CWNA-109 Certified Wireless Network Administrator Questions and Answers

The string of characters and digits that is entered into an AP and a client STA for WPA2 security and is 8 characters long is called a passphrase. A passphrase is a human-readable text that is used to generate a Pre-Shared Key (PSK) for WPA2-Personal security. A passphrase can be between 8 and 63 characters long and can include any ASCII character. The PSK is a 256-bit key that is derived from the passphrase using a hashing algorithm called PBKDF2. The PSK is used to encrypt and decrypt the data frames between the AP and the client STA. A MSK is a Master Session Key that is generated by an authentication server for WPA2-Enterprise security. A WEP key is a 40-bit or 104-bit key that is used for Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) security, which is deprecated and insecure. A PSK is not a string of characters and digits, but a binary key. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 303; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 293.

https://www.cablinginstall.com/articles/2012/08/cat-6a-vs-cat-5e-poe.html

The statement that the lowest voltage drop is achieved when using CAT6 cable instead of Cat5 or CAT5e is true about 802.3, Clause 33 Power over Ethernet. Power over Ethernet (PoE) is a technology that allows electrical power to be delivered over Ethernet cables along with data signals. PoE is defined by IEEE 802.3, Clause 33 and has several variants, such as PoE (802.3af), PoE+ (802.3at), and PoE++ (802.3bt). PoE works by using a device called PSE (Power Sourcing Equipment) that injects power into the Ethernet cable and a device called PD (Powered Device) that receives power from the Ethernet cable. The PSE can be either an endpoint device, such as a switch or a router, or a midspan device, such as an injector or a splitter, that is inserted between two Ethernet devices. The PD can be any device that requires power, such as an access point, a camera, or a phone.

One of the factors that affects PoE performance is voltage drop, which is the reduction of voltage that occurs as current flows through a cable due to its resistance. Voltage drop can cause power loss and inefficiency in PoE systems, as well as damage to PDs if the voltage falls below their minimum requirement. To minimize voltage drop, it is recommended to use high-quality cables with low resistance and short length. Among the common types of Ethernet cables, CAT6 has the lowest resistance and therefore the lowest voltage drop compared to Cat5 or CAT5e. CAT6 also has higher bandwidth and data rate than Cat5 or CAT5e, making it more suitable for PoE applications. References: 1, Chapter 7, page 263; 2, Section 4.4

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.

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 center frequency of channel 4 in the 2.4 GHz band is 2.427 GHz (2427 MHz). The center frequency of a channel is the midpoint of its frequency range, where the signal strength is highest and most concentrated. The center frequency of channel 1 in the 2.4 GHz band is 2.412 GHz (2412 MHz), as given in the question. The center frequency of each subsequent channel is obtained by adding 5 MHz to the previous channel’s center frequency, since the channels are spaced 5 MHz apart from each other in this band. Therefore, to find the center frequency of channel 4, we need to add 15 MHz (5 MHz x 3) to the center frequency of channel 1:

2.412 GHz + 0.015 GHz = 2.427 GHz

Alternatively, we can use a formula to calculate the center frequency of any channel in the 2.4 GHz band:

Center frequency (GHz) = 2.407 + (0.005 x Channel number)

Using this formula for channel 4, we get:

Center frequency (GHz) = 2.407 + (0.005 x 4)

Center frequency (GHz) = 2.407 + 0.02

Center frequency (GHz) = 2.427 References: 1, Chapter 3, page 85; 2, Section 3.2

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

According to the CWNA Official Study Guide (CWNA-109), Chapter 4: Antennas and Accessories, antenna gain is a measure of how effectively an antenna focuses energy in a particular direction. When a passive antenna with a higher gain is used, it does not increase the transmitted power — instead, it focuses the RF energy more narrowly, creating a stronger signal in a smaller area.

“As the gain of an antenna increases, the beamwidth of the antenna decreases. This is because a higher gain antenna focuses energy more narrowly in one direction. While this increases range in that direction, it reduces coverage in other directions.”

