CWNP CWNA-109 Dumps

Granting access to specific network services or resources according to a user profile describes the authorization component of a AAA implementation. AAA stands for Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting, which are three functions that are used to control and monitor access to network resources and services. Authentication is the process of verifying that a user is who he says he is, by using credentials such as username, password, certificate, token, or biometric data. Authorization is the process of granting access to specific network services or resources according to a user profile, which defines the user’s role, privileges, and permissions. Accounting is the process of recording and reporting the usage of network services or resources by a user, such as the duration, volume, type, and location of the access. AAA can be implemented by using different protocols and servers, such as RADIUS, TACACS+, LDAP, Kerberos, or Active Directory. References: 1, Chapter 11, page 449; 2, Section 7.1

802.11 QoS is achieved by giving high priority queues a statistical advantage at winning contention. 802.11 QoS is based on the Enhanced Distributed Channel Access (EDCA) mechanism, which defines four access categories (ACs) for different types of traffic: Voice, Video, Best Effort, and Background. Each AC has its own transmit queue and contention parameters, such as Arbitration Interframe Space (AIFS), Contention Window (CW), and Transmission Opportunity (TXOP). These parameters determine how long a station has to wait before transmitting a frame and how long it can occupy the channel. Higher priority ACs have shorter AIFS, smaller CW, and longer TXOP, which means they have more chances to access the channel and send more data than lower priority ACs. However, this does not guarantee that higher priority ACs will always win the contention, as there is still a random backoff process involved. Therefore, 802.11 QoS is a statistical service that provides different levels of service quality based on traffic categories. References: , Chapter 10, page 403; , Section 6.1

CCI is still a possibility in this network because the client devices connected to one of the channel 1 APs will transmit frames that reach the other channel 1 AP as well as clients connected to the other channel 1 AP. CCI stands for co-channel interference, which is a type of interference that occurs when two or more devices transmit on the same channel within range of each other. CCI reduces performance and capacity because it causes contention and collisions on the wireless medium, which leads to retransmissions and delays. CCI can be mitigated by increasing physical separation between devices using the same channel or by reducing transmit power levels to limit coverage area. In this scenario, three access points are used within a facility. One access point is on channel 11 and the other two are on channel 1. The two access points using channel 1 are on either side of the access point using channel 11 and sufficiently apart so that they do not interfere with each other when they transmit frames. However, this does not prevent CCI from occurring between their client devices that are connected on channel 1. For example, if a client device connected to one of the channel 1 APs sends a frame to another device on the wired network or on another wireless network (such as an Internet server or a VoIP phone), that frame will be heard by both channel 1 APs as well as any other client devices connected to either of them on channel 1. This will cause CCI because these devices will have to wait for the channel to be clear before they can transmit their own frames. The answer that CCI only occurs in the 5 GHz frequency band is incorrect; CCI can occur in any frequency band where devices use the same channel. The answer that channel 11 loops around and causes CCI with channel 1 is also incorrect; channel 11 does not loop around and it operates in a different frequency band than channel 1. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 5: Radio Frequency Signal and Antenna Concepts, page 147

In addition to coverage analysis results, what should be included in a post-deployment site survey report to ensure WLAN users experience acceptable performance is Capacity analysis results. Capacity analysis is a method of testing the ability of the WLAN to support the expected number and type of users, devices, and applications. Capacity analysis can help to determine the optimal number and placement of access points, the appropriate channel and power settings, the required QoS policies, and the expected throughput and latency levels. Capacity analysis results can help to verify that the WLAN meets the performance requirements and service level agreements (SLAs) of the organization. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 548; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 518.

The error in administration that could be the cause of this security concern is that HTTP is in use instead of HTTPS. HTTP is an unencrypted protocol that transfers data in plain text over the network. This means that anyone who captures the traffic can see the HTML code of the Web pages used for access point management, as well as any sensitive information such as passwords or configuration settings. HTTPS is an encrypted protocol that uses SSL/TLS to secure the data transmission between the Web browser and the Web server. HTTPS prevents anyone from snooping on or tampering with the Web traffic. Therefore, HTTPS should always be used for Web based management of wireless access points, especially in autonomous mode where there is no centralized controller to enforce security policies. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 431; [HTTP vs HTTPS: What’s The Difference And Why Should You Care?].

