CWNA-109 Online Practice Questions and Answers

Correct Answer: B

The power level at the Intentional Radiator (IR) is 250 mW. The IR is the point where the RF signal leaves the transmitter and enters the antenna system. To calculate the power level at the IR, we need to consider the output power level of

the transmitter, the loss of the cable, and the gain of the antenna. The formula is:

Power level at IR (dBm) = Output power level (dBm) - Cable loss (dB) + Antenna gain (dBi) We can convert the output power level of 50 mW to dBm by using the formula:

Power level (dBm) = 10 * log10(Power level (mW))

Therefore, 50 mW = 10 * log10(50) = 16.99 dBm

We can plug in the values into the formula:

Power level at IR (dBm) = 16.99 - 3 + 16 = 29.99 dBm We can convert the power level at IR from dBm to mW by using the inverse formula:

Power level (mW) = 10^(Power level (dBm) / 10)

Therefore, 29.99 dBm = 10^(29.99 / 10) = 999.96 mW However, since we need to round off the answer to the nearest integer value, we get:

Power level at IR (mW) = 1000 mW

References: [CWNP Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide:

ExamCWNA-109], page 67; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA-109], page 57.

Correct Answer: B

Implementing Fast BSS Transition (FT) for roaming is likely to cause the least impact on the application layer throughput of an 802.11n client station in a 2.4 GHz HT BSS. FT is a feature that allows a client station to quickly switch from one AP to another within the same ESS (Extended Service Set) without having to re-authenticate and re- associate with each AP. This reduces the latency and packet loss that may occur during roaming, thus improving the user experience and maintaining the application layer throughput. FT is defined in the IEEE 802.11r amendment and is also known as Fast Roaming or Fast Secure Roaming. References: , Chapter 9, page 367; , Section 6.3

Correct Answer: A

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 thethroughput 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. References:1, Chapter 3, page 94;2, Section 3.2

Correct Answer: C

Patch and panel antennas are directional antenna types that are commonly used by indoor Wi-Fi devices in a MIMO multiple spatial stream implementation. These antennas have a flat rectangular shape and can be mounted on walls or ceilings to provide coverage in a specific direction. They have a moderate gain and a relatively wide beamwidth, making them suitable for multipath environments where signals can reflect off different surfaces and create multiple spatial streams. Patch and panel antennas can also support polarization diversity, which means they can transmit and receive both horizontally and vertically polarized waves, increasing the MIMO performance. References: 1, Chapter 2, page 72; 2, Section 2.4

Correct Answer: B

In the 802.11ax (High Efficiency, HE) amendment, one of the key features introduced is BSS (Basic Service Set) Coloring. This feature is designed to mitigate issues arising from overlapping BSSs (OBSS), which can lead to contention and

interference in dense wireless environments. BSS Coloring works by:

Assigning a "color" (a small number) to each BSS: This helps devices differentiate between frames from their own BSS and those from neighboring BSSs. Reducing Inter-BSS Interference: Devices can ignore frames from different BSSs (with

a different "color") under certain conditions, reducing the impact of OBSS interference.

Improving Spatial Reuse: By distinguishing between transmissions from different BSSs, devices can make more informed decisions about when to transmit, improving the efficiency of spatial reuse and reducing unnecessary contention. This

feature directly impacts design decisions related to AP placement and the spacing between same-channel BSS cells, as it allows for closer placement of APs on the same channel without significantly increasing interference, thus improving

overall network capacity and efficiency.

The other options, while features of 802.11ax, do not directly pertain to reducing overlapping BSS contention in the same manner:

TWT (Target Wake Time)optimizes device sleep schedules to conserve power. Uplink MU-MIMOenhances uplink data transmission capabilities but doesn't specifically address OBSS contention.

6 GHz Band Supportintroduces new spectrum for Wi-Fi use but is not a feature aimed at reducing OBSS contention within the 802.11ax framework.

Therefore, the correct answer is B, BSS Color.

References:

IEEE 802.11ax-2021: Enhancements for High Efficiency WLAN. CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide:

ExamCWNA-109, by David D. Coleman and David A. Westcott.

