Question 511 of 750

Wireless Security Protocols →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Quick Answer

The answer is that the laptops’ wireless adapters do not support WPA3, which is the most likely reason for the connectivity failure. Windows 7 was released long before the WPA3 security standard was introduced in 2018, and its built-in networking stack only supports up to WPA2. Even if the wireless adapter hardware is physically capable, the operating system lacks the necessary drivers and cryptographic protocols to negotiate a WPA3 connection, making it incompatible by default. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of backward compatibility between Wi-Fi security standards, often appearing as a trap where candidates mistakenly blame the router or driver updates rather than the OS limitation. A common memory tip is “WPA3 needs Windows 10 or newer” — if you see Windows 7 in the question, immediately think WPA2 or a downgrade.

220-1102 Wireless Security Protocols Practice Question

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of wireless security protocols. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.

A small business owner reports that after upgrading their wireless router to a newer model, their older laptops running Windows 7 cannot connect to the Wi-Fi network. The new router is configured with WPA3-Personal. Which of the following is the most likely reason for the connectivity failure?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

Question 1easymultiple choice

Read the full wireless explanation →

A
The router's SSID is hidden.
Why wrong: A hidden SSID would prevent the network from appearing in the list, but the laptops can still connect manually; this is not specific to the security protocol version.
B
The laptops' wireless adapters do not support WPA3.
WPA3 is a newer security standard; older hardware and drivers often lack support, forcing a fallback to WPA2 or causing connection failures.
C
The router is broadcasting on a 5 GHz band only.
Why wrong: While older laptops may lack 5 GHz support, this is a band compatibility issue, not a security protocol issue; the scenario specifically points to the security upgrade.
D
The laptops have incorrect DNS settings.
Why wrong: Incorrect DNS would cause browsing issues after connection, but would not prevent the initial Wi-Fi association and authentication.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

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

✓

The laptops' wireless adapters do not support WPA3.

WPA3 is not supported on older operating systems like Windows 7, which only support up to WPA2. The correct solution is to either downgrade to WPA2 or update the wireless adapter drivers if possible. This question tests knowledge of backward compatibility between WPA2 and WPA3.

Key principle: Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Answer analysis

Option-by-option breakdown

For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.

✗
The router's SSID is hidden.
Why it's wrong here
A hidden SSID would prevent the network from appearing in the list, but the laptops can still connect manually; this is not specific to the security protocol version.
✓
The laptops' wireless adapters do not support WPA3.
Why this is correct
WPA3 is a newer security standard; older hardware and drivers often lack support, forcing a fallback to WPA2 or causing connection failures.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
✗
The router is broadcasting on a 5 GHz band only.
Why it's wrong here
While older laptops may lack 5 GHz support, this is a band compatibility issue, not a security protocol issue; the scenario specifically points to the security upgrade.
✗
The laptops have incorrect DNS settings.
Why it's wrong here
Incorrect DNS would cause browsing issues after connection, but would not prevent the initial Wi-Fi association and authentication.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: usable hosts are not the same as total addresses

Subnetting questions often tempt you into counting all addresses. In normal IPv4 subnets, the network and broadcast addresses are not usable host addresses.

Trap categories for this question

Scenario analysis trap
While older laptops may lack 5 GHz support, this is a band compatibility issue, not a security protocol issue; the scenario specifically points to the security upgrade.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

Subnetting questions test whether you can identify the network, broadcast address, usable range, mask and correct subnet. Slow down enough to calculate the block size correctly.

KKey Concepts to Remember

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.
Block size helps identify subnet boundaries.
Network and broadcast addresses are not usable hosts in normal IPv4 subnets.
The required host count determines the smallest suitable subnet.

TExam Day Tips

Write the block size before choosing the subnet.
Check whether the question asks for hosts, subnets or a specific address range.
Do not confuse /24, /25, /26 and /27 host counts.

Key takeaway

Count usable hosts — not total addresses — and remember that the network and broadcast addresses are not available to hosts in standard IPv4 subnets.

Real-world example

How this comes up in practice

A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Review block sizes, usable host formulas (2^n − 2), and how to find network and broadcast addresses for /24 through /30. Then practise related 220-1202 subnetting questions on CIDR, address ranges, and subnet selection.

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FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1202 question test?

Wireless Security Protocols — This question tests Wireless Security Protocols — CIDR notation defines the prefix length..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The laptops' wireless adapters do not support WPA3. — WPA3 is not supported on older operating systems like Windows 7, which only support up to WPA2. The correct solution is to either downgrade to WPA2 or update the wireless adapter drivers if possible. This question tests knowledge of backward compatibility between WPA2 and WPA3.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 question wrong?

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.

What is the key concept behind this question?

CIDR notation defines the prefix length.

About these practice questions

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Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 220-1202

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. A small business owner reports that after upgrading their wireless router to a newer model, several older laptops running Windows 7 can no longer connect to the Wi-Fi network. The new router is configured to use WPA3. What is the most likely reason for the connection failures?

easy

✓ A.The laptops have outdated wireless drivers that do not support WPA3.
B.The router's firewall is blocking the older laptops' MAC addresses.
C.The laptops are using an incompatible encryption cipher like TKIP.
D.The router's SSID is hidden, and the laptops cannot discover it.

Why A: WPA3 is the latest wireless security protocol, but it is not backward-compatible with older operating systems like Windows 7, which only support WPA2. The technician should configure the router to use WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode or WPA2 only to ensure compatibility with all devices.

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