FC0-U71 Infrastructure Practice Question
A small office has five computers that need to share files and a printer. Which type of network should be set up?
⚠ Common exam trap
It's easy for candidates to confuse network scope acronyms (PAN/LAN/MAN/WAN) by size rather than by purpose — candidates sometimes pick WAN or MAN thinking 'more coverage is better,' when the question is really testing whether you recognize a single-office scenario as a LAN.
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
✓
LAN
A LAN (Local Area Network) is designed for a single, contained environment such as a small office, home, or single building, and is exactly the right scope for five computers sharing files and a printer. It provides high-speed connectivity over short distances using Ethernet or Wi-Fi, typically through a single switch or router. This matches the requirement of a small, localized group of devices sharing resources.
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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PAN
Why it's wrong here
A PAN spans roughly ten metres around one person, linking a phone to a headset or watch, so it cannot connect five office computers or a shared printer. It tempts because it is a genuine network type, but its personal, single-user scope is the wrong scale here.
- ✓
LAN
Why this is correct
A LAN spans a single limited area such as an office, connecting the five computers and printer so they can share files and peripherals directly. This matches the small-office scope and resource-sharing requirement stated in the scenario.
- ✗
WAN
Why it's wrong here
A WAN links sites across cities or countries using carrier circuits, so it exceeds a five-computer single-office requirement. It tempts because it is a legitimate network category, but WAN scope is geographical separation, not file and printer sharing within one room.
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MAN
Why it's wrong here
A MAN spans a city or campus, requiring carrier infrastructure far beyond a five-computer office. It is tempting when linking multiple sites across a metropolitan area, but file and printer sharing within one small office is a LAN.
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JA
Written and reviewed by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
Last reviewed September 2026 · checked against the official CompTIA exam blueprint
This FC0-U71 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 FC0-U71 exam.