- A
802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
Why wrong: While fast, 802.11ac is older and does not match the efficiency and speed of Wi-Fi 6, especially under multiple devices.
- B
802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)
Why wrong: 802.11n is outdated and maxes out at lower speeds, insufficient for multiple 4K streams.
- C
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
Wi-Fi 6 provides the highest real-world speeds, better handling of multiple devices, and is backward compatible.
- D
802.11g (Wi-Fi 3)
Why wrong: 802.11g is very old, with speeds below 54 Mbps, and cannot support 4K streaming or gaming.
Question 935 of 1,020
Choosing the Fastest Wi-Fi Standard for Home
This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of wireless networking technologies. 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 customer wants to set up a home network that supports the fastest possible speeds for streaming 4K video and gaming, with support for multiple devices. They have a cable modem that supports up to 1 Gbps. Which wireless standard should you recommend for the new router?
Quick Answer
The answer is 802.11ax, commonly known as Wi-Fi 6, because it is the fastest wireless standard currently available for home networks, delivering theoretical speeds up to 9.6 Gbps and significantly outperforming older standards like Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac) in real-world conditions. This standard achieves its superior throughput through advanced technologies such as OFDMA, which divides channels into smaller sub-channels to reduce latency, and MU-MIMO, which allows the router to communicate with multiple devices simultaneously rather than one at a time—both critical for lag-free 4K streaming and competitive gaming when many devices are connected. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your ability to match a wireless standard to bandwidth-intensive use cases, often with a trap answer of 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5), which supports up to 3.5 Gbps but lacks the dense-environment efficiency of Wi-Fi 6. Remember that even though the customer’s cable modem caps at 1 Gbps, Wi-Fi 6 still provides better multi-device handling and lower latency, making it the future-proof choice. A helpful memory tip: “Six is the fix for streaming and gaming mix.”
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
✓
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is the correct recommendation because it offers the highest theoretical data rates (up to 9.6 Gbps aggregate), improved efficiency in dense environments via OFDMA and MU-MIMO, and lower latency, all of which are critical for streaming 4K video and gaming on multiple devices. It also provides backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi standards while maximizing throughput over the existing 1 Gbps cable modem connection.
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.
- ✗
802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5)
Why it's wrong here
While fast, 802.11ac is older and does not match the efficiency and speed of Wi-Fi 6, especially under multiple devices.
- ✗
802.11n (Wi-Fi 4)
Why it's wrong here
802.11n is outdated and maxes out at lower speeds, insufficient for multiple 4K streams.
- ✓
802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6)
Why this is correct
Wi-Fi 6 provides the highest real-world speeds, better handling of multiple devices, and is backward compatible.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
802.11g (Wi-Fi 3)
Why it's wrong here
802.11g is very old, with speeds below 54 Mbps, and cannot support 4K streaming or gaming.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common trap is assuming that 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) is the fastest standard available for home networks, but 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) offers higher throughput and better multi-device performance, making it the correct choice for 4K streaming and gaming.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
802.11ax introduces 1024-QAM modulation (up from 256-QAM in Wi-Fi 5), increasing spectral efficiency by about 25%, and uses OFDMA to subdivide channels into smaller resource units (RUs), allowing simultaneous transmissions to multiple clients. In a real-world scenario, a Wi-Fi 6 router can handle four 4K streams concurrently without buffering, whereas Wi-Fi 5 would struggle due to contention overhead and lack of efficient multi-user support.
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.
- →
Wireless Networking Technologies — study guide chapter
Learn the concepts, then practise the questions
- →
Wireless Networking Technologies practice questions
Targeted practice on this topic area only
- →
All 220-1201 questions
1,020 questions across all exam domains
- →
CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 study guide
Full concept coverage aligned to exam objectives
- →
220-1201 practice test guide
How to use practice tests most effectively before exam day
Related practice questions
Related 220-1201 practice-question pages
Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.
Mobile Device Hardware Servicing practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Hardware Servicing.
Mobile Device Connection Methods practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Connection Methods.
Mobile Device Accessories practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Accessories.
Mobile Device Network Connectivity practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Network Connectivity.
Mobile Device Application Support practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Application Support.
Network Protocols practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Protocols.
TCP & UDP Ports practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to TCP & UDP Ports.
Wireless Networking Technologies practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Wireless Networking Technologies.
Network Services practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Services.
Network Configuration Concepts practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Configuration Concepts.
Common Networking Hardware practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Common Networking Hardware.
IP Addressing practice questions
Practise 220-1201 questions linked to IP Addressing.
Practice this exam
Start a free 220-1201 practice session
Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1201 question test?
Wireless Networking Technologies — This question tests Wireless Networking Technologies — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) — 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) is the correct recommendation because it offers the highest theoretical data rates (up to 9.6 Gbps aggregate), improved efficiency in dense environments via OFDMA and MU-MIMO, and lower latency, all of which are critical for streaming 4K video and gaming on multiple devices. It also provides backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi standards while maximizing throughput over the existing 1 Gbps cable modem connection.
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 technician is setting up a wireless network for a home office that requires the fastest possible speeds for streaming 4K video. The router supports 802.11ac and has three antennas. Which configuration will yield the highest throughput?
easy- A.Set the router to 802.11n mode only.
- B.Enable 40 MHz channel width on the 2.4 GHz band.
- ✓ C.Use the 5 GHz band with MIMO enabled and a channel width of 80 MHz.
- D.Disable SSID broadcast to reduce overhead.
Why C: Option C is correct because 802.11ac operates exclusively on the 5 GHz band, and combining MIMO (multiple-input multiple-output) with an 80 MHz channel width maximizes throughput by increasing spatial streams and spectral bandwidth. This configuration supports the high data rates required for 4K video streaming, typically exceeding 1 Gbps aggregate throughput.
Keep practising
More 220-1201 practice questions
- During a network cable installation, a technician needs to verify that a newly run Cat6 cable is properly terminated and…
- A user connects a 4K monitor to their laptop using a USB-C port. The monitor is detected, but the resolution is stuck at…
- A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that will not charge. The battery is removable, and the power adapter works on…
- A customer brings in a smartphone with a broken charging port. They want the port replaced. During disassembly, the tech…
- A user reports that their laptop's keyboard types random characters when certain keys are pressed. The laptop has not be…
- A technician is troubleshooting a laptop that shuts down randomly after a few minutes of use. The fan is spinning, and t…
Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1201 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 220-1201 exam.
Question Discussion
Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.
Sign in to join the discussion.