220-1101 Networking Practice Question
A network administrator is setting up a wired network for a small office that has 25 workstations, 2 file servers, and a router with 4 LAN ports. The office uses IP-based printers and VoIP phones. The administrator wants to minimize broadcast traffic and improve network performance by separating the workstations from the servers and printers. Which of the following is the BEST solution?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that a hub or unmanaged switch can segment traffic, but the trap here is that only a managed switch with VLANs can create separate broadcast domains on a single device, while hubs and unmanaged switches cannot logically isolate traffic.
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
✓
Use a single managed switch and configure port-based VLANs
A managed switch with port-based VLANs allows the network administrator to logically segment the workstations from the servers and printers on the same physical switch, reducing broadcast domain size and improving performance. VLANs isolate broadcast traffic to only the ports within the same VLAN, so workstations do not see broadcasts from servers or printers, and vice versa. This solution uses a single switch, which is cost-effective and simple to manage, while meeting the requirement to minimize broadcast traffic without needing multiple routers.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Connect all devices to a single unmanaged switch
Why it's wrong here
An unmanaged switch provides no capability to create VLANs, so all 25 devices remain in one flat Layer 2 broadcast domain. Every broadcast frame, such as ARP requests and NetBIOS announcements, is flooded to all ports, wasting bandwidth and forcing every attached device's CPU to process irrelevant traffic. It cannot isolate traffic between workstations and printers/servers, offering zero segmentation or access control.
- ✓
Use a single managed switch and configure port-based VLANs
Why this is correct
A managed switch with port-based VLANs lets you assign each physical port to a logical VLAN, creating multiple isolated broadcast domains within a single switch. Broadcast traffic from workstations in VLAN 10 is contained and never reaches servers in VLAN 20, reducing unnecessary overhead and improving security. This delivers Layer 2 segmentation at no added hardware cost, and is straightforward to configure for a small office.
- ✗
Connect all devices to a hub instead of a switch
Why it's wrong here
A hub functions at Layer 1 and repeats every received signal to all other ports, making the entire network a single collision domain with shared bandwidth. With 25 devices, collisions increase exponentially because only one device can transmit at a time in half-duplex mode, causing repeated retransmissions and severe throughput degradation. Hubs lack full-duplex support and any form of port-level traffic isolation, making them completely unsuitable for a modern multi-user office.
- ✗
Use multiple routers to separate networks
Why it's wrong here
Routers separate networks into distinct IP subnets, but using them for segmentation in a 25-user office requires additional hardware interfaces and complex routing configuration. Each subnet would need a separate router interface or device, plus per-subnet DHCP and inter-VLAN routing policies, creating a bottleneck and administrative burden. Unlike VLANs, which provide segmentation inside a switch, routers are overkill for this scale and introduce significantly higher cost and latency.
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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.