VHT TXOP (Very High Throughput Transmit Opportunity) power save is a feature introduced with the 802.11ac amendment, which is designed to improve the power efficiency of devices connected to a WLAN. This feature enhances battery life in several ways, compared to the legacy Power Save mode:

Enhanced Power Saving: VHT TXOP power save allows devices to disable more components of the WLAN transceiver when they are in a low power state. This reduces the power consumption during periods when the device is not actively transmitting or receiving data.

Intelligent Wake-Up Mechanisms: It employs more sophisticated mechanisms for devices to determine when they need to wake up and listen to the channel, further reducing unnecessary power usage.

Optimized Operation: This power save mode is optimized for the high-throughput environment of 802.11ac networks, allowing devices to efficiently manage power while maintaining high performance.

Legacy Power Save mode, introduced in earlier versions of the 802.11 standards, does not provide the same level of component disablement or the intelligent wake-up mechanisms found in VHT TXOP power save, making option B the correct answer.

 iPerf is an open source tool that is designed to perform a throughput test on the WLAN. iPerf is a cross-platform command-line tool that can measure the bandwidth and quality of network links by generating TCP or UDP traffic between two endpoints. iPerf can run as either a server or a client mode, depending on whether it receives or sends traffic. iPerf can also report various metrics of network performance, such as throughput, jitter, packet loss, delay, and TCP window size. To perform a throughput test on the WLAN using iPerf, one device needs to run iPerf in server mode and another device needs to run iPerf in client mode. The devices need to be connected to the same WLAN network and have their IP addresses configured properly. The device running iPerf in client mode needs to specify the IP address of the device running iPerf in server mode as well as other parameters such as protocol, port number, duration, interval, bandwidth limit, packet size, etc. The device running iPerf in server mode will listen for incoming connections from the client device and send back acknowledgments or responses depending on the protocol used. The device running iPerf in client mode will send traffic to the server device according to the specified parameters and measure the network performance. The device running iPerf in client mode will display the results of the throughput test at the end of the test or at regular intervals during the test. The results can show the average, minimum, maximum, and instantaneous throughput of the network link, as well as other metrics such as jitter, packet loss, delay, and TCP window size. References: 1, Chapter 7, page 287; 2, Section 4.3

The factors that will have the most significant impact on the amount of wireless bandwidth available to each station within a BSS are:

The number of client stations associated to the BSS

The presence of co-located (10m away) access points on non-overlapping channels

The number of client stations associated to the BSS affects the wireless bandwidth because each station shares the same channel and medium with other stations in the same BSS. The more stations there are, the more contention and collision there will be for the channel access, which reduces the throughput and efficiency of the wireless communication. The wireless bandwidth available to each station depends on how the access point allocates the channel resources and how the stations use the channel time. For example, if the access point uses a round-robin scheduling algorithm, each station will get an equal share of the channel time regardless of its data rate or traffic demand. However, if the access point uses a proportional fair scheduling algorithm, each station will get a share of the channel time that is proportional to its data rate and traffic demand, which may result in higher or lower bandwidth for different stations.

The presence of co-located (10m away) access points on non-overlapping channels affects the wireless bandwidth because even though they use different channels, they may still cause interference and noise to each other due to channel leakage or imperfect filtering. The interference and noise can degrade the signal quality and SNR of the wireless communication, which reduces the data rate and throughput of the wireless communication. The wireless bandwidth available to each station depends on how well the access point and the station can cope with the interference and noise from other channels. For example, if the access point and the station support dynamic frequency selection (DFS) or adaptive radio management (ARM), they can switch to a less congested channel or adjust their output power or antenna gain to avoid or minimize interference from other channels.

Airtime Utilization is a per-channel statistic that defines what percentage of the channel is currently being used, and what percentage is therefore free. Airtime usage can come from: Data traffic to and from client devices. Interference from WiFi and non-WiFi sources. Management overhead from APs and client devices.

Impedance is the measure of opposition to the flow of alternating current (AC) in a circuit. Impedance mismatch occurs when the impedance of the radio does not match the impedance of the antenna or the cable. This causes some of the transmitted or received signal to be reflected back, resulting in a loss of power and efficiency. The voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is a metric that indicates the amount of impedance mismatch in a transmission line. A higher VSWR means a higher impedance mismatch and a lower signal quality. A VSWR of 1:1 is ideal, meaning there is no impedance mismatch and no reflected power. A VSWR of 2:1 means that for every 2 units of forward power, there is 1 unit of reflected power12.

