- A
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why wrong: A LAN cannot connect two separate cities; it is limited to a single location.
- B
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why wrong: A MAN covers a city, not multiple cities across different regions.
- C
Wide Area Network (WAN)
A WAN is exactly for connecting LANs over long distances, such as between cities, often using VPNs or leased lines.
- D
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why wrong: A PAN is for short-range personal device connections, not for inter-city networking.
Question 927 of 1,020
Wide Area Network (WAN) for Multi-City Connectivity
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 two branch offices in different cities. They need to connect their LANs so employees can access resources at both locations securely over the internet. Which network type should be used?
Quick Answer
The answer is a Wide Area Network (WAN), which is the correct network type for connecting LANs across different cities. A WAN is specifically designed to span large geographic distances, linking multiple local networks so that employees in separate branch offices can securely share resources, often using a VPN over the internet as a common implementation. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish between network types based on scale: a LAN is confined to a single building, a MAN covers a metropolitan area, and a PAN is for personal devices. A common trap is confusing a WAN with a VPN, but remember that a VPN is a method used within a WAN, not a separate network type. For a quick memory tip, think “Wide” for “Wide area” — if the distance spans cities or countries, it’s a WAN.
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 LANs across a large distance, such as between two cities, using public or private infrastructure like the internet. WAN technologies, such as MPLS, leased lines, or IPsec VPNs, provide secure, encrypted tunnels over the internet to ensure data confidentiality and integrity between the branch offices.
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 cannot connect two separate cities; it is limited to a single location.
- ✗
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A MAN covers a city, not multiple cities across different regions.
- ✓
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why this is correct
A WAN is exactly for connecting LANs over long distances, such as between cities, often using VPNs or leased lines.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A PAN is for short-range personal device connections, not for inter-city networking.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the misconception that a MAN can cover inter-city distances, but MANs are limited to a metropolitan area (typically up to 100 km), whereas a WAN is required for connections spanning multiple cities or countries.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, a site-to-site IPsec VPN is a common WAN implementation for this scenario, using protocols like IKEv2 for key exchange and ESP in tunnel mode to encrypt all traffic between the two LANs. Real-world considerations include MTU fragmentation issues with VPN overhead and the need for proper routing (e.g., static routes or OSPF) to direct inter-branch traffic through the VPN tunnel. This setup ensures that even if the internet is the transport, the connection behaves like a secure, private link.
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.
Quick reference
VPN Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Port | Encryption | Authentication | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IKEv2 / IPsec | UDP 500 / 4500 | AES-256 | Certificates / PSK | Site-to-site & remote access |
| SSL / TLS VPN | TCP 443 | TLS 1.3 | Certificates / MFA | Clientless remote access |
| L2TP / IPsec | UDP 1701 | AES (IPsec) | PSK / Certificates | Legacy remote access |
| WireGuard | UDP 51820 | ChaCha20 | Public keys | Modern high-performance VPN |
| PPTP | TCP 1723 | MPPE (weak) | MS-CHAPv2 | Legacy — avoid in production |
PPTP is considered insecure. IKEv2/IPsec and SSL VPN are the current recommended options.
What to study next
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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 LANs across a large distance, such as between two cities, using public or private infrastructure like the internet. WAN technologies, such as MPLS, leased lines, or IPsec VPNs, provide secure, encrypted tunnels over the internet to ensure data confidentiality and integrity between the branch offices.
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
1 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 small business wants to connect two separate office buildings that are 150 meters apart, with no existing data cabling between them. They need a reliable, high-speed connection without running new cables. Which type of network should be implemented?
easy- A.Personal Area Network (PAN)
- B.Local Area Network (LAN)
- C.Wide Area Network (WAN)
- ✓ D.Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why D: A Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) is the best choice because it is designed to connect networks over a metropolitan area, typically using technologies like fiber optics or wireless bridges. Since the buildings are 150 meters apart and no new cables can be run, a wireless bridge (a common MAN technology) provides a reliable, high-speed connection without cabling. WANs are intended for larger geographic areas, LANs are limited to a single building, and PANs are for personal device connections.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
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