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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is setting up a mobile point-of-sale…
A technician is setting up a mobile point-of-sale system using a tablet and a portable receipt printer. The printer supports both Bluetooth and NFC. Which connection method should the technician use for reliable, low-latency printing?
⚠ Common exam trap
Watch out — candidates often choose NFC because they associate it with 'tap-to-pair' convenience, but they overlook that NFC is a pairing trigger, not a data transport method for sustained printing—Bluetooth handles the actual data transfer after the initial NFC tap.
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
✓
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is the correct choice because it provides a reliable, low-latency wireless connection specifically designed for peripheral devices like printers. Unlike NFC, which is optimized for very short-range (under 4 cm) tap-to-pair operations and not sustained data streaming, Bluetooth maintains a stable link over distances up to 10 meters and supports the Serial Port Profile (SPP) or Bluetooth Basic Rate/Enhanced Data Rate (BR/EDR) for consistent print job throughput.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
NFC
Why it's wrong here
NFC operates over extremely short distances (typically 4 cm or less) and is designed for quick, secure, peer-to-peer data exchange or device pairing. Its low data transfer rate and inherent range limitations make it impractical for continuously streaming print job data from a mobile POS system to a printer. While useful for initial connection setup, it lacks the sustained bandwidth and range required for reliable printing.
- ✓
Bluetooth
Why this is correct
Bluetooth provides a robust, short-range wireless connection ideal for connecting peripherals like printers to a mobile POS system. It offers sufficient bandwidth for continuous print job data transmission with low latency, ensuring reliable and timely receipt printing. Its low power consumption and ability to operate effectively over several meters make it a practical and widely adopted solution for such setups in retail environments.
- ✗
Infrared
Why it's wrong here
Infrared (IR) communication requires a direct, unobstructed line-of-sight between the transmitting and receiving devices, making it highly impractical for a dynamic retail environment. Furthermore, IR technology offers very low data transfer rates compared to modern wireless standards and is highly susceptible to interference from ambient light sources. It is an outdated technology rarely found in contemporary POS or general-purpose printers due to these significant limitations.
- ✗
Wi-Fi Direct
Why it's wrong here
Wi-Fi Direct creates a peer-to-peer network between devices, but it requires manual pairing and connection setup, introducing latency and potential interference in a crowded retail environment where the tablet must maintain a separate internet connection for transaction processing. This option is tempting because Wi-Fi Direct is often used for high-speed file transfers or media streaming between devices without a router, making it a correct choice for bulk data synchronisation between two tablets.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Mobile Device Types and Features
Key term
Throughput
Throughput is the rate at which data is successfully transferred from one point to another over a network, typically measured in bits per second.
Key term
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology used to connect devices like keyboards, mice, headphones, and smartphones without cables.
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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.