The other options are not correct because they do not affect the VSWR in RF cables. A high gain yagi antenna or a high gain parabolic dish antenna can increase the signal strength and directionality, but they do not cause impedance mismatch in the cable. Radio output power above 100 mW but below 400 mW is within the acceptable range for most WLAN devices and does not cause excessive VSWR in the cable3.

An isotropic radiator is a theoretical point source of electromagnetic radiation that radiates equally in all directions. It has no physical dimensions and no preferred direction of radiation. It is used as a reference for antenna gain because it represents the ideal case of a perfect omnidirectional antenna12

Antenna gain is a measure of how well an antenna concentrates its radiated power in a certain direction. It is expressed in decibels (dB) relative to a reference antenna. When the reference antenna is an isotropic radiator, the antenna gain is denoted by dBi, which stands for decibels relative to isotropic12

For example, an antenna with a gain of 3 dBi means that it radiates 3 dB more power in its main direction than an isotropic radiator would. Conversely, an antenna with a gain of -3 dBi means that it radiates 3 dB less power in its main direction than an isotropic radiator would12

In the 2.4 GHz frequency band used for 802.11 wireless networks, the channel bandwidth is typically 20 MHz, but the actual frequency spread of each channel is about 22 MHz due to the modulation techniques used. This spread causes overlap between adjacent channels, which can lead to interference and degrade network performance. To avoid this, it's essential to use non-overlapping channels.

The three non-overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz band are 1, 6, and 11. Each of these channels is spaced sufficiently apart to avoid interference with each other:

Channel 1: Centered at 2.412 GHz.

Channel 6: Centered at 2.437 GHz.

Channel 11: Centered at 2.462 GHz.

Given the options provided, option C (1 and 5) is the closest to a pair of non-overlapping channels, although in practice, channel 5 would still cause some interference with channel 1 due to the 22 MHz spread. The ideal choice for non-overlapping channels would be any two channels among 1, 6, and 11, but this is not an option provided. Therefore, within the given options, 1 and 5 are the best choice, understanding that in a real-world scenario, 1 and 6 or 6 and 11 would be preferred to avoid overlap.

The solution that you recommend is an Overlay WLAN monitoring solution. An Overlay WLAN monitoring solution is a system that uses dedicated sensors or probes to monitor the WLAN performance over time. The sensors are deployed throughout the WLAN coverage area and collect data on various metrics such as signal strength, noise level, channel utilization, interference, throughput, latency, packet loss, and QoS. The sensors send the data to a centralized server or appliance that analyzes the data and provides a single pane of glass for administration and monitoring of the solution. An Overlay WLAN monitoring solution can help to detect and troubleshoot WLAN issues, optimize WLAN performance, and generate reports and alerts. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 538; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 508.

An access point is configured by a WLAN controller in the management plane of the three networking planes. The management plane is responsible for the configuration, administration, and monitoring of network devices, such as access points, switches, routers, and controllers. The WLAN controller communicates with the access point using a management protocol, such as CAPWAP or SNMP, to send configuration commands and receive status information. The control plane is responsible for the routing, switching, and forwarding of network traffic, such as data frames and control frames. The WLAN controller may also participate in the control plane by performing functions such as authentication, encryption, roaming, and load balancing. The security plane is responsible for the protection of network devices and data from unauthorized access, modification, or disclosure. The WLAN controller may also participate in the security plane by implementing features such as firewall, VPN, IDS/IPS, and WIPS. The data plane is responsible for the transmission and reception of user data, such as voice, video, or web traffic. The WLAN controller may or may not participate in the data plane depending on the architecture of the WLAN. In some cases, the access point forwards the user data directly to the wired network without involving the WLAN controller (distributed data forwarding). In other cases, the access point tunnels the user data to the WLAN controller before forwarding it to the wired network (centralized data forwarding). References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 9: Wireless LAN Architecture, page 279

The BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier) is typically mapped to an AP’s MAC address if a single BSS is implemented. The BSSID is a unique identifier that distinguishes one BSS from another within the same RF medium. It is usually derived from the MAC address of the AP’s radio interface, but it can also be manually configured or randomly generated by some vendors. The BSSID is used by client stations to associate with an AP and to send and receive frames within a BSS. References: , Chapter 1, page 24; , Section 1.2

DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) is a commonly used method to locate the controllers by the APs in a WLAN that is implemented using wireless controllers. DHCP is a protocol that allows a device to obtain an IP address and other network configuration parameters from a server. In a wireless controller scenario, the APs can use DHCP to request an IP address from a DHCP server, which can also provide the IP address or hostname of the wireless controller as an option in the DHCP response. This way, the APs can discover the wireless controller and establish a connection with it. Alternatively, the APs can also use other methods to locate the wireless controller, such as DNS (Domain Name System), broadcast or multicast discovery, or manual configuration. References: 1, Chapter 8, page 309; 2, Section 5.2

The security option for 802.11 networks that supports SAE and requires protected management frames is WPA3. WPA3 stands for Wi-Fi Protected Access version 3 and is the latest security standard for WLANs. WPA3 supports two modes: WPA3-Personal and WPA3-Enterprise. WPA3-Personal uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) as the key exchange protocol, which provides stronger protection against offline dictionary attacks and password guessing than WPA2-Personal. WPA3 also requires protected management frames, which are encrypted frames that prevent spoofing, replay, or denial-of-service attacks on management frames such as deauthentication or disassociation frames. WPA, WPA2, and OWE do not support SAE or require protected management frames. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 307; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 297.

An immediate concern that you note after hearing this information is that the power budget in the edge switches must be carefully planned and monitored based on the number of supported PoE devices. PoE stands for Power over Ethernet and is a technology that allows Ethernet switches to deliver power along with data to devices such as VoIP phones and 802.11 access points. PoE devices are classified into different classes based on their power consumption and output. The edge switches have a limited power budget that determines how many PoE devices they can support simultaneously. If the power budget is exceeded, some PoE devices may not receive enough power or may shut down unexpectedly. Therefore, it is important to plan and monitor the power budget in the edge switches based on the number and class of PoE devices connected to them. Using Ether-channel, placing switches in optimal locations, or avoiding distortion are not immediate concerns related to PoE devices. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 234; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 224.

The statement that in modern networks, both centralized and distributed data forwarding work well for most standard office deployments is true about WLAN performance. Data forwarding refers to how wireless frames are transmitted from wireless clients to wired networks or vice versa through wireless access points (APs). Centralized data forwarding means that all wireless frames are sent to a central controller or gateway before being forwarded to their destinations. Distributed data forwarding means that wireless frames are forwarded directly by the APs to their destinations without going through a central controller or gateway. Both methods have their advantages and disadvantages, depending on the network size, topology, traffic pattern, security, and management requirements. However, in modern networks, both methods can achieve high performance and scalability for most standard office deployments, as they can leverage advanced features such as fast roaming, load balancing, quality of service, and encryption. The other statements about WLAN performance are false. In most WLANs, special skill or tuning is required to get peak performance, such as selecting the appropriate channel, power, data rate, and antenna settings. WLANs perform worse as more wireless clients connect with each AP, as they cause more contention and interference on the wireless medium. To get the best performance out of an AP, you should not disable data rates of 72 Mbps and lower, as they are needed for backward compatibility and range extension. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 9: Wireless LAN Architecture, page 2811

Return loss is a measure of how well the components of an RF system are matched in terms of their impedance. Impedance is the opposition to the flow of alternating current in a circuit, and it depends on the frequency, resistance, capacitance, and inductance of the components. When the impedance of the source, the transmission line, and the load are not equal, some of the power is reflected back to the source, causing a loss of forward power. This loss is expressed in decibels (dB) as return loss. The higher the return loss, the lower the reflection and the better the impedance matching. Conversely, the lower the return loss, the higher the reflection and the worse the impedance matching.

VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) is another way of expressing the same concept. It is the ratio of the maximum voltage to the minimum voltage along a transmission line due to the interference of the incident and reflected waves. A VSWR of 1:1 means that there is no reflection and perfect impedance matching. A VSWR higher than 1:1 means that there is some reflection and impedance mismatch. The higher the VSWR, the higher the reflection and the lower the return loss.

Therefore, a significant impedance mismatch between components in an RF system will cause high reflection, high VSWR, and low return loss.

