Question 693 of 1,020

Wireless Networking Technologies →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Why Your Laptop Can't See a 5 GHz Network: 2.4 GHz Only Adapter

This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of wireless networking technologies. 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 user reports that their laptop can see several neighboring Wi-Fi networks but cannot see their own office's SSID, which is a 5 GHz-only network. Other users in the same office can connect without issue. What is the most likely cause?

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.

A
The router's SSID broadcast is disabled.
Why wrong: If broadcast were disabled, no user would see the SSID, but others can see it.
B
The laptop's wireless adapter is set to airplane mode.
Why wrong: Airplane mode would disable all wireless, and the user would not see any networks.
C
The laptop only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
If the adapter lacks 5 GHz capability, it cannot detect a 5 GHz-only network, explaining why other users (with 5 GHz support) can connect.
D
The office router is using WPA3 encryption.
Why wrong: WPA3 is backward compatible and does not prevent network discovery; it only affects authentication.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is that the laptop only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, which is the most likely cause when a laptop cannot see a 5 GHz network. This happens because the laptop’s wireless adapter lacks a 5 GHz radio, so it simply cannot detect or connect to networks broadcasting exclusively on the 5 GHz band, even though it can see neighboring 2.4 GHz networks. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of wireless standards and dual-band compatibility, often appearing as a common trap where you might suspect interference or a hidden SSID instead. Remember that older or budget laptops frequently ship with 2.4 GHz-only adapters, while modern routers broadcast both bands; if the SSID is 5 GHz-only, the adapter is blind to it. A helpful memory tip is “5 GHz is the fifth floor—if your radio can’t reach that high, you’ll never see the view.”

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

✓

The laptop only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

The user's laptop can see neighboring 2.4 GHz networks but not the office's 5 GHz-only SSID, while other users connect fine. This indicates the laptop's wireless adapter lacks 5 GHz support, making option C correct because 5 GHz-only networks are invisible to 2.4 GHz-only adapters.

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.

✗
The router's SSID broadcast is disabled.
Why it's wrong here
If broadcast were disabled, no user would see the SSID, but others can see it.
✗
The laptop's wireless adapter is set to airplane mode.
Why it's wrong here
Airplane mode would disable all wireless, and the user would not see any networks.
✓
The laptop only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
Why this is correct
If the adapter lacks 5 GHz capability, it cannot detect a 5 GHz-only network, explaining why other users (with 5 GHz support) can connect.
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.
✗
The office router is using WPA3 encryption.
Why it's wrong here
WPA3 is backward compatible and does not prevent network discovery; it only affects authentication.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

CompTIA A+ exams often test the misconception that encryption or SSID broadcast settings are the cause when the real issue is frequency band incompatibility, leading candidates to overlook the adapter's hardware limitations.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

5 GHz Wi-Fi operates on different frequency bands (channels 36-165) than 2.4 GHz (channels 1-11/13), and legacy 802.11b/g/n adapters may only support 2.4 GHz. The laptop's inability to tune to 5 GHz channels means it never receives the beacon frames advertising the 5 GHz-only SSID, even though the router is broadcasting them. In real-world scenarios, dual-band routers often use the same SSID for both bands, but a 5 GHz-only configuration (or separate SSID) will be invisible to single-band 2.4 GHz clients.

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 network engineer at a university connects two campus buildings via a fibre link. Both routers run OSPF, but no adjacency forms — even though both routers can ping each other. The engineer finds one router is in area 0 and the other in area 1. OSPF adjacency requires matching area numbers, hello/dead timers, and network type. IP reachability alone is not enough.

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?

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: The laptop only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. — The user's laptop can see neighboring 2.4 GHz networks but not the office's 5 GHz-only SSID, while other users connect fine. This indicates the laptop's wireless adapter lacks 5 GHz support, making option C correct because 5 GHz-only networks are invisible to 2.4 GHz-only adapters.

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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