mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: During a site survey, a technician finds that a…
During a site survey, a technician finds that a new access point on the 2.4 GHz band is experiencing heavy interference. The access point automatically selected channel 6. Which action should the technician take to minimize interference?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that any channel change will help, but the trap here is that only channels 1, 6, or 11 are non-overlapping in 2.4 GHz, so switching to a channel like 3 or 9 would actually increase adjacent-channel interference.
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
✓
Change the channel to 1 or 11.
In the 2.4 GHz band, only channels 1, 6, and 11 are non-overlapping (each occupies 22 MHz with 5 MHz spacing). Since channel 6 is already experiencing heavy interference, moving to channel 1 or 11 avoids co-channel and adjacent-channel interference from other devices on or near channel 6, minimizing contention.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Enable WPA3 encryption to reduce interference.
Why it's wrong here
Enabling WPA3 encryption is a security measure designed to protect data confidentiality and integrity at the data link layer (Layer 2) of the OSI model. It has no impact on physical layer (Layer 1) phenomena such as radio frequency interference. Interference is caused by overlapping electromagnetic waves from other devices and is mitigated by adjusting physical transmission parameters like channel selection or power levels, not by cryptographic protocols.
- ✓
Change the channel to 1 or 11.
Why this is correct
In the crowded 2.4 GHz band, Wi-Fi channels are 22 MHz wide but only spaced 5 MHz apart, causing significant overlap. Channels 1, 6, and 11 are the only three non-overlapping channels available. By switching to one of these specific channels, a technician can effectively reduce co-channel interference from neighboring access points or other wireless devices, thereby improving signal quality, stability, and overall network performance.
- ✗
Set the channel width to 40 MHz.
Why it's wrong here
Setting the channel width to 40 MHz in the 2.4 GHz band significantly increases the spectrum occupied by the Wi-Fi signal, effectively using two adjacent 20 MHz channels. While this can theoretically double throughput, it dramatically increases the likelihood of overlapping with other Wi-Fi networks or non-Wi-Fi devices operating in the same frequency range. This exacerbates both co-channel and adjacent-channel interference, leading to degraded performance and reduced reliability, especially in dense environments.
- ✗
Disable the 2.4 GHz radio and use only 5 GHz.
Why it's wrong here
Disabling the 2.4 GHz radio and relying solely on the 5 GHz band would indeed eliminate interference issues specific to the 2.4 GHz spectrum. However, this is often an impractical solution because many client devices, particularly older models or Internet of Things (IoT) devices, may only support the 2.4 GHz band. Forcing a 5 GHz-only operation would render these devices unable to connect to the network, severely limiting network accessibility and functionality for a potentially large segment of users or devices.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 972 original 220-1201 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
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.