- A
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why wrong: A LAN is confined to a single location and cannot connect offices in different cities.
- B
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why wrong: A MAN covers a city-sized area but not multiple cities, so it would not work for this scenario.
- C
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A WAN is specifically built to connect networks across long distances, such as between cities, and supports secure connections.
- D
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why wrong: A PAN covers only a few meters and is irrelevant for inter-city connectivity.
Question 105 of 1,020
Wide Area Network (WAN) Explained
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of network types. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company has offices in two different cities and needs to connect their local networks so employees can access centralized resources. They require a secure, high-speed connection over a long distance. Which network type should be used?
Quick Answer
The answer is a Wide Area Network (WAN). A WAN is the correct choice because it is specifically designed to interconnect multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) across large geographic distances, such as between two different cities, using leased lines or secure VPN tunnels to provide a high-speed, long-distance connection. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this concept tests your ability to distinguish network types by scale; a common trap is confusing a Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) with a WAN, but remember that a MAN covers a single city or campus, not multiple cities. To lock in the difference, think of the acronyms geographically: LAN is local (your office), MAN is metro (your city), and WAN is wide (the world). A quick memory tip: “WAN is the wide world, MAN is your metro, LAN is your land.”
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
✓
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the correct choice because it connects geographically separated networks over long distances, providing the secure, high-speed link required for centralized resource access between two cities. Technologies like MPLS, leased lines (e.g., T1/E1), or VPNs over fiber optic connections are commonly used to implement WANs for such inter-site connectivity.
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 is confined to a single location and cannot connect offices in different cities.
- ✗
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A MAN covers a city-sized area but not multiple cities, so it would not work for this scenario.
- ✓
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why this is correct
A WAN is specifically built to connect networks across long distances, such as between cities, and supports secure connections.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A PAN covers only a few meters and is irrelevant for inter-city connectivity.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common mistake is selecting Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) because it seems to cover a large area, but MAN is limited to a single city or metropolitan region, not connecting two different cities over a long distance.
Trap categories for this question
Scenario analysis trap
A MAN covers a city-sized area but not multiple cities, so it would not work for this scenario.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
WANs often rely on Layer 3 routing protocols like BGP or OSPF to manage traffic between sites, and they can use encapsulation protocols such as PPPoE or MPLS to ensure data integrity and security over public or private carrier networks. In real-world scenarios, a company might lease a dedicated fiber circuit (e.g., 1 Gbps Ethernet WAN) or deploy an IPsec VPN over the internet to achieve the required secure, high-speed connection, with latency and jitter being critical factors for performance.
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.
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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: Wide Area Network (WAN) — A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the correct choice because it connects geographically separated networks over long distances, providing the secure, high-speed link required for centralized resource access between two cities. Technologies like MPLS, leased lines (e.g., T1/E1), or VPNs over fiber optic connections are commonly used to implement WANs for such inter-site connectivity.
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.
About these practice questions
Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
Same concept, more angles
2 more ways this is tested on 220-1201
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 large corporation needs to connect its headquarters in New York to a regional office in Los Angeles, as well as to a data center in Chicago, using dedicated leased lines. The network must support high bandwidth for video conferencing and data transfers. Which network topology best describes this setup?
hard- A.Local Area Network (LAN)
- B.Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
- ✓ C.Wide Area Network (WAN)
- D.Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why C: A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the correct topology because it connects geographically dispersed locations—New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago—over a large geographical area using dedicated leased lines (e.g., T1/E1, T3, or MPLS circuits). WANs are specifically designed to provide high-bandwidth, reliable connectivity for applications like video conferencing and data transfers across cities or countries, which matches the requirement for dedicated leased lines spanning multiple states.
Variation 2. A multinational corporation has offices in New York, London, and Tokyo. They need a private, dedicated network to connect all offices with high reliability and low latency. Which network type should be implemented?
hard- A.Local Area Network (LAN)
- B.Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
- ✓ C.Wide Area Network (WAN)
- D.Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why C: A Wide Area Network (WAN) is the correct choice because it is designed to connect geographically dispersed locations, such as offices in different cities or countries, over a large area. WANs provide private, dedicated circuits (e.g., MPLS, leased lines) that offer high reliability and low latency, meeting the multinational corporation's requirements for interconnecting New York, London, and Tokyo.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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