Question 213 of 750

Mobile OS Features and Tools →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Troubleshooting Android WPA2-Enterprise Wi-Fi with CA Certificates

This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of mobile os features and tools. 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 technician is troubleshooting an Android device that is unable to connect to a corporate Wi-Fi network using WPA2-Enterprise with a username and password. The device connects successfully to other open Wi-Fi networks. Which Android setting should the technician check first to resolve the authentication failure?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "first"
Why it matters: Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

A
Verify that the device's IP address is set to DHCP.
Why wrong: DHCP vs. static IP addresses affect network layer connectivity, not the 802.1X authentication process that uses certificates and credentials.
B
Check if a CA certificate is installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced settings.
WPA2-Enterprise often requires a CA certificate to validate the server; if it is missing or not selected, the authentication will fail.
C
Disable the proxy settings for that Wi-Fi network.
Why wrong: Proxy settings are used for HTTP traffic routing and are not related to the 802.1X authentication that occurs at the link layer.
D
Configure a static MAC address on the device.
Why wrong: MAC address configuration is unrelated to 802.1X authentication; it might help if MAC filtering is enabled on the network, but that is not the typical cause of authentication failure.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is to check if a CA certificate is installed and selected in the Android Wi-Fi network's advanced settings. This is correct because WPA2-Enterprise with username and password authentication requires the Android device to validate the corporate server’s identity using a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) certificate; without it, the device refuses the connection as a security measure. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of enterprise authentication versus open networks—a common trap is assuming the issue is with IP configuration or MAC filtering, which are unrelated to certificate-based server validation. Remember that Android defaults to requiring server validation for WPA2-Enterprise, so the technician must either install the correct CA certificate or, in a lab or less secure environment, enable the “Do not validate” option. A useful memory tip: “Cert before connect” — always verify the CA certificate is trusted before troubleshooting other network settings.

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

✓

Check if a CA certificate is installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced settings.

WPA2-Enterprise with username/password authentication typically requires a CA certificate to validate the RADIUS server's identity. Without a trusted CA certificate installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced security settings, the Android device will reject the connection attempt, even though the credentials are correct. This is the most common cause of authentication failure in enterprise Wi-Fi environments.

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.

✗
Verify that the device's IP address is set to DHCP.
Why it's wrong here
DHCP vs. static IP addresses affect network layer connectivity, not the 802.1X authentication process that uses certificates and credentials.
✓
Check if a CA certificate is installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced settings.
Why this is correct
WPA2-Enterprise often requires a CA certificate to validate the server; if it is missing or not selected, the authentication will fail.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "first" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Disable the proxy settings for that Wi-Fi network.
Why it's wrong here
Proxy settings are used for HTTP traffic routing and are not related to the 802.1X authentication that occurs at the link layer.
✗
Configure a static MAC address on the device.
Why it's wrong here
MAC address configuration is unrelated to 802.1X authentication; it might help if MAC filtering is enabled on the network, but that is not the typical cause of authentication failure.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

A common trap is that candidates think credential issues (wrong username/password) are the primary cause of WPA2-Enterprise failures, but the real issue is that Android requires explicit CA certificate selection for enterprise networks, unlike some other OSes that may use system certificates automatically.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

WPA2-Enterprise uses 802.1X with EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol) to authenticate users. When using EAP-PEAP or EAP-TTLS, the client must validate the server's certificate against a trusted CA certificate to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks. On Android, this CA certificate must be explicitly installed as a user or system credential and selected in the Wi-Fi network's 'CA certificate' dropdown under advanced options; if left as 'Unspecified' or 'Use system certificates' without the correct CA, authentication will fail.

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.

Visual reference

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?

Mobile OS Features and Tools — This question tests Mobile OS Features and Tools — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Check if a CA certificate is installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced settings. — WPA2-Enterprise with username/password authentication typically requires a CA certificate to validate the RADIUS server's identity. Without a trusted CA certificate installed and selected in the Wi-Fi network's advanced security settings, the Android device will reject the connection attempt, even though the credentials are correct. This is the most common cause of authentication failure in enterprise Wi-Fi environments.

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: "first". Order matters here. You are being tested on which action comes before the others — not which action is generally useful.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

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