 The most effective method for testing roaming in relation to 802.11 VoIP handsets is to place a call with the handset and move around the facility to test quality during roaming. This method allows you to evaluate the actual performance and user experience of VoIP calls over wireless networks, as well as identify any potential issues such as signal strength, interference, latency, jitter, packet loss, or handoff delays. A spectrum analyzer can only show you the RF activity during a VoIP call, but not how it affects the voice quality or roaming behavior. A protocol analyzer can capture the traffic generated when a laptop roams, but it cannot simulate the characteristics of a VoIP handset such as battery life, antenna design, codec support, or QoS features. A built-in roaming monitor is not a common feature in all VoIP handsets, and it may not provide accurate or comprehensive information about the roaming process. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 487; [Voice over Wireless LAN 4.1 Design Guide], page 6-19.

The common spectrum analyzer view that you should use for this analysis is the Waterfall/Spectrogram view. The Waterfall/Spectrogram view shows the signal from the interfering device over time on a three-dimensional graph. The x-axis represents frequency, the y-axis represents time, and the z-axis represents amplitude or power. The color of each pixel indicates the signal strength at a given frequency and time. The Waterfall/Spectrogram view can help you identify the characteristics of the interference source, such as its frequency range, duty cycle, modulation type, and pattern. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 524; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 494.

TVHT stands for Television Very High Throughput and it is a PHY defined by the 802.11af amendment. It uses the TV white space (TVWS) spectrum in the VHF and UHF bands between 54 and 790 MHz, which are not in use by broadcast video signals at the time. It can provide long-range and low-power connectivity for WLAN devices.

To calculate the EIRP at the antenna element, we need to add the transmitter output power, subtract the cable loss, and add the antenna gain. All these values need to be converted to dBm first, if they are not already given in that unit. In this case, we have:

Transmitter output power = 50 mW = 10 log (50) dBm = 16.99 dBm Cable loss = 3 dB Antenna gain = 9 dBi

EIRP = Transmitter output power - Cable loss + Antenna gain EIRP = 16.99 - 3 + 9 EIRP = 22.99 dBm

Rounding up to the nearest integer, we get 23 dBm as the EIRP at the antenna element12. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Radio Frequency Fundamentals, page 92; CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Radio Frequency Fundamentals, page 88.

USB 3 devices in the user’s work area are the most likely cause of this interference when using a spectrum analyzer to look for non-Wi-Fi interference sources. A spectrum analyzer is a tool that measures and visualizes the radio frequency activity and interference in the wireless environment. A spectrum analyzer can show the spectrum usage and energy levels on each frequency band or channel and help identify and locate the sources of interference. Interference is any unwanted signal that disrupts or degrades the intended signal on a wireless channel. Interference can be caused by various sources, such as other Wi-Fi devices, non-Wi-Fi devices, or natural phenomena. Interference can affect WLAN performance and quality by causing signal loss, noise, distortion, or errors. USB 3 devices are non-Wi-Fi devices that use USB 3.0 technology to transfer data at high speeds between computers and peripherals, such as hard drives, flash drives, cameras, or printers. USB 3 devices can generate electromagnetic radiation that interferes with Wi-Fi signals in the 2.4 GHz band, especially when they are close to Wi-Fi devices or antennas. USB 3 devices can cause significant interference across the entire 2.4 GHz band (not on a few select frequencies) within the desktop area of a user’s workspace, but the interference disappears quickly after just 2 meters. This is because USB 3 devices emit broadband interference that affects all channels in the 2.4 GHz band with a high intensity near the source but a low intensity at a distance due to attenuation. The other options are not likely to cause this interference pattern when using a spectrum analyzer to look for non-Wi-Fi interference sources. Bluetooth devices in the user’s work area are non-Wi-Fi devices that use Bluetooth technology to communicate wirelessly between computers and peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, headphones, or speakers. Bluetooth devices can cause interference with Wi-Fi signals in the 2.4 GHz band, but they use frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) technique that changes frequencies rapidly and randomly within a range of 79 channels. Therefore, Bluetooth devices do not cause significant interference across the entire 2.4 GHz band (not on a few select frequencies), but rather intermittent interference on some channels at different times. Excess RF energy from a nearby AP is not a non-Wi-Fi interference source but rather a Wi-Fi interference source that occurs when an AP transmits more power than necessary for its coverage area. Excess RF energy from a nearby AP can cause co-channel interference (CCI) with other APs or client devices that use the same channel within range of each other. CCI reduces performance and capacity because it causes contention and collisions on the wireless medium,