— CWNA-108 Study Guide, Chapter 4, Antenna Concepts and Beamwidth, p. 165–166

Thus, when you replace an antenna with one of higher passive gain, the beamwidth decreases while range in the direction of focus increases.

Based on the information given, what can be determined as certainly true about this AP is that it has 4 radio chains. A radio chain is a hardware component that consists of an antenna, a radio frequency (RF) amplifier, and a transceiver. The number of radio chains indicates how many spatial streams an AP can transmit or receive simultaneously using Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology. The notation x:y:z in an AP specification denotes the number of radio chains (x), the number of spatial streams (y), and the number of spatial streams per band (z). Therefore, a tri-band, 4x4:4, Wi-Fi 6, 802.11ax AP has four radio chains in each of its three bands (2.4 GHz, low 5 GHz, and high 5 GHz). It also supports four spatial streams in total and four spatial streams per band. It cannot be determined as certainly true that it supports four channels in each band, UL-MU-MIMO, or uses a modified OpenWRT firmware based on the information given. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 223; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 213.

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

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.

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 frame type that is used to reserve the wireless medium for the transmission of high data rate frames that may not be understood by all clients connected to the BSS is RTS. RTS stands for Request to Send and is a control frame that is sent by a station to request access to the medium for a specified duration. The RTS frame contains the source and destination MAC addresses, as well as a Network Allocation Vector (NAV) value that indicates how long the medium will be occupied. The destination station responds with a Clear to Send (CTS) frame that echoes the NAV value and grants permission to the source station. All other stations in the BSS hear either the RTS or CTS frame and update their NAV timers accordingly, deferring their transmissions until the medium is free. The RTS/CTS mechanism can be used to prevent hidden node problems, reduce collisions, and protect high data rate frames that use features such as 802.11n or 802.11ac that may not be compatible with legacy stations. ACK, Beacon, and PS-Poll are not used to reserve the medium for high data rate frames. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 112; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 102.

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.

The HT (802.11n) physical layer (PHY) specification includes support for and compatibility with both ERP and HR/DSSS. ERP stands for Extended Rate PHY, which is an extension of the original DSSS (Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum) PHY that supports data rates up to 54 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. HR/DSSS stands for High Rate/Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum, which is another extension of DSSS that supports data rates up to 11 Mbps in the 2.4 GHz band. HT stands for High Throughput, which is a new PHY that supports data rates up to 600 Mbps in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. HT uses OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) as its modulation scheme, but it also supports legacy DSSS and ERP devices by using a dual preamble and header structure that allows backward compatibility. References: , Chapter 3, page 103; , Section 3.1

The IEEE 802.11ax standard, also known as High-Efficiency Wireless (HEW) or simply HE, includes support for operation across multiple frequency bands: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and, with the appropriate regulatory approvals, the 6 GHz band. This makes option D the correct answer. Here's how it compares to the other options:

HE (802.11ax): Introduced as an enhancement over previous standards, 802.11ax is designed to improve efficiency, especially in dense environments. It supports operation in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands (the latter pending regulatory approval in various regions), making it highly versatile and future-proof.

VHT (802.11ac): Very High Throughput, or 802.11ac, operates exclusively in the 5 GHz band. It introduced significant speed improvements over its predecessor (802.11n) but does not support the 2.4 GHz or 6 GHz bands.

HT (802.11n): High Throughput, or 802.11n, supports operation in both the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands. However, it does not include support for the 6 GHz band.

HR/DSSS (802.11b): High-Rate Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum, or 802.11b, operates only in the 2.4 GHz band. It was one of the early Wi-Fi standards and does not support 5 GHz or 6 GHz bands.

Given these distinctions, only 802.11ax (option D) supports operation across all three mentioned bands, aligning with the requirements stated in the question.

OFDMA is a new modulation scheme introduced in 802.11ax that allows multiple users to share the same channel by dividing it into smaller subchannels called resource units (RUs). This improves the efficiency and capacity of the WLAN by reducing contention and overhead. However, to use OFDMA, both the AP and the client must support 802.11ax and negotiate the parameters of the subchannel allocation. Therefore, the customer needs to upgrade the clients that require OFDMA to 802.11ax devices12.

The other options are not correct because they do not reflect the reality of OFDMA. Option B is incorrect because OFDMA is a mandatory feature of 802.11ax for both downlink and uplink transmissions, and all 802.11ax APs must support it1. Option C is incorrect because OFDM and OFDMA are different modulation schemes, and OFDM does not allow multiple users to share the same channel. Option D is incorrect because 802.11ac devices cannot support OFDMA through driver upgrades, as they lack the hardware and firmware capabilities to do so2.

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.

WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access 2) is a security certification program developed by the Wi-Fi Alliance to secure wireless computer networks. It is important to understand the following:

WPA2 and the 802.11 Standard: While WPA2 is based on elements of the 802.11i amendment to the 802.11 standard, it is not itself a standard but rather a certification to ensure devices comply with certain security criteria, including the correct implementation of CCMP (Counter Mode Cipher Block Chaining Message Authentication Code Protocol) and AES (Advanced Encryption Standard).

CCMP/AES Implementation: WPA2 enhances the security of wireless networks by using CCMP for encryption, which is based on AES, a robust encryption algorithm. This represents a significant security improvement over WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wi-Fi Protected Access) that used TKIP (Temporal Key Integrity Protocol).

WPA vs. WPA2: WPA was the interim security enhancement over WEP, utilizing TKIP for encryption. WPA2, however, moved to the more secure AES-based encryption method. Contrary to option C, WPA2 does not enhance security by using TKIP; it uses CCMP/AES.

Therefore, option B correctly describes WPA2 as a certification program ensuring devices properly implement the more secure CCMP/AES encryption methods.

The likely cause of the problem is that the external hard drive is USB 3.0 and is causing a significant increase in the noise floor when in use. USB 3.0 devices are known to generate radio frequency interference (RFI) in the 2.4 GHz band due to their high data transfer rates and harmonics. This RFI can increase the noise floor and degrade the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of WLAN devices operating in the same band. This can result in lower data rates, reduced throughput, increased retransmissions, and poor performance. The problem may not occur outside of business hours or on the user’s home network because of different usage patterns or environmental factors. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 527; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 497.

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. https://wyebot.com/2019/06/06/understanding-airtime-utilization/

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

 VSWR stands for Voltage Standing Wave Ratio, which is a measure of how well the impedance of the RF cable and connectors matches the impedance of the transmitter and the antenna. Impedance is the opposition to the flow of alternating current in an RF circuit, and it depends on the frequency, resistance, capacitance, and inductance of the components. A perfect impedance match would have a VSWR of 1:1, meaning that all the power is transferred from the transmitter to the antenna, and none is reflected back. However, in reality, there is always some degree of mismatch, which causes some power to be reflected back to the transmitter, creating standing waves along the cable. This reduces the efficiency and performance of the wireless system, and can also damage the transmitter. Excessive VSWR can be caused by using poor quality or damaged cables and connectors, or by using components that have different impedance ratings123. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Radio Frequency Fundamentals, page 90; CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 2: Radio Frequency Fundamentals, page 86; CWNP website, CWNA Certification.

The authentication method that is referenced in the 802.11-2016 and 802.11-2020 specifications and is recommended for robust WLAN client security is 802.1X/EAP. 802.1X/EAP stands for IEEE 802.1X Port-Based Network Access Control with Extensible Authentication Protocol and is a framework that provides strong authentication and dynamic encryption key generation for WLAN clients. 802.1X/EAP involves three parties: the supplicant (the client), the authenticator (the AP or the controller), and the authentication server (usually a RADIUS server). The supplicant sends its credentials (such as username and password, certificate, or token) to the authenticator, which forwards them to the authentication server. The authentication server verifies the credentials and sends a response to the authenticator, which grants or denies access to the supplicant. The authentication server also generates a master key that is used to derive encryption keys for the data frames between the supplicant and the authenticator. 802.1X/EAP supports various EAP methods that offer different levels of security and flexibility, such as EAP-TLS, EAP-PEAP, EAP-TTLS, EAP-FAST, and EAP-SIM. SSL, IPSec, and WEP are not authentication methods, but rather encryption or security protocols that are not specific to WLANs or referenced in the 802.11 specifications. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 299; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 289.

The unit of measurement that is an absolute unit and is used to quantify received signal power levels on a logarithmic scale is dBm. dBm stands for decibel-milliwatt and represents the power level relative to 1 milliwatt (mW). dBm is an absolute unit because it has a fixed reference point and does not depend on the input power level. dBm is used to measure the received signal power levels on a logarithmic scale because it can express large variations in power levels with small numbers and make calculations easier. For example, a 10 dB increase in power level means a 10-fold increase in power, and a 20 dB increase means a 100-fold increase in power. References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 66; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam CWNA-109], page 56.

The response that you should give to your manager’s suggestion of implementing the security practices of disabling the broadcasting of the SSID in Beacons and configuring the access points not to respond to Probe Request frames that have a null SSID field is that any 802.11 protocol analyzer can see the SSID in clear text in frames other than Beacons frames. This negates any security benefit of trying to hide the SSID in Beacons and Probe Response frames. The SSID (Service Set Identifier) is a human-readable name that identifies a WLAN and allows users to connect to it. The SSID is transmitted in clear text in several types of 802.11 frames, such as Beacon frames, Probe Request frames, Probe Response frames, Association Request frames, Association Response frames, Reassociation Request frames, and Reassociation Response frames. Some people may think that hiding the SSID can improve the security of the WLAN by making it invisible to potential intruders. However, this is not true, as hiding the SSID only removes it from Beacon frames and Probe Response frames that have a null SSID field. The SSID is still present in other types of frames that can be easily captured and analyzed by any 802.11 protocol analyzer or wireless scanner tool. Therefore, hiding the SSID does not provide any real security benefit and may even cause some compatibility and performance issues for legitimate users. References: 1, Chapter 4, page 133; 2, Section 4.1

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.

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

Sensors should be deployed in critical areas where WLAN performance must be high for best results when using a WLAN monitoring solution that utilizes distributed sensor devices. A WLAN monitoring solution is a system that collects, analyzes, and reports on the status and performance of a WLAN. A WLAN monitoring solution can use different methods to gather data from the WLAN, such as embedded software agents, external hardware probes, or distributed sensor devices. Distributed sensor devices are dedicated devices that are deployed throughout the WLAN coverage area to monitor the wireless traffic and environment. Distributed sensor devices can perform various functions, such as scanning the spectrum, capturing wireless frames, measuring signal quality, detecting rogue access points, testing connectivity, and generating alerts. Distributed sensor devices can provide more accurate and comprehensive data than other methods, but they also require more planning and deployment costs. Therefore, it is important to deploy sensors strategically in critical areas where WLAN performance must be high, such as high-density zones, high-priority applications, or high-security locations. By deploying sensors in critical areas, the WLAN monitoring solution can ensure optimal WLAN performance and reliability in those areas and identify and resolve any issues or problems that may arise. The other options are not the best places to deploy sensors for best results. Deploying sensors in switching closets is not effective because sensors need to be close to the wireless medium to monitor it properly. Deploying sensors every 5 meters and alongside each AP is not efficient because sensors may overlap or interfere with each other and cause unnecessary redundancy or complexity. Deploying sensors above the plenum on each floor is not practical because sensors may not capture the wireless traffic and environment accurately due to attenuation or reflection from the ceiling materials or objects. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 14: Troubleshooting Wireless LANs, page 4831

OFDM is a modulation method that divides the channel bandwidth into multiple subcarriers, each carrying a single data symbol. This allows for higher data rates and more robust transmissions in multipath environments. OFDM was first introduced in the 802.11a standard, which operates in the 5 GHz band and supports data rates up to 54 Mbps. Later, the 802.11g standard adopted OFDM for the 2.4 GHz band, and the 802.11n and 802.11ac standards enhanced OFDM with features such as MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output), channel bonding, and higher-order modulation schemes to achieve data rates up to 600 Mbps and 6.9 Gbps, respectively. These standards are collectively known as the ERP (Extended Rate PHY), HT (High Throughput), and VHT (Very High Throughput) PHYs . References: [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 4: Radio Frequency Signal and Antenna Concepts, page 163; [CWNA-109 Study Guide], Chapter 4: Radio Frequency Signal and Antenna Concepts, page 157.

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

A laptop-based spectrum analyzer with a directional antenna is the best solution for locating a non-802.11 device that is suspected of causing interference on the WLAN. A spectrum analyzer is a device or a software application that can measure and display the frequency spectrum of electromagnetic signals in a given range. A spectrum analyzer can show the amplitude, frequency, bandwidth, modulation, and other characteristics of different signals in the spectrum, which can help identify their sources and types. A spectrum analyzer can also detect non-802.11 devices that may cause interference on the WLAN, such as microwave ovens, cordless phones, Bluetooth devices, or radar systems. A laptop-based spectrum analyzer is a software application that runs on a laptop computer and uses an external USB adapter as its RF interface. A laptop-based spectrum analyzer has the advantage of being portable, flexible, and cost-effective compared to a hardware-based spectrum analyzer. A directional antenna is an antenna that radiates or receives RF signals more strongly in one direction than in others. A directional antenna has a high gain and a narrow beamwidth, which means it can focus the RF energy in a specific direction and reduce the interference from other directions. A directional antenna can also increase the range and sensitivity of the RF signal detection. To locate a non-802.11 device that is causing interference on the WLAN, a laptop-based spectrum analyzer with a directional antenna can be used to perform a technique called RF hunting or triangulation. This technique involves pointing the directional antenna in different directions and observing the signal strength and characteristics of the interfering device on the spectrum analyzer. By moving around and changing the direction of the antenna, the location of the interfering device can be estimated based on where the signal strength is highest and most consistent. References: 1, Chapter 7, page 282; 2, Section 4.3

Weak signal strength is the likely cause of the low data rate issue for the client that has a signal strength of -84 dBm and a noise floor of -96 dBm. The client is an 802.11ac client and connects to an 802.11ac AP. Both the client and AP are 2x2:2 devices. Signal strength is the measure of how strong the RF signal is at the receiver. Signal strength can affect the reliability and performance of the wireless connection, as well as the data rate and throughput of the traffic. The higher the signal strength, the better the signal quality and the higher the data rate. The lower the signal strength, the worse the signal quality and the lower the data rate.

The data rate of an 802.11ac connection depends on several factors, such as channel bandwidth, modulation and coding scheme (MCS), spatial streams, guard interval, and beamforming. However, these factors are also influenced by the signal strength, as they require a certain signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to operate properly. SNR is the ratio of the signal strength to the noise floor, which is the measure of the background noise or interference in the RF environment. The higher the SNR, the more robust and efficient the communication. The lower the SNR, the more prone and vulnerable to errors and retries.

According to the CWNA Official Study Guide , Table 3.7, page 112, an 802.11ac connection with a channel bandwidth of 80 MHz, an MCS of 9, two spatial streams, a short guard interval, and no beamforming can achieve a maximum data rate of 867 Mbps. However, this data rate requires a minimum SNR of 30 dB to maintain a sufficient signal quality. If the signal strength is -84 dBm and the noise floor is -96 dBm, then the SNR is only 12 dB (-84 dBm - (-96 dBm) = 12 dB), which is far below the required SNR for this data rate. Therefore, the data rate will drop significantly to match the lower SNR and signal quality.

To solve this problem, the signal strength should be increased to improve the SNR and data rate. This can be done by adjusting the output power or channel assignment of the AP or client, relocating or reorienting some APs or antennas to reduce attenuation or interference, updating or replacing some faulty or outdated hardware or software components, etc. References: , Chapter 3, page 112; , Section 3.2