hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A company deploys tablets for inventory management
A company deploys tablets for inventory management. The tablets need to connect to a Bluetooth barcode scanner and also sync data to a cloud server over Wi-Fi. The Bluetooth connection drops every few minutes. What is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1201 exam often tests the misconception that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are completely independent radios, when in fact they share the same 2.4 GHz spectrum and can interfere with each other, especially when both are active simultaneously.
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
✓
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are interfering because both use the 2.4 GHz band.
The most likely cause is that both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth operate in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, and when a tablet is actively using Wi-Fi to sync data to a cloud server, the radio can cause interference with the Bluetooth signal, leading to periodic disconnections. This is a well-known coexistence issue, especially in dense environments where both radios are active simultaneously.
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 barcode scanner's battery is low.
Why it's wrong here
A low battery in the barcode scanner would typically manifest as a consistent inability to connect, a significantly reduced operational range, or a complete power-off, rather than intermittent disconnections followed by re-establishment. Intermittent drops strongly suggest a temporary disruption to the wireless signal itself, which is less characteristic of a failing power source that usually degrades more predictably and consistently.
- ✗
The tablets are too far from the barcode scanner.
Why it's wrong here
If the tablets were consistently too far from the barcode scanner, the Bluetooth connection would either fail to establish entirely or drop permanently once the signal strength became insufficient. Frequent, temporary disconnections and reconnections are not typical of exceeding the maximum range, which usually results in a sustained loss of communication until the devices are brought back into closer proximity.
- ✓
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are interfering because both use the 2.4 GHz band.
Why this is correct
Both Wi-Fi (specifically 802.11b/g/n) and Bluetooth devices operate within the crowded 2.4 GHz Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) radio band. When multiple devices, especially high-bandwidth Wi-Fi, are actively transmitting in close proximity, their signals can interfere with each other, leading to packet collisions, increased retransmissions, and temporary loss of Bluetooth connectivity. This electromagnetic interference often manifests as intermittent drops and reconnections as the devices struggle to maintain a stable link amidst the noise.
- ✗
The cloud server is not responding to sync requests.
Why it's wrong here
Issues with a cloud server, such as unresponsiveness to sync requests, would impact the application layer functionality of the tablets, specifically their ability to upload or retrieve inventory data from a remote database. This problem is entirely unrelated to the local, physical layer Bluetooth connection between the tablet and the barcode scanner, which is a direct wireless link independent of internet or server connectivity for its basic operation.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 220-1201 exam.