An advantage of using WPA3-Personal instead of WPA2-Personal as a security solution for 802.11 networks is that WPA3-Personal, also called WPA3-SAE, uses a stronger authentication exchange to better secure the network. WPA3-Personal uses Simultaneous Authentication of Equals (SAE) as the key exchange protocol, which provides stronger protection against offline dictionary attacks and password guessing than WPA2-Personal. SAE uses a Diffie-Hellman key exchange with elliptic curve cryptography (ECC) to establish a pairwise master key (PMK) between the AP and the client without revealing it to any eavesdropper. SAE also provides forward secrecy, which means that if one PMK is compromised, it does not affect the security of other PMKs. WPA2-Personal uses Pre-Shared Key (PSK) as the key exchange protocol, which is vulnerable to offline brute-force attacks if the passphrase is weak or leaked. Both WPA3-Personal and WPA2-Personal use AES for encryption, so there is no difference in that aspect. WPA3-Personal does not use a different encryption algorithm than WPA2-Personal, but rather a different key exchange protocol. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 307; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 297.

A BSS (Basic Service Set) is a WLAN use case that represents an 802.11-based network that uses an AP (Access Point) and has several connecting clients. The AP acts as a central point of coordination and communication for the clients, which can include iPhones, iPads, laptops, desktops, or any other devices that have Wi-Fi capabilities. A BSS can be identified by a unique BSSID (Basic Service Set Identifier), which is usually the MAC address of the AP’s radio interface. A BSS can also be associated with an SSID (Service Set Identifier), which is a human-readable name that identifies the network. References: , Chapter 1, page 23; , Section 1.1

The feature of 802.11ax (HE) that provides this functionality is OFDMA. OFDMA stands for Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access and is a technology that allows multiple devices to communicate simultaneously on the same channel in the same BSS. OFDMA works by dividing a channel into smaller subchannels called Resource Units (RUs), which are composed of groups of subcarriers or tones. Each RU can be assigned to a different device based on its bandwidth requirement and signal quality. This way, OFDMA can increase the efficiency and capacity of the channel by reducing overhead, contention, and latency. OFDMA can also support both uplink and downlink multi-user transmissions using trigger frames and buffer status reports. 6 GHz support, TWT, and Wi-Fi-LTE are not features of 802.11ax that provide this functionality. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 226; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 216.

Passive Gain is the increase of RF energy in an intentional direction with the use of an antenna. It is achieved by focusing the same amount of power into a smaller area, resulting in a higher power density and a stronger signal. Passive Gain does not require any additional power or amplification, but rather depends on the antenna’s physical characteristics, such as size, shape, and orientation. Passive Gain is also expressed in decibels (dB) and is related to the antenna’s beamwidth and directivity. References: 1, Chapter 2, page 63; 2, Section 2.3

The tool described is a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network) scanner tool. WLAN scanner tools are designed to provide information about the wireless networks in a given area, including:

Signal Strength: They show the signal strength of all access points (APs) in the vicinity, which is crucial for understanding the coverage area and potential interference.

SSID Visualization: These tools display the SSIDs (Service Set Identifiers) of available networks, allowing users to identify different wireless networks easily.

Security Settings Information: WLAN scanner tools often show the type of security implemented on each network, such as WPA2, WEP, etc.

Frequency Band Filtering: They allow users to filter and view networks based on the frequency band (2.4 GHz or 5 GHz), which is useful for analyzing network distribution and planning.

While protocol analyzers, site survey utilities, and spectrum analyzers are also used in wireless networking, their functions are distinct from what is described:

Protocol Analyzers are more sophisticated and are used to capture and analyze network traffic.

Site Survey Utilities are used to map signal coverage and plan network layouts, often with more advanced features for detailed site surveys.

Spectrum Analyzers provide a detailed view of the frequency spectrum and non-Wi-Fi interference but don't typically focus on SSIDs or security settings.

Thus, the correct answer is D, a WLAN scanner tool, based on the functionalities described.

