Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless Enterprise Network Exam Practice Test
Are you preparing for the Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless Enterprise Network Exam? This practice exam from Exam Sage is designed to help you sharpen your troubleshooting skills, gain real-world insights into wireless enterprise deployments, and increase your chances of passing the exam on your first attempt.
Wireless networking is a vital part of today’s enterprise infrastructure, and the ability to effectively troubleshoot wireless issues is an in-demand skill. Whether you’re aiming to earn a Cisco certification or enhance your practical knowledge as a network professional, this exam preparation resource will ensure you’re well-equipped with the knowledge and problem-solving mindset required in real-world enterprise environments.
✅ What Is This Exam?
The Troubleshooting Cisco Wireless Enterprise Network Exam is tailored for professionals responsible for maintaining and resolving issues in Cisco wireless infrastructures. It validates your ability to diagnose, isolate, and solve issues within enterprise-level wireless LANs, including RF-related challenges, configuration inconsistencies, roaming issues, and client connectivity problems.
🎯 What You Will Learn
By taking this comprehensive practice test, you will:
Identify and resolve RF-related issues such as signal interference, coverage gaps, and SNR challenges.
Troubleshoot client connectivity problems, including DHCP failures, authentication delays, and VLAN misassignments.
Analyze controller and access point logs to pinpoint root causes of wireless disruptions.
Interpret debugging outputs and logs from WLCs and APs for effective issue resolution.
Understand roaming protocols and client handoff mechanisms, such as 802.11k, 802.11r, and 802.11v.
Apply Cisco-specific tools and features like CleanAir, Prime Infrastructure, and FlexConnect to diagnose enterprise wireless problems.
📚 Key Topics Covered
This practice test is designed to mirror the structure and rigor of the real exam. It covers all critical topics, including:
WLC and AP troubleshooting (CLI & GUI)
Client connectivity and authentication analysis
802.11 wireless standards and roaming optimization
DHCP, DNS, and VLAN misconfiguration scenarios
Spectrum interference and RF analysis
Rogue AP and wireless security concerns
Sniffer mode, FlexConnect, and Mobility Anchors
DTLS handshake and AP join issues
Multicast, unicast, and broadcast handling
Cisco CleanAir, RF Profiles, and Band Select behavior
Each question includes detailed explanations to reinforce concepts, guide learning, and correct misconceptions—making it the ideal resource for exam prep or on-the-job performance improvement.
🧠 Why Choose Exam Sage?
At Exam Sage, we believe in quality, accuracy, and real-world application. Our practice tests are created by seasoned professionals and educators who understand the complexities of Cisco wireless networks. Here’s what sets us apart:
🔍 Authentic Exam Simulation – Our questions closely resemble the real Cisco exam experience.
📖 Comprehensive Explanations – Understand why the answer is correct, not just what it is.
🎓 Updated Content – Aligned with the latest Cisco wireless enterprise standards and technologies.
📈 Who Should Use This Exam Prep?
This exam prep is ideal for:
Network Engineers and Administrators
Cisco Wireless Certification Candidates
IT Professionals in enterprise networking roles
Students pursuing a Cisco specialization
Anyone seeking to master troubleshooting in Cisco WLAN environments
📥 Start Practicing Today
Wireless enterprise networks are dynamic and complex. Don’t leave your exam success to chance. With ExamSage.com, you get the tools and practice needed to troubleshoot Cisco wireless enterprise networks with expertise and confidence.
Sample Questions Answers
1. A client device fails to roam between access points in the same mobility group. What is the most likely cause?
A. Mismatched SSID names
B. Access points are on different channels
C. Incorrect RF profiles
D. Different VLAN assignments between APs
Answer: D
Explanation: For seamless roaming, APs must be in the same VLAN. If VLANs differ, client IP address renewal may fail, disrupting roaming.
2. What does a high number of client deauthentication logs on a WLC typically indicate?
A. AP hardware failure
B. Excessive RF interference
C. Rogue DHCP server
D. Client load balancing
Answer: B
Explanation: RF interference often causes dropped connections, leading to frequent deauthentication. Logs help identify this issue.
