hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A large corporation needs to connect its…
A large corporation needs to connect its headquarters in New York to a regional office in Los Angeles, as well as to a data center in Chicago, using dedicated leased lines. The network must support high bandwidth for video conferencing and data transfers. Which network topology best describes this setup?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common mix-up: candidates confuse a MAN with a WAN because both cover multiple locations, but a MAN is limited to a single metropolitan area (e.g., connecting buildings in Los Angeles), whereas the question explicitly involves three cities across the U.S., which requires a WAN.
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
✓
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the correct topology because it connects geographically dispersed locations—New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago—over a large geographical area using dedicated leased lines (e.g., T1/E1, T3, or MPLS circuits). WANs are specifically designed to provide high-bandwidth, reliable connectivity for applications like video conferencing and data transfers across cities or countries, which matches the requirement for dedicated leased lines spanning multiple states.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Local Area Network (LAN) is designed to connect devices within a restricted geographical area, such as a single office building, a home, or a university campus. It typically uses Ethernet or Wi-Fi for high-speed data transfer over privately owned infrastructure. This network type is entirely unsuitable for linking corporate headquarters located in different states across the country, as its reach is confined to a localized environment.
- ✗
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) spans a larger geographical area than a LAN, typically encompassing an entire city or a large campus with multiple buildings. It often connects several LANs together using high-speed connections like fiber optics, sometimes provided by a local ISP. However, a MAN's reach is still limited to a single metropolitan region and cannot bridge the vast distances required to connect major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago.
- ✓
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why this is correct
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is specifically engineered to interconnect multiple geographically dispersed locations, spanning vast distances across states, countries, or even continents. It achieves this by utilizing public telecommunication infrastructure, such as leased lines, MPLS, or the internet, provided by carriers. This makes a WAN the ideal solution for a large corporation needing to link its headquarters situated in different major cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, enabling seamless communication and resource sharing.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is the smallest type of network, designed for very short-range communication among personal devices. It typically covers a range of only a few meters, connecting devices like smartphones, headphones, and wearables via technologies such as Bluetooth or NFC. Consequently, a PAN is completely inadequate for establishing connections between corporate headquarters located thousands of miles apart in different states.
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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.