- A
Enable WPS for easy device pairing.
Why wrong: WPS has known vulnerabilities that can expose the passphrase.
- B
Disable SSID broadcast.
Why wrong: Hiding the SSID provides minimal security and can cause connectivity issues.
- C
Disable WPS on the router.
WPS is a common attack vector; disabling it forces attackers to crack the passphrase directly.
- D
Enable MAC address filtering.
Why wrong: MAC filtering can be easily bypassed by spoofing, so it is not a strong security measure.
Question 544 of 750
WPA2-PSK Security Best Practices: Why Disabling WPS Matters
This 220-1202 practice question tests your understanding of wireless security protocols. 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 technician is setting up a wireless network for a home office. The client is concerned about neighbors accessing their internet. The technician enables WPA2-PSK with a strong passphrase. Which additional step should the technician take to ensure the network is as secure as possible?
Quick Answer
The correct additional step is to disable WPS on the router. While WPA2-PSK with a strong passphrase provides robust encryption, Wi-Fi Protected Setup (WPS) creates a critical backdoor that attackers can exploit through brute-force PIN guessing, often cracking the network in hours regardless of passphrase strength. On the CompTIA A+ Core 2 220-1202 exam, this scenario tests your understanding that encryption alone isn’t enough—you must also eliminate protocol-level vulnerabilities. A common trap is assuming a long passphrase makes WPS safe, but the exam emphasizes that WPS bypasses the passphrase entirely. Remember the memory tip: “WPS is a Weakness, not a Protector—Switch it off.”
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
✓
Disable WPS on the router.
WPA2-PSK with a strong passphrase already provides robust encryption, but WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) introduces a significant vulnerability. WPS allows devices to connect via an 8-digit PIN, which can be brute-forced in a matter of hours using tools like Reaver, exposing the network to unauthorized access. Disabling WPS eliminates this attack vector, making the network as secure as possible.
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.
- ✗
Enable WPS for easy device pairing.
Why it's wrong here
WPS has known vulnerabilities that can expose the passphrase.
- ✗
Disable SSID broadcast.
Why it's wrong here
Hiding the SSID provides minimal security and can cause connectivity issues.
- ✓
Disable WPS on the router.
Why this is correct
WPS is a common attack vector; disabling it forces attackers to crack the passphrase directly.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- ✗
Enable MAC address filtering.
Why it's wrong here
MAC filtering can be easily bypassed by spoofing, so it is not a strong security measure.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
CompTIA often tests the misconception that hiding the SSID or using MAC filtering provides meaningful security, when in reality the WPS vulnerability is a far more critical and exploitable flaw that must be addressed first.
Trap categories for this question
Keyword trap
WPS has known vulnerabilities that can expose the passphrase.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
WPS uses an 8-digit PIN that is validated in two halves; the first half (4 digits) can be cracked in under 10,000 attempts, and the second half (3 digits) in under 1,000 attempts, making the entire PIN recoverable in hours. Even with WPA2-PSK encryption, the WPS PIN exchange occurs before the 4-way handshake, so the passphrase does not protect the PIN. In a real-world scenario, a neighbor using a Raspberry Pi with Kali Linux could run 'reaver -i mon0 -b [BSSID] -vv' to recover the PIN and then the passphrase, gaining full access.
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.
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Wireless Security Protocols — study guide chapter
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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: Disable WPS on the router. — WPA2-PSK with a strong passphrase already provides robust encryption, but WPS (Wi-Fi Protected Setup) introduces a significant vulnerability. WPS allows devices to connect via an 8-digit PIN, which can be brute-forced in a matter of hours using tools like Reaver, exposing the network to unauthorized access. Disabling WPS eliminates this attack vector, making the network as secure as possible.
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.
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 220-1202
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 customer complains that their new smartphone connects to their home Wi-Fi but has no internet access. The router is configured with WPA2-PSK and a 64-character pre-shared key. Other devices work fine. What is the most likely cause?
easy- A.The smartphone's Wi-Fi antenna is faulty.
- ✓ B.The smartphone is using a wrong or mistyped Wi-Fi password.
- C.The router's DHCP server has run out of IP addresses.
- D.The smartphone's DNS settings are misconfigured.
Why B: The most likely cause is a mistyped or incorrect Wi-Fi password. Since the smartphone connects to the Wi-Fi network (association and authentication succeed at Layer 2) but has no internet access, the device is likely using a wrong pre-shared key that still allows partial connectivity due to WPA2-PSK's four-way handshake behavior—if the key is incorrect, the handshake fails, but some implementations may show a 'connected' status without proper encryption. Other devices work fine, ruling out router-side issues like DHCP exhaustion or DNS misconfiguration.
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Last reviewed: Jul 4, 2026
This 220-1202 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 220-1202 exam.
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