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220-1202 Practice Question: A small business owner reports that after…
A small business owner reports that after upgrading their wireless router to a newer model, several older laptops running Windows 7 can no longer connect to the Wi-Fi network. The new router is configured to use WPA3. What is the most likely reason for the connection failures?
⚠ Common exam trap
The 220-1202 exam often tests the misconception that encryption ciphers (like TKIP) are the primary cause of incompatibility, when in fact the core issue is the security protocol version (WPA3 vs. WPA2) and the driver's lack of support for the new authentication handshake.
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The laptops have outdated wireless drivers that do not support WPA3.
WPA3 is a newer security protocol that requires both the router and the client device to support it. Older laptops running Windows 7 typically have wireless network adapters and drivers that were designed before WPA3 was standardized (2018), so they only support WPA2 or earlier protocols. Without updated drivers that include WPA3 support, these laptops cannot authenticate with the router, causing the connection failures.
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The laptops have outdated wireless drivers that do not support WPA3.
Why this is correct
This is the correct answer. WPA3 introduces significant cryptographic enhancements, including the Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) handshake, which requires specific hardware capabilities in the wireless adapter and corresponding driver support, as well as updated operating system components. Older laptops, particularly those running Windows 7, predate WPA3 standardization and therefore lack the necessary drivers and OS support to implement these advanced security protocols, preventing them from authenticating with a WPA3-only network.
- ✗
The router's firewall is blocking the older laptops' MAC addresses.
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect. MAC address filtering operates at Layer 2 (Data Link Layer) and is a basic access control mechanism that either permits or denies a device's connection based on its unique hardware address. If the router's firewall were configured to block specific MAC addresses, the laptops would be unable to associate with the access point at all, regardless of the security protocol. The described issue, however, is related to authentication failure after a security protocol upgrade, not a blanket block on physical addresses.
- ✗
The laptops are using an incompatible encryption cipher like TKIP.
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect. WPA3 exclusively utilizes robust encryption ciphers like CCMP (based on AES) and GCM, completely deprecating older, weaker ciphers such as TKIP. While TKIP was used in some WPA and early WPA2 implementations, a WPA3-only network would not offer it as a negotiation option. The fundamental problem is not that the laptops are attempting to use an incompatible cipher, but rather their inability to perform the WPA3 handshake and establish a connection using the required modern cryptographic standards.
- ✗
The router's SSID is hidden, and the laptops cannot discover it.
Why it's wrong here
This option is incorrect. A hidden SSID prevents the network name from being broadcast, requiring clients to manually enter the SSID to connect. While this can certainly cause connection difficulties, it affects all devices equally, regardless of their age or WPA3 support capabilities. The problem described specifically arises after a security protocol upgrade and targets older laptops, making a hidden SSID an irrelevant factor in this scenario, as it does not differentiate between device types based on security protocol support.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.