easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A customer wants to set up a home network that…
A customer wants to set up a home network that supports the fastest possible speeds for streaming 4K video and gaming, with support for multiple devices. They have a cable modem that supports up to 1 Gbps. Which wireless standard should you recommend for the new router?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is assuming that 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) is the fastest standard available for home networks, but 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) offers higher throughput and better multi-device performance, making it the correct choice for 4K streaming and gaming.
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
✓
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is the correct recommendation because it offers the highest theoretical data rates (up to 9.6 Gbps aggregate), improved efficiency in dense environments via OFDMA and MU-MIMO, and lower latency, all of which are critical for streaming 4K video and gaming on multiple devices. It also provides backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi standards while maximizing throughput over the existing 1 Gbps cable modem connection.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
Why it's wrong here
This standard operates exclusively on the 5 GHz band, offering significant speed improvements over its predecessors, with theoretical maximums reaching several gigabits per second. However, 802.11ac lacks the advanced multi-user efficiency features like Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) found in Wi-Fi 6. While suitable for a few high-bandwidth devices, it struggles to maintain optimal performance and low latency when numerous devices are simultaneously streaming 4K content or engaging in online gaming.
- ✗
802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)
Why it's wrong here
802.11n was a significant step forward, introducing MIMO (Multiple-Input, Multiple-Output) and operating on both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. Despite these advancements, its maximum theoretical throughput, typically around 300-600 Mbps, is insufficient for the demands of a modern home network with multiple 4K streams, high-resolution gaming, and numerous smart devices. This older standard lacks the spectral efficiency and capacity required for today's high-bandwidth, low-latency applications.
- ✓
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
Why this is correct
As the latest widely adopted standard, 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) offers superior performance by operating across both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, significantly enhancing network efficiency and capacity. It introduces key technologies like OFDMA and improved MU-MIMO, allowing the router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously and optimize spectrum usage. This results in higher real-world speeds, reduced latency, and better handling of numerous concurrent high-bandwidth activities such as multiple 4K streams and competitive online gaming, while also being fully backward compatible.
- ✗
802.11g (Wi-Fi 3)
Why it's wrong here
This very old standard operates exclusively on the crowded 2.4 GHz band, offering a maximum theoretical throughput of only 54 Mbps. 802.11g is severely limited in bandwidth and susceptible to interference, making it entirely unsuitable for any modern networking demands. It cannot reliably support even a single high-definition video stream, let alone multiple 4K streams, online gaming, or the connectivity needs of numerous smart home devices.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Wi-Fi Standards and Protocols
Key term
Router
A router is a networking device that connects different networks together and directs data traffic between them by choosing the best path for data to travel.
Key term
Latency
Latency is the time delay between a request being sent over a network and the response being received, often measured in milliseconds.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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