Question 474 of 750

Wireless Security Protocols →mediumMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Troubleshooting WPA2-Enterprise Authentication Failure

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 user's laptop running Windows 10 Pro connects to the corporate Wi-Fi but cannot access internal resources. The network uses WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP-MSCHAPv2. The laptop's wireless profile is configured correctly. Other users in the same office can access resources. 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 laptop's wireless adapter is faulty.
Why wrong: A faulty adapter would likely prevent association entirely; the user can connect but not access resources.
B
The user's domain account is locked or the password has expired.
PEAP-MSCHAPv2 uses domain credentials; an account issue would prevent successful authentication and network access.
C
The access point is broadcasting on a congested channel.
Why wrong: Channel congestion would cause slow speeds or disconnections, not a complete inability to access resources after connection.
D
The laptop has an incorrect IP address from DHCP.
Why wrong: An incorrect IP would cause connectivity issues, but the user is connected to the Wi-Fi; DHCP issues are less likely given other users work.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is a locked or expired domain account. This is the most likely cause because WPA2-Enterprise with PEAP-MSCHAPv2 authenticates the user’s domain credentials, not just the device; the wireless association succeeds, but the RADIUS server rejects the authentication request if the account is disabled or the password has expired, blocking access to internal resources. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this question tests your understanding of enterprise authentication integration and the critical difference between Layer 2 association and Layer 3 access—a common trap is to blame the wireless profile or certificate when the real issue is account state. Remember the key distinction: association is device-level, but authentication is user-credential-level. A helpful memory tip is “Associate to connect, authenticate to access”—if the Wi-Fi icon shows connected but resources are unreachable, always check the domain account status first.

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 user's domain account is locked or the password has expired.

The user can connect to Wi-Fi but cannot access internal resources, and other users are unaffected. Since the wireless profile is correct and WPA2-Enterprise uses PEAP-MSCHAPv2 for authentication, the most likely cause is that the user's domain account is locked or the password has expired. This would prevent successful authentication against the RADIUS server, blocking access to internal resources even though the client associates with the access point.

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 laptop's wireless adapter is faulty.
Why it's wrong here
A faulty adapter would likely prevent association entirely; the user can connect but not access resources.
✓
The user's domain account is locked or the password has expired.
Why this is correct
PEAP-MSCHAPv2 uses domain credentials; an account issue would prevent successful authentication and network access.
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 access point is broadcasting on a congested channel.
Why it's wrong here
Channel congestion would cause slow speeds or disconnections, not a complete inability to access resources after connection.
✗
The laptop has an incorrect IP address from DHCP.
Why it's wrong here
An incorrect IP would cause connectivity issues, but the user is connected to the Wi-Fi; DHCP issues are less likely given other users work.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Cisco often tests the distinction between Layer 2 association and Layer 3 authentication; the trap here is that candidates assume a successful Wi-Fi connection implies full network access, overlooking that WPA2-Enterprise requires valid domain credentials for RADIUS-based authentication to grant access to internal resources.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

PEAP-MSCHAPv2 uses a two-phase authentication: first, the server presents a certificate to establish a TLS tunnel; second, the client sends the user's domain credentials (username and password) inside that tunnel to the RADIUS server. If the domain account is locked or the password has expired, the RADIUS server rejects the second phase, causing the access point to deny network access even though the client has successfully associated and obtained an IP address via DHCP. This is a common scenario in enterprise environments where password policies enforce periodic changes.

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 user's domain account is locked or the password has expired. — The user can connect to Wi-Fi but cannot access internal resources, and other users are unaffected. Since the wireless profile is correct and WPA2-Enterprise uses PEAP-MSCHAPv2 for authentication, the most likely cause is that the user's domain account is locked or the password has expired. This would prevent successful authentication against the RADIUS server, blocking access to internal resources even though the client associates with the access point.

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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