Question 565 of 750

Wireless Security Protocols →easyMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Why WPA2-Enterprise Fails on Home Networks

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of wireless security protocols. 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 calls saying their home Wi-Fi network suddenly stopped working after they changed the router's security mode from WPA2-PSK to WPA2-Enterprise. All their devices previously connected fine. What is the most likely cause of the problem?

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The router's firmware is outdated.
Why wrong: While outdated firmware can cause issues, the sudden change after switching security modes points directly to the authentication method change.
B
The devices do not support the new encryption cipher.
Why wrong: WPA2-Enterprise still uses AES encryption, which is widely supported; the issue is with authentication, not encryption.
C
The router is now requiring a username and password from a RADIUS server, which the home network lacks.
WPA2-Enterprise relies on 802.1X authentication with a RADIUS server; home networks typically do not have this infrastructure, so devices cannot authenticate.
D
The SSID was changed during the configuration.
Why wrong: Changing the SSID would require reconnecting devices, but the customer only mentioned changing the security mode, not the network name.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is that the router now requires a username and password from a RADIUS server, which the home network lacks. WPA2-Enterprise is designed for corporate environments where a dedicated authentication server validates each user’s credentials, whereas WPA2-Personal (PSK) relies on a single shared passphrase stored on the router itself. When you switch to Enterprise mode without a RADIUS server, no device can authenticate because the router has no backend service to verify login requests. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your grasp of wireless security modes and their infrastructure requirements—a common trap is assuming Enterprise mode works like Personal mode with a stronger password. Remember the key distinction: Personal = one key for all, Enterprise = individual logins requiring a server. For a quick memory tip, think “PSK is for people at home; Enterprise needs an extra server.”

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 router is now requiring a username and password from a RADIUS server, which the home network lacks.

WPA2-Enterprise uses 802.1X authentication, which requires a RADIUS server to validate credentials (username and password). Home routers typically lack a built-in RADIUS server, so after changing to WPA2-Enterprise, the router cannot authenticate any client, causing all devices to fail to connect. The previous WPA2-PSK mode used a simple pre-shared key, which worked without any external server.

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 firmware is outdated.
Why it's wrong here
While outdated firmware can cause issues, the sudden change after switching security modes points directly to the authentication method change.
✗
The devices do not support the new encryption cipher.
Why it's wrong here
WPA2-Enterprise still uses AES encryption, which is widely supported; the issue is with authentication, not encryption.
✓
The router is now requiring a username and password from a RADIUS server, which the home network lacks.
Why this is correct
WPA2-Enterprise relies on 802.1X authentication with a RADIUS server; home networks typically do not have this infrastructure, so devices cannot authenticate.
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 SSID was changed during the configuration.
Why it's wrong here
Changing the SSID would require reconnecting devices, but the customer only mentioned changing the security mode, not the network name.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

In the CompTIA A+ exam, it's important to distinguish between WPA2-PSK (pre-shared key, no server) and WPA2-Enterprise (requires a RADIUS/AAA server). The trap here is that candidates may assume all WPA2 modes work identically or blame encryption cipher support instead of the missing authentication infrastructure.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

WPA2-Enterprise relies on the 802.1X framework, where the router acts as an authenticator and forwards EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) frames to a RADIUS server for credential verification. Without a RADIUS server, the 4-way handshake cannot complete because the router has no master key to derive the pairwise transient key (PTK). In real-world home environments, some routers offer a 'WPA2-Enterprise' option but require the user to configure a RADIUS server IP and shared secret—if left blank, authentication always fails.

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 junior network technician can log in to a core router but cannot reach the enable prompt or configuration mode. The AAA server is authenticating the login — but the authorisation policy only grants privilege level 1, not 15. Authentication (who you are) is working; authorisation (what you can do) is not.

Quick reference

AAA Protocol Comparison

Protocol	Port(s)	Encryption	Transport	Primary Use
RADIUS	1812 / 1813	Password only	UDP	Network access control
TACACS+	49	Full packet	TCP	Device administration
Diameter	3868	Full session	TCP / SCTP	Carrier / mobile networks
802.1X	—	EAP-based	Layer 2	Port-based access control

TACACS+ encrypts the entire packet; RADIUS only encrypts the password field — a key exam distinction.

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 220-1202 question test?

Wireless Security Protocols — This question tests Wireless Security Protocols — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: The router is now requiring a username and password from a RADIUS server, which the home network lacks. — WPA2-Enterprise uses 802.1X authentication, which requires a RADIUS server to validate credentials (username and password). Home routers typically lack a built-in RADIUS server, so after changing to WPA2-Enterprise, the router cannot authenticate any client, causing all devices to fail to connect. The previous WPA2-PSK mode used a simple pre-shared key, which worked without any external server.

What should I do if I get this 220-1202 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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