3. Which Cisco CLI command shows client association status on a controller-based AP?
A. show wireless client summary
B. show ap join stats summary
C. show dot11 clients
D. show wlan client detail
Answer: C
Explanation: show dot11 clients displays client association details directly from the AP CLI.
4. A user reports being disconnected every 10 minutes. What is the most probable cause?
A. MAC filtering timeout
B. Session timeout setting on WLC
C. DHCP lease duration mismatch
D. AP transmit power too high
Answer: B
Explanation: Session timeout on the WLC can force a client to disconnect after a predefined duration.
5. Which protocol must be functional for location tracking of Wi-Fi clients in a Cisco wireless enterprise deployment?
A. LLDP
B. NTP
C. CAPWAP
D. CMX
Answer: B
Explanation: NTP is required to sync time across APs and controllers for accurate client location reporting and logs.
6. A user experiences slow Wi-Fi only on certain floors. What’s the first thing to check?
A. SSID security type
B. AP mounting brackets
C. AP transmit power and channel reuse
D. Port speed on the switch
Answer: C
Explanation: Mismatched channel reuse or transmit power can cause signal overlap or dead zones.
7. Which WLC log severity level represents a critical issue that requires immediate attention?
A. Level 1
B. Level 5
C. Level 3
D. Level 0
Answer: D
Explanation: Syslog Level 0 is Emergency, the highest severity, indicating system-wide failure or critical issues.
8. What does a high retry rate on an AP indicate?
A. Network loop
B. Excessive channel utilization
C. Duplicate MAC addresses
D. Misconfigured ACLs
Answer: B
Explanation: High retry rates are often caused by interference or congested channels, affecting communication reliability.
9. What tool can visualize RF coverage and interference in real-time?
A. NetFlow Analyzer
B. Ekahau
C. SNMP
D. Wireshark
Answer: B
Explanation: Ekahau provides real-time heatmaps of RF coverage and helps in wireless troubleshooting.
10. In a FlexConnect deployment, local switching is enabled. Where is client traffic forwarded?
A. Through the WLC
B. Locally at the AP
C. To the DMZ
D. Directly to the internet
Answer: B
Explanation: In local switching mode, client traffic is handled at the AP rather than tunneled to the controller.
11. Which command displays AP connectivity status to the WLC?
A. show ap join stats
B. debug ap state
C. show ap summary
D. show controller wlan
Answer: A
Explanation: This command helps determine if an AP is properly joined and communicating with the WLC.
12. Why would a client fail to obtain an IP address on a guest SSID with web authentication enabled?
A. Incorrect PSK
B. DNS resolution error
C. DHCP server not reachable before authentication
D. Wrong VLAN trunking
Answer: C
Explanation: Guest clients must authenticate before accessing network services like DHCP.
13. What is the role of the CAPWAP control channel?
A. Transports client data
B. Handles EAP authentication
C. Maintains AP and WLC communication
D. Encrypts web portal logins
Answer: C
Explanation: The CAPWAP control channel handles AP-WLC configuration and management communication.
14. What is a common symptom of a mismatched MTU setting between the AP and WLC?
A. Web authentication failure
B. Incomplete client association
C. Duplicate IP detection
D. Increased RF noise
Answer: B
Explanation: MTU mismatches can cause packet fragmentation and client association failures.
15. A client’s 802.1X authentication fails. What’s the best tool to troubleshoot?
A. Ping
B. RADIUS debug
C. SNMP poll
D. Syslog collector
Answer: B
Explanation: RADIUS debug provides detailed logs on authentication transactions.
16. Which WLAN configuration issue commonly results in asymmetric traffic flow?
A. DHCP option misconfigured
B. ACL applied to only inbound traffic
C. DNS response delayed
D. IP helper address missing
Answer: B
Explanation: If ACLs are applied unidirectionally, return traffic may be dropped.
17. Which command helps verify the roaming history of a wireless client in Cisco WLC?
A. show client mobility
B. show wlan summary
C. show ap roaming status
D. debug dot11 mobility
Answer: A
Explanation: This command provides a history of APs the client has roamed between.
18. How can interference from a microwave be mitigated?
A. Enable 2.4GHz band
B. Use channels 1 and 2 only
C. Shift APs to 5GHz band
D. Lower transmit power
Answer: C
Explanation: Microwaves interfere with 2.4GHz, so using 5GHz reduces such interference.