Correct Answer: C

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: ExamCWNA-109], page 538; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA- 109], page 508.

Correct Answer: B

MU-MIMO capabilities of the bridges are not a factor considered when calculating the Link Budget for an outdoor point-to-point WLAN bridge link. The Link Budget is acalculation of the expected signal strength at the receiver based on various factors that affect the RF transmission. Some of these factors are operating frequency, transmit power, receive antenna gain, free space path loss, cable loss, connector loss, and environmental loss. MU-MIMO stands for Multi-User Multiple Input Multiple Output, which is a technology that allows multiple devices to communicate simultaneously using multiple spatial streams. MU-MIMO is not relevant for a point-to-point link, where there are only two devices involved. References: 1, Chapter 2, page 59; 2, Section 2.2

Correct Answer: A

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

Correct Answer: B

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: ExamCWNA-109], page 81; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA-109], page 71.

Correct Answer: D

A pre-design site visit in preparation for a predictive wireless LAN design is essential for gathering physical and environmental data about the site. The key tasks to be performed during such a visit include:

Evaluating Building Materials: Different materials (concrete, glass, wood, etc.) have varying effects on RF signal propagation. Understanding the materials present helps in accurately predicting how signals will behave within the environment.

Floor Plan Verification: Ensuring that the floor plan documents are an accurate representation of the actual building layout is crucial. Discrepancies between the floor plans and the physical layout can lead to inaccuracies in the predictive

design.

The other options, while potentially valuable in other contexts, are not directly related to preparing for a predictive design:

Installing APs(option A) for testing co-channel interference is more aligned with an active site survey rather than a pre-design visit for a predictive design. Collecting information about security requirements(option B) is important but is not

directly related to the physical aspects of the site that would impact a predictive design.

Testing antenna types(option C) would typically be part of an active site survey or the actual deployment phase, not a pre-design visit for predictive modeling. Therefore, option D is the correct answer, focusing on evaluating physical aspects

crucial for accurate predictive modeling.

References:

CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide:

ExamCWNA-109, by David D. Coleman and David A. Westcott. Best practices for conducting pre-design site visits in wireless network planning.

Correct Answer: C

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 oneach 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

Correct Answer: D

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

Correct Answer: C

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

Correct Answer: A

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. References: 1:CWNA-109Official Study Guide, page 144 2: OFDMA

Correct Answer: A

The scenario described suggests that while the Access Point (AP) is capable of 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) with four spatial streams, the clients are only achieving data rates typical of 802.11n (Wi-Fi 4) devices, which indicates that the clients are

likely 802.11n devices. Here's why this is the most plausible explanation:

802.11n Limitations: Devices that adhere to the 802.11n standard have lower maximum data rates compared to 802.11ax devices due to differences in technology such as modulation, spatial streams, and channel bandwidth. An 802.11n

device with a single spatial stream operating on a 20 MHz channel can achieve a maximum data rate of 72.2 Mbps. Even with two spatial streams under ideal conditions, this would only double to approximately 144.4 Mbps, which is close to

the 150 Mbps mentioned.

Spatial Stream Capability: The fact that the AP supports four spatial streams suggests it can achieve much higher data rates with 802.11ax clients that also support multiple spatial streams. However, if the clients are 802.11n devices, they

may not be capable of using more than two spatial streams, and many earlier 802.11n devices were limited to just one.

The other options are less likely to be the primary cause based on the information provided:

B. Two Stream 802.11ax Clients: If the clients were 802.11ax with only two spatial streams, they would likely achieve higher data rates than 150 Mbps due to the efficiency improvements in 802.11ax.

C. Contention and D. Non-Wi-Fi Interference: While these could affect performance, they would not inherently limit clients to 150 Mbps,especially in the context of an 802.11ax environment where mechanisms to handle interference and

contention are more advanced.

References:

IEEE 802.11n-2009: Enhancements for Higher Throughput. CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: Exam PW0- 105, by David D. Coleman and David A. Westcott.