- A
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why wrong: A PAN is used for short-range connections like Bluetooth, not for Wi-Fi internet access.
- B
Local Area Network (LAN)
The coffee shop's guest Wi-Fi is a LAN that the laptop is trying to join; the issue is likely with that LAN's configuration, not the internet (WAN).
- C
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why wrong: The WAN is the internet itself; the laptop can access the internet at home, so the WAN is not the problem.
- D
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why wrong: A MAN covers a city area and is not typically used for a single coffee shop's guest network.
Question 764 of 1,020
LAN vs WAN Troubleshooting
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of network types. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. 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 customer reports that their laptop can connect to the internet at home via Wi-Fi, but at a coffee shop it cannot connect to the guest network. They have not changed any settings. Which network type is most likely causing this issue?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue:
"most likely"Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Quick Answer
The answer is Local Area Network (LAN) because the coffee shop’s guest network is a separate LAN from the home network, and the laptop is failing to connect to that different local network. In networking, a LAN covers a small geographic area like a home or coffee shop, while a WAN (like the internet) connects multiple LANs together. The core issue here is that the laptop is trying to join a new LAN that may require different authentication or gateway settings, not that the internet (WAN) is down. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this question tests your ability to distinguish network types by scenario—a common trap is confusing a WAN problem with a LAN problem when the device can still reach the internet elsewhere. Remember: if the device works on one local network but not another, the problem is almost always LAN-related, not WAN. Memory tip: “Local trouble, Local network—if it works elsewhere, check the 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
✓
Local Area Network (LAN)
Option B (LAN) is correct because the coffee shop's guest network is a Local Area Network (LAN) that the laptop must join via Wi-Fi. Since the laptop works at home but not at the coffee shop, the issue is likely with the LAN configuration—such as a mismatched SSID, security type (e.g., WPA2 vs. WPA3), or IP address assignment (DHCP) on that specific LAN. The user's unchanged settings may not be compatible with the coffee shop's LAN setup.
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.
- ✗
Personal Area Network (PAN)
Why it's wrong here
A PAN is used for short-range connections like Bluetooth, not for Wi-Fi internet access.
- ✓
Local Area Network (LAN)
Why this is correct
The coffee shop's guest Wi-Fi is a LAN that the laptop is trying to join; the issue is likely with that LAN's configuration, not the internet (WAN).
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Wide Area Network (WAN)
Why it's wrong here
The WAN is the internet itself; the laptop can access the internet at home, so the WAN is not the problem.
- ✗
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
Why it's wrong here
A MAN covers a city area and is not typically used for a single coffee shop's guest network.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap for this question is that many candidates think a guest network is a WAN because it provides internet access, but the coffee shop's Wi-Fi is still a LAN, and the issue is with local network configuration.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, the laptop's Wi-Fi client must negotiate a Layer 2 association with the access point (AP) using the correct SSID and security parameters (e.g., 802.11i with WPA2-PSK or WPA3-SAE). If the coffee shop's guest network uses a captive portal (e.g., via DHCP option 114 or DNS redirect), the laptop may fail to obtain a valid IP address or complete the portal authentication, even though the same client works at home on a different LAN. This highlights how LAN-specific settings like VLAN assignment or MAC filtering can block connectivity.
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.
Visual reference
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: Local Area Network (LAN) — Option B (LAN) is correct because the coffee shop's guest network is a Local Area Network (LAN) that the laptop must join via Wi-Fi. Since the laptop works at home but not at the coffee shop, the issue is likely with the LAN configuration—such as a mismatched SSID, security type (e.g., WPA2 vs. WPA3), or IP address assignment (DHCP) on that specific LAN. The user's unchanged settings may not be compatible with the coffee shop's LAN setup.
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.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
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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