A possible cause of a sudden change in performance for the laptop computers is that a new tenant in the building has set their AP to the same RF channel that your customer is using. This can create co-channel interference (CCI), which is a situation where two or more APs or devices use the same or overlapping channels in the same area. CCI can degrade the performance of WLANs by increasing contention, collisions, retransmissions, and latency. CCI can also reduce the effective range and throughput of WLANs by lowering the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). To avoid or mitigate CCI, it is recommended to use non-overlapping channels, adjust transmit power levels, or implement channel management techniques such as dynamic frequency selection (DFS) or load balancing. The sky condition, antenna position, or Bluetooth headset are not likely to cause a sudden change in performance for the laptop computers. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 81; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 71.

Shared Key Authentication is a security solution that was defined in the original 802.11 standard as an alternative to Open System Authentication, which does not provide any security at all. Shared Key Authentication uses WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) to encrypt and authenticate data frames between the client station and the AP. However, WEP has been proven to be extremely vulnerable to various attacks that can easily crack the encryption key and compromise the network security. Therefore, Shared Key Authentication is deprecated in the 802.11 standard and should never be used in any modern WLAN deployment . References: [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 10: Wireless LAN Security, page 401; [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 10: Wireless LAN Security, page 391; [Wikipedia], Wired Equivalent Privacy.

Authenticated and Unassociated. According to one of the web search results1, a STA can be authenticated to multiple APs, but it can only be associated to one AP at a time. Association is the process of establishing a logical link between the STA and the AP, which allows the STA to send and receive data frames through the AP2. Therefore, when a STA has authenticated to an AP-1, but still maintains a connection with another AP-2, it means that the STA is authenticated to both APs, but only associated to AP-2. The state of the STA on AP-1 is authenticated and unassociated, which means that the STA can switch to AP-1 without repeating the authentication process, but it cannot send or receive data frames through AP-1 until it becomes associated.

An ACK (Acknowledgement) frame is a short control frame that is sent by the receiver of a data or management frame to confirm that the frame was received correctly. The ACK frame is sent after a SIFS (Short Interframe Space) interval, which is the shortest time gap between frames in 802.11. If the transmitter does not receive an ACK frame within a specified time, it assumes that the frame was not delivered and must be retransmitted. This is part of the 802.11 reliability mechanism that ensures reliable data delivery over an unreliable wireless medium . References: [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 5: IEEE 802.11 Medium Access, page 209; [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 5: IEEE 802.11 Medium Access, page 203.

The inverse square law states that the signal strength of an RF wave is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source. This means that as the distance from the transmitter increases, the signal strength decreases rapidly.

A common problem that causes this scenario is captive portal issues. A captive portal is a web page that requires users to authenticate or accept terms and conditions before accessing the Internet through a WLAN. A captive portal is often used for guest networks to provide security and control over the network access. A captive portal works by intercepting the user’s web requests and redirecting them to the portal page until the user completes the required action. However, sometimes the captive portal may not work properly due to various reasons, such as browser settings, firewall rules, DNS configuration, or network errors. This can prevent the user from browsing the Internet or seeing the portal page. To troubleshoot captive portal issues, you can try to use a different browser, clear the browser cache and cookies, disable any VPN or proxy settings, manually enter the portal URL, or contact the network administrator. NTP issues, hardware issues, or IP routing issues are not common problems that cause this scenario. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 343; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 333.

 A Wi-Fi scanner is a basic tool that can be used to easily locate areas of high co-channel interference. A Wi-Fi scanner is a software application that can run on a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or other device that has a Wi-Fi adapter. A Wi-Fi scanner can scan the wireless environment and display information about the detected access points and client stations, such as their SSID, BSSID, channel, signal strength, security, and data rate. A Wi-Fi scanner can also show the channel utilization and overlap of different access points, which can indicate the level of co-channel interference. Co-channel interference is a type of interference that occurs when multiple access points use the same or adjacent channels within the same coverage area. Co-channel interference can reduce the throughput and performance of the WLAN, as the access points and client stations have to contend for the channel access and avoid collisions. To identify areas of high co-channel interference, a Wi-Fi scanner can be used to measure the signal strength and channel utilization of different access points and compare them with a threshold or a baseline. Alternatively, a Wi-Fi scanner can also use a color-coded heat map to visualize the co-channel interference level in different locations. References: 1, Chapter 7, page 279; 2, Section 4.3