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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is setting up a network for a…
A technician is setting up a network for a university campus that spans several buildings across a 2-kilometer area. The network must support both wired and wireless connections for thousands of users. Which network type best describes this setup?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse CAN with MAN because both involve multiple buildings, but the key distinction is the geographic scale: CAN is limited to a campus (typically <5 km), while MAN covers a city-wide area. Certification exams often test this by providing distance or scope clues like '2-kilometer area' to force the correct classification.
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
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Campus Area Network (CAN)
A Campus Area Network (CAN) is specifically designed to interconnect multiple buildings within a limited geographic area, such as a university campus or corporate park, typically spanning up to a few kilometers. This setup requires high-speed backbone links (often fiber optic) to support thousands of users with both wired and wireless access, which aligns perfectly with the CAN definition.
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 designed to connect networks over vast geographical distances, spanning states, countries, or even continents. It typically utilizes public telecommunication infrastructure or dedicated private lines to link geographically dispersed Local Area Networks (LANs). For a 2-kilometer campus, a WAN would be an excessive and inappropriate solution, as its primary purpose is long-haul, inter-city, or international connectivity rather than intra-campus networking.
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Campus Area Network (CAN)
Why this is correct
A Campus Area Network (CAN) is specifically engineered to interconnect multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) within a limited geographical area, such as a university, corporate, or industrial campus. It typically spans a few kilometers, connecting various buildings and providing high-speed wired and wireless connectivity for a large number of users. This makes a CAN the ideal choice for setting up a network across a 2-kilometer campus, accommodating thousands of users.
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Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Personal Area Network (PAN) is the smallest type of network, designed for short-range communication, typically within a few meters around an individual. It connects personal devices like smartphones, tablets, headphones, and wearables using technologies such as Bluetooth or NFC. A PAN's extremely limited range and capacity make it entirely unsuitable for connecting multiple buildings or supporting thousands of users across a 2-kilometer campus.
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Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is an intermediate-sized network that covers a larger geographical area than a CAN but is smaller than a WAN, typically encompassing an entire city or a large metropolitan region. It is designed to connect multiple LANs or CANs within a city, often providing high-speed connectivity for municipal services or businesses across different city blocks. Its scale is significantly larger than what is required for a single 2-kilometer campus.
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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.