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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 andcookies, 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: ExamCWNA-109], page 343; [CWNA: Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA-109], page 333.

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-109Study Guide, Chapter 2: Radio Frequency Fundamentals, page 88.

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

An IBSS is used instead of a BSS is a network configuration that would result in multiple stations broadcasting Beacon frames with the same BSSID but with different source addresses. An IBSS (Independent Basic Service Set) is a type of WLAN that does not use an AP but rather allows stations to communicate directly with each other in a peer-to-peer manner. An IBSS is also known as an ad-hoc network or a peer-to-peer network. In an IBSS, each station generates its own Beacon frames to announce its presence and capabilities to other stations within range. The Beacon frames have the same BSSID, which is randomly generated by one of the stations when creating the IBSS, but they have different source addresses, which are the MAC addresses of each station’s radio interface. The BSSID is used to identify the IBSS and prevent stations from joining other IBSSs with different BSSIDs. References: , Chapter 1, page 25; , Section 1.1

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.

References:

IEEE 802.11ac-2013 Amendment: Enhancements for Very High Throughput for Operation in Bands below 6 GHz.

CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA-109, by David D. Coleman and David A. Westcott.

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-109Study Guide], Chapter 5: IEEE 802.11 Medium Access, page 203.

S1G is one of the 802.11 PHYs that is more likely to be used in an industrial deployment but not likely to be used in standard office deployments. This is because S1G stands for Sub-1 GHz, which means it operates in the frequency bands below 1 GHz, such as 900 MHz and 868 MHz. These bands offer better penetration and range than the higher frequency bands used by other 802.11 PHYs, such as 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. This makes S1G suitable for industrial applications that require robust and reliable wireless communication in harsh environments, such as factories, warehouses, mines, and smart grids. S1G also supports low-power and low-data-rate devices, such as sensors, actuators, and meters, which are common in industrial Internet of Things (IoT) scenarios. VHT, OFDM, and HT are other 802.11 PHYs that are more commonly used in standard office deployments, as they offer higher data rates and capacity than S1G, but have lower range and penetration. References: CWNA-109 Study Guide, Chapter 3: Radio Frequency Technologies, page 751

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

VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is an application that is likely used that demands the requirements of unidirectional delays of less than 150 ms and the signal strength at all receivers can be no lower than -67 dBm. VoIP is an application that allows users to make and receive voice calls over a network, such as the Internet or a WLAN. VoIP is a real-time and interactive application that requires high quality of service (QoS) to ensure good user experience and satisfaction. One of the QoS metrics for VoIP is delay, which is the time it takes for a voice packet to travel from the sender to the receiver. Delay can affect the quality and intelligibility of the voice conversation, as well as the synchronization and naturalness of the dialogue. The ITU-T G.114 recommendation suggests that the maximum acceptable one-way delay for VoIP should be less than 150 ms, as anything higher than that can cause noticeable degradation and annoyance to the users. Another QoS metric for VoIP is signal strength, which 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 VoIP traffic. The CWNA Official Study Guide recommends that the minimum signal strength for VoIP should be -67 dBm, as anything lower than that can cause packet loss, retries, jitter, and other issues that can impair the voice quality. References: 1, Chapter 10, page 398; 2, Section 6.1

In a public Wi-Fi hotspot, like the one Lynne runs in his hotel, ensuring customer security against active attacks is crucial. Active attacks involve unauthorized access, eavesdropping, or manipulation of the network traffic. To mitigate such threats, an effective and practical step is:

Station-to-Station Traffic Blocking: Also known as client isolation, this feature prevents direct communication between devices connected to the Wi-Fi network. By enabling this on the access points, Lynne can significantly decrease the likelihood of active attacks like man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks, where an attacker intercepts and possibly alters the communication between two parties.

The other options, while beneficial for network security, might not be as straightforward or practical for Lynne's situation:

Network Access Control (NAC)requires a more complex infrastructure and management, which might not be ideal for a small hotel setup.

Implementing an SSL VPNadds an extra layer of security but might complicate the login process for users, potentially affecting the user experience.

Requiring EAP-FAST authenticationprovides secure authentication but may not be feasible for transient customers who expect quick and easy network access.

Therefore, enabling station-to-station traffic blocking is a practical and efficient measure that Lynne can implement to enhance customer security on the Wi-Fi network.

References:

CWNA Certified Wireless Network Administrator Official Study Guide: ExamCWNA-109, by David D. Coleman and David A. Westcott.

Best practices for securing a wireless network in a public hotspot environment.