220-1002 Question #195: Real Exam Question with Answer & Explanation

Question

Exhibit

Options

• AJoe should be using WEP security on his hotspot for faster throughput
• BSomeone else is using Joe's hotspot due to weak password
• CJoe's hotspot gave him an invalid IP address
• DJoe is likely in a poor signal area and should try another area

Explanation

The problem of Joe's slow hotspot is most likely caused by unauthorized users due to a weak password, consuming bandwidth and degrading performance.

Approach. The correct interaction is to identify and select option B. The primary reason for Joe's extremely slow hotspot (200Kbps) compared to Ann's (15Mbps) in the same location, combined with the 'hotspot' password, strongly points to unauthorized usage. The password 'hotspot' is a very weak and easily guessable default or common password. If others are connected to Joe's hotspot without his knowledge, they would be consuming the limited cellular bandwidth, leading to a significant reduction in speed for Joe's connected devices. The WPA2/PSK security itself is robust, but a weak password undermines its effectiveness.

Common mistakes.

• common_mistake. Selecting other options demonstrates a misunderstanding of network troubleshooting or security principles:
• Option A (Joe should be using WEP security on his hotspot for faster throughput): This is incorrect because WEP is an outdated and insecure encryption standard, and it typically offers lower throughput and less security than WPA2/PSK. Switching to WEP would worsen security without improving speed.
• Option C (Joe's hotspot gave him an invalid IP address): If Joe had an invalid IP address, he would likely have no internet connectivity at all, or highly intermittent connectivity, rather than a consistent but very slow speed of 200Kbps. The provided 'Client DHCP start address: 192.168.23.1' suggests a functional DHCP server providing valid private IP addresses.
• Option D (Joe is likely in a poor signal area and should try another area): This is contradicted by the scenario, which states that Ann, Joe's coworker, is travelling with him and gets 15Mbps on her hotspot in the same general location. This comparison indicates that the signal conditions are likely adequate, and the problem is specific to Joe's hotspot configuration or usage, not the physical environment.

Concept tested. The core technical concepts tested include Wi-Fi security best practices (specifically the importance of strong passwords for WPA2/PSK networks), network troubleshooting methodology (analyzing symptoms and comparing with known good configurations), and understanding the impact of unauthorized network access on bandwidth and performance.

Reference. null

No community discussion yet for this question.