Which of the following are included in the CSMA/CA mechanism in 802.11 wireless LAN? (Multiple choice)

Question

Options

• ACarrier sense
• BMultiple Access
• CConflict detection
• DConflict Avoidance

• A
  80% (35)
• C
  20% (9)

Explanation

CSMA/CA literally spells out the three correct answers: Carrier Sense (A), Multiple Access (B), and Collision/Conflict Avoidance (D) - the protocol defines a method where multiple devices share a wireless medium by first listening for activity and then taking steps to avoid collisions before transmitting. Option C (Conflict/Collision Detection) is the distractor because it belongs to CSMA/CD, the wired Ethernet (802.3) protocol - in wireless environments, a transmitting node cannot simultaneously listen for collisions on the same channel, making real-time detection impractical. 802.11 instead uses techniques like random backoff timers and the DCF (Distributed Coordination Function) to reduce the chance of collisions occurring in the first place.

Memory tip: Think "Wired = Detect (CD)" vs "Wireless = Avoid (CA)" - the D/A distinction maps directly to the physical limitation of wireless: you can't shout and listen at the same time.

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