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220-1201 Practice Question: A client wants to set up a network in a single…
A client wants to set up a network in a single large warehouse where employees use handheld scanners to track inventory. The scanners need to communicate with a central server located in the same building, but no internet access is required. Which network type should be configured?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that any network without internet access must be a LAN, but the trap here is that candidates might confuse 'no internet required' with 'needs a WAN' for remote access, or incorrectly choose PAN because the devices are handheld and wireless.
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
✓
Local Area Network (LAN)
A Local Area Network (LAN) is the correct choice because it connects devices within a limited geographic area, such as a single warehouse, using high-speed Ethernet or Wi-Fi. The handheld scanners and central server need to communicate locally, and a LAN is well-suited for this purpose, operating effectively even without requiring internet access, which aligns with the client's needs. Technologies like IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet) or IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) provide the necessary low-latency, high-bandwidth connectivity for real-time inventory tracking.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is specifically designed to connect devices over vast geographical distances, often spanning cities, states, or even entire countries. It typically utilizes public or private data carriers, such as leased lines or VPNs over the internet, to interconnect multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) that are far apart. For a single building, implementing a WAN is excessive and introduces unnecessary complexity and cost, as its primary purpose is to bridge remote locations, not to network within one confined space.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is a very small-scale network designed for interconnecting personal devices within an extremely limited range, typically up to 10 meters. Technologies like Bluetooth or Near Field Communication (NFC) are commonly employed to connect peripherals such as headsets, keyboards, or smartwatches to a single host device. This extremely confined operational area makes a PAN entirely inadequate for providing comprehensive network connectivity across a large warehouse, which requires significantly greater coverage and infrastructure.
- ✓
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why this is correct
A Local Area Network (LAN) is specifically engineered to connect devices within a confined geographical area, such as a single building, a campus, or a small group of adjacent buildings. It provides high-speed data transfer and resource sharing capabilities among local devices, commonly utilizing Ethernet cabling or Wi-Fi for connectivity. For a warehouse, a LAN is the ideal solution, offering the necessary coverage, speed, and manageability to support all internal network communication and device interconnections efficiently and cost-effectively.
- ✗
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) spans a geographical area larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, typically encompassing an entire city or a large university campus. It often interconnects multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) within that urban area, frequently leveraging high-speed fiber optic connections provided by a single entity or consortium. Deploying a MAN for a single building is vastly over-engineered and cost-prohibitive, as its design is intended for municipal-scale connectivity rather than internal building networking requirements.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Mobile Device Connectivity
Key term
LAN
Local Area Network — a network confined to a single physical location such as an office, building, or campus.
Key term
Bandwidth
Bandwidth is the maximum amount of data that can travel over a network connection in a given amount of time, usually measured in bits per second.
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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.