is not optimal for 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) and may cause congestion. — The correct answer is B. The output shows all APs using an 80 MHz channel width, which is the maximum channel width supported by 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) but not by 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6). 802.11ax requires a minimum of 20 MHz channels but supports up to 160 MHz. However, the key issue is that 802.11ax introduces OFDMA, which requires channel widths of 20, 40, 80, or 160 MHz. If the WLC is configured for 802.11ax but the APs are using 80 MHz, this is acceptable for 802.11ax, but the high channel utilization (45% max) indicates that the channel width is too narrow for the number of clients, causing congestion. Option A is incorrect because all channels are non-overlapping (36, 40, 44, 48, 149, 153, 157, 161). Option C is incorrect because the output shows clients connected. Option D is incorrect because the noise levels are low (-90 dBm).

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

Identify which 200-301 exam domain this question belongs to, then review the specific concept being tested. Practise related questions in that domain and focus on understanding why each wrong answer is tempting — not just why the correct answer is right.

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?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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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.