220-1101 Networking Practice Question
A user in a small office reports that their laptop cannot connect to the corporate Wi-Fi network. Other devices in the same area connect without issue. The laptop can connect to the internet when plugged into the wired Ethernet port. The technician checks the wireless adapter status and sees it is enabled and shows available networks, but the corporate SSID is not listed. Which of the following is the most likely cause?
⚠ Common exam trap
Test-takers frequently assume a missing SSID is due to a hidden network or antenna failure, but the key clue is that other devices connect fine, pointing to a client-side band incompatibility rather than a network-side broadcast issue.
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 wireless network is configured for 5 GHz only, and the laptop only supports 2.4 GHz.
The corporate SSID is not listed on the laptop, but other devices connect fine, indicating the network exists and is reachable. If the network is configured for 5 GHz only and the laptop only supports 2.4 GHz, the laptop will not see the SSID because it cannot tune to the 5 GHz frequency band during passive or active scanning. This matches the symptom of a missing SSID while the adapter is otherwise functional.
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 wireless network is configured for 5 GHz only, and the laptop only supports 2.4 GHz.
Why this is correct
This is correct because a laptop that only supports 2.4 GHz cannot detect a 5 GHz-only network. Other devices that support both bands will see and connect to it, explaining why only this laptop fails.
- ✗
The laptop's MAC address is not allowed on the wireless network.
Why it's wrong here
MAC address filtering is an access control mechanism that blocks the association or authentication attempt after the client has already discovered the network. The router still broadcasts beacon frames containing the SSID and responds to probe requests from any client, regardless of whether that client's MAC address is on the allowlist. Therefore the laptop would see the SSID in its list of available networks but would be unable to connect; it would not disappear from the scan results.
When this WOULD be correct
A user cannot connect to a corporate Wi-Fi network; other devices connect. The laptop sees the SSID but authentication fails. The network uses MAC address filtering, and the laptop's MAC is not on the allowed list.
- ✗
The wireless router is not broadcasting the SSID.
Why it's wrong here
If the SSID were hidden (not broadcast), it would not appear in the laptop's list. However, other devices in the same area connect without issue, indicating the SSID is being broadcast. This option is incorrect.
When this WOULD be correct
A user reports that no devices can see the Wi-Fi network, and the network administrator confirms the SSID broadcast is disabled. The correct answer would be that the SSID is hidden, requiring manual configuration.
- ✗
The laptop's Wi-Fi antenna is disconnected inside the case.
Why it's wrong here
A disconnected internal Wi-Fi antenna would eliminate or severely degrade all wireless reception on every band, because the antenna is a shared physical component for both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz radios. If the antenna were truly loose or unseated, the laptop would display no available networks or only networks with extremely faint signal, and certainly would not selectively fail to see just one SSID. Since other networks are visible, the antenna wiring is intact and functional.
When this WOULD be correct
A user reports no wireless networks are visible, and the adapter shows 'Not connected' with no networks listed. After checking, the technician finds the internal antenna cable is loose or disconnected from the Wi-Fi card.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 220-1101 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓The wireless network is configured for 5 GHz only, and the laptop only supports 2.4 GHz.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
This is correct because a laptop that only supports 2.4 GHz cannot detect a 5 GHz-only network. Other devices that support both bands will see and connect to it, explaining why only this laptop fails.
✗The laptop's MAC address is not allowed on the wireless network.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The laptop can see other networks but not the corporate SSID, and other devices connect fine. If MAC filtering were the issue, the laptop would still see the SSID but fail to authenticate.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A user cannot connect to a corporate Wi-Fi network; other devices connect. The laptop sees the SSID but authentication fails. The network uses MAC address filtering, and the laptop's MAC is not on the allowed list.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'not seeing the SSID' with 'not being allowed to connect,' assuming MAC filtering hides the network, which is incorrect.
✗The wireless router is not broadcasting the SSID.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The corporate SSID is not listed, but other devices connect without issue. If the SSID were not broadcast, it would still appear as 'Hidden Network' or require manual entry, and other devices would also fail to see it.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A user reports that no devices can see the Wi-Fi network, and the network administrator confirms the SSID broadcast is disabled. The correct answer would be that the SSID is hidden, requiring manual configuration.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may confuse 'SSID not listed' with 'SSID not broadcast', overlooking that other devices connect fine, which rules out a global SSID broadcast issue.
✗The laptop's Wi-Fi antenna is disconnected inside the case.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The laptop can see other networks but not the corporate SSID, indicating the adapter is functional. A disconnected antenna would typically result in no networks being detected at all, not just the absence of one specific SSID.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A user reports no wireless networks are visible, and the adapter shows 'Not connected' with no networks listed. After checking, the technician finds the internal antenna cable is loose or disconnected from the Wi-Fi card.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may think a hardware issue like a disconnected antenna explains the missing SSID, but they overlook that the adapter still detects other networks, which rules out a complete antenna failure.
Analysis generated from the official 220-1101blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1101 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 220-1101 exam.