- A
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why wrong: A LAN typically covers a building or small campus, not 2 square miles of downtown.
- B
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why wrong: A WAN is for connecting far apart locations, not for providing localized public Wi-Fi in a downtown area.
- C
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why wrong: A PAN is for short-range personal devices, not for a city-wide public network.
- D
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
A MAN is designed to cover a city or large campus, making it suitable for a downtown public Wi-Fi zone.
Question 47 of 1,020
220-1201 Network Types Practice Question
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of network types. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 city government wants to provide free public Wi-Fi in a downtown area spanning 2 square miles. The network must handle hundreds of simultaneous users and be accessible from streets and parks. Which network type is most appropriate for this deployment?
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
✓
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is designed to cover a geographic area larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, typically spanning a city or a large campus. For a 2-square-mile downtown area with hundreds of simultaneous users, a MAN provides the necessary range, high capacity, and centralized management to deliver public Wi-Fi access across streets and parks. Technologies such as WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) or carrier-grade Wi-Fi mesh networks are commonly used in MAN deployments to ensure seamless coverage and user density.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why it's wrong here
A LAN typically covers a building or small campus, not 2 square miles of downtown.
- ✗
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why it's wrong here
A WAN is for connecting far apart locations, not for providing localized public Wi-Fi in a downtown area.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A PAN is for short-range personal devices, not for a city-wide public network.
- ✓
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why this is correct
A MAN is designed to cover a city or large campus, making it suitable for a downtown public Wi-Fi zone.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA A+ often tests the distinction between LAN and MAN by presenting a scenario with a large campus or city area, where candidates mistakenly choose LAN because they overlook the geographic scale and outdoor coverage requirements.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
A MAN often uses fiber-optic backhaul or point-to-point microwave links to aggregate traffic from multiple access points, ensuring low latency and high throughput for dense user environments. In practice, a city-wide Wi-Fi MAN might employ mesh networking protocols (e.g., 802.11s) to self-heal and extend coverage without requiring wired connections at every node, while also implementing captive portals and RADIUS authentication for user management. The IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX) standard was specifically designed for MAN deployments, offering ranges up to 30 miles and supporting hundreds of concurrent users per base station.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A practitioner preparing for the 220-1201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
Network Types — This question tests Network Types — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) — A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is designed to cover a geographic area larger than a LAN but smaller than a WAN, typically spanning a city or a large campus. For a 2-square-mile downtown area with hundreds of simultaneous users, a MAN provides the necessary range, high capacity, and centralized management to deliver public Wi-Fi access across streets and parks. Technologies such as WiMAX (IEEE 802.16) or carrier-grade Wi-Fi mesh networks are commonly used in MAN deployments to ensure seamless coverage and user density.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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