19. What metric best indicates WLAN congestion?
A. SNR
B. Packet loss
C. Channel utilization
D. DHCP lease time
Answer: C
Explanation: High channel utilization means the AP is heavily loaded, which can impact client performance.
20. Which log level is best for routine troubleshooting on Cisco WLC?
A. Critical
B. Informational
C. Debug
D. Alert
Answer: C
Explanation: Debug provides granular logging suitable for troubleshooting but should be used selectively due to verbosity.
21. What is a likely cause if the APs are visible in the WLC but not broadcasting the SSID?
A. SSID is disabled
B. RF profile not applied
C. APs not assigned to AP group
D. VLAN is shut down
Answer: C
Explanation: If APs aren’t assigned to the correct AP group, they won’t broadcast the intended SSID.
22. An engineer suspects a Layer 2 loop. What’s the best first troubleshooting step?
A. Check IP routes
B. Verify spanning-tree status
C. Ping the default gateway
D. Capture packets on the AP
Answer: B
Explanation: Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) prevents Layer 2 loops. Verify STP to ensure loop-free topology.
23. What causes high packet drops on a wireless interface but low utilization?
A. Encryption mismatch
B. Hardware failure
C. RF interference
D. Loopback configuration
Answer: C
Explanation: RF interference causes retransmissions and drops even if bandwidth isn’t fully used.
24. Which protocol enables APs to discover WLCs in Layer 3 mode?
A. DNS
B. DHCP Option 43
C. ARP
D. CDP
Answer: B
Explanation: In Layer 3 mode, DHCP Option 43 provides the IP address of the WLC to APs.
25. You notice poor VoIP call quality over Wi-Fi. What is the most probable RF issue?
A. High jitter and latency
B. DHCP lease expiry
C. MAC address spoofing
D. Unicast flooding
Answer: A
Explanation: VoIP is sensitive to jitter and latency, common in unstable RF environments.
26. What is the function of CleanAir technology in Cisco wireless networks?
A. Encrypts all wireless traffic
B. Identifies and mitigates RF interference
C. Increases bandwidth
D. Prioritizes video traffic
Answer: B
Explanation: CleanAir detects and mitigates non-Wi-Fi interference sources like microwaves and Bluetooth.
27. What causes high channel utilization with low client count?
A. Hidden node
B. AP misplacement
C. Non-Wi-Fi interference
D. WPA2 overhead
Answer: C
Explanation: Non-Wi-Fi devices (e.g., baby monitors) using 2.4GHz can raise channel utilization without associated clients.
28. A newly installed AP is not joining the controller. What’s the most probable cause?
A. Wrong hostname
B. VLAN mismatch
C. Firewall blocking CAPWAP
D. Mismatched SNMP strings
Answer: C
Explanation: CAPWAP traffic must be allowed through firewalls between APs and controllers.
29. What effect does excessive multicast traffic have on Wi-Fi performance?
A. Improves throughput
B. No impact
C. Causes latency and packet loss
D. Boosts roaming speed
Answer: C
Explanation: Multicast is less efficient over Wi-Fi and can degrade performance if not managed properly.
30. You observe a high number of client retries in a particular zone. What’s the best next step?
A. Increase SSID broadcast power
B. Decrease client device timeouts
C. Perform a site survey for interference
D. Restart the WLC
Answer: C
Explanation: Site surveys help identify sources of interference, improper AP placement, or dead zones.
31. A client is associated to the correct SSID but fails to reach internal resources. What should be checked first?
A. DHCP scope
B. NAT configuration
C. VLAN mapping on the WLC
D. SSID broadcast settings
Answer: C
Explanation: VLAN mapping ensures traffic from the SSID is forwarded correctly into the wired network.
32. Which feature on a Cisco WLC ensures clients associate with the optimal AP based on signal strength?
A. Client load balancing
B. RRM
C. Band steering
D. Optimized roaming
Answer: D
Explanation: Optimized roaming helps prevent clients from sticking to weak-signal APs by disassociating them below a certain RSSI.
33. You notice frequent DFS (Dynamic Frequency Selection) events on several APs. What is the likely impact?
A. Clients will switch to 2.4GHz
B. SSID will disappear briefly
C. APs will increase transmit power
D. Clients will be reassigned new VLANs
Answer: B
Explanation: When DFS detects radar, the AP changes channels, briefly causing the SSID to go offline during the switch.
34. A wireless client fails to authenticate via WPA2-Enterprise. The logs show EAP timeout. What’s the likely issue?
A. Overlapping BSSIDs
B. RADIUS server unreachable
C. Weak signal strength
D. Duplicate SSID
Answer: B
Explanation: If the RADIUS server is unreachable or slow to respond, the EAP handshake can time out.
35. What command on the WLC helps identify clients failing DHCP negotiation?
A. show client summary
B. debug dhcp all enable
C. show wlan client detail
D. show ap join statistics
Answer: B
Explanation: Enabling DHCP debug will show logs related to DHCP request/response between clients and servers.
36. What wireless security misconfiguration most commonly causes clients to be unable to connect?
A. EAP-TLS timeout
B. Mixed mode WPA/WPA2
C. TKIP used with 802.11ac
D. Use of port-based VLANs
Answer: C
Explanation: 802.11ac does not support TKIP. If TKIP is configured, it causes compatibility issues.
37. What does a high number of retransmissions typically suggest in a wireless environment?
A. Insufficient DNS caching
B. RF interference or noise
C. Incorrect subnet mask
D. MTU mismatch
Answer: B
Explanation: Wireless retransmissions usually indicate physical layer issues like interference or weak signal.
38. An AP is not receiving configuration updates from the WLC. What should be verified?
A. AP’s DHCP lease duration
B. CAPWAP control traffic
C. Console access on AP
D. Authentication server
Answer: B
Explanation: The CAPWAP control channel must be open and functional for APs to receive configurations.
39. Which WLC feature limits client connections per AP to ensure performance?
A. Load balancing
B. Max client threshold
C. Band select
D. DTIM period
Answer: B
Explanation: The max client threshold setting on WLC ensures an AP does not become overloaded.
40. Which RF metric is most critical in determining signal quality at the client?
A. Tx power
B. RSSI
C. SNR
D. Channel width
Answer: C
Explanation: Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) directly measures the quality of the signal compared to background noise.
41. Which feature helps prevent sticky clients in Cisco wireless networks?
A. Client exclusion
B. Band select
C. Coverage hole detection
D. Load-based roaming
Answer: D
Explanation: Load-based or optimized roaming disconnects clients from poor APs and encourages them to reconnect to stronger APs.
42. What can cause a client to associate with an AP but not pass any traffic?
A. DHCP snooping
B. Incorrect port-channel configuration
C. Aironet IE disabled
D. VLAN mismatch between AP and switchport
Answer: D
Explanation: If the AP and switchport VLANs don’t align, traffic won’t be properly forwarded.
43. A site experiences poor voice quality over wireless. Which setting should be verified on the WLC?
A. RF profiles
B. QoS profile on WLAN
C. DTIM interval
D. Client session timeout
Answer: B
Explanation: VoIP relies on low latency, and configuring QoS profiles ensures voice traffic is prioritized.
44. Which type of interference does CleanAir technology not detect?
A. Microwave ovens
B. Bluetooth
C. Neighboring Wi-Fi
D. Cordless phones
Answer: C
Explanation: CleanAir focuses on non-Wi-Fi interference. Other APs are detected via Wi-Fi scanning.
45. How can you identify misconfigured RADIUS servers on the WLC?
A. Ping from WLC CLI
B. SNMP polling
C. AAA test authentication tool
D. Syslog alerts
Answer: C
Explanation: The AAA test authentication tool allows testing RADIUS connectivity and credentials from the WLC interface.
46. A mesh AP fails to connect to its root AP. What is a likely cause?
A. MTU size mismatch
B. No route to WLC
C. Mesh key mismatch
D. DNS not resolving
Answer: C
Explanation: A mismatch in mesh keys (used for authentication) will prevent mesh APs from forming links.
47. How does enabling client exclusion on the WLC affect misbehaving clients?
A. Roams them to another AP
B. Places them in VLAN 0
C. Blocks them temporarily based on behavior
D. Reduces their transmