easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped
220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is configuring a new wireless router…
A technician is configuring a new wireless router for a home office. The customer wants to ensure that guests can access the internet but cannot see other devices on the main network. Which feature should the technician enable on the router?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse MAC address filtering (which restricts access) with network isolation, or think WPS provides security features beyond simple connection convenience.
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
✓
Guest network
Enabling a guest network creates a separate SSID and VLAN (or subnet) that isolates guest traffic from the main LAN. This prevents guests from accessing local devices (e.g., printers, file shares) while still providing internet access through the router's NAT. The isolation is typically achieved via client isolation or AP isolation settings, ensuring Layer 2 separation between the guest and main networks.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
MAC address filtering
Why it's wrong here
MAC address filtering is a security mechanism that controls network access by allowing or denying devices based on their unique Media Access Control (MAC) address. While it can restrict which specific hardware devices are permitted to connect to a network, it does not create a separate, isolated network segment or VLAN for guest users. Therefore, it fails to prevent authorized guest devices from potentially accessing or interacting with resources on the main network once connected, which is the primary goal of guest isolation.
- ✗
Port forwarding
Why it's wrong here
Port forwarding is a network address translation (NAT) technique used to redirect incoming external network traffic from a specific port on the router to a particular internal IP address and port on a device within the local network. Its sole purpose is to make internal services, such as game servers or web servers, accessible from the internet. This feature does not provide any mechanism for network segmentation or isolating guest traffic from the primary network; in fact, it exposes internal services rather than securing them.
- ✓
Guest network
Why this is correct
Enabling a guest network on a wireless router establishes a separate logical network, typically implemented as a Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN), distinct from the primary private network. This configuration isolates guest devices from the main network, preventing them from accessing shared files, printers, or other devices connected to the primary LAN. Guest networks often include client isolation, which further prevents guest devices from communicating with each other, ensuring robust security and meeting the requirement for traffic isolation.
- ✗
WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup)
Why it's wrong here
Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) is a feature designed to simplify the process of connecting wireless devices to a router by using a push-button configuration or an 8-digit PIN. While it streamlines the connection process for users by automating the exchange of network credentials, WPS offers no functionality for network segmentation, traffic isolation, or creating separate access policies for different user groups. It solely focuses on ease of connectivity to an existing network, not on establishing a segregated guest environment.
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Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration: IP, DNS, DHCP
Key term
NAT
NAT (Network Address Translation) is a method that allows multiple devices on a private network to share a single public IP address when accessing the internet.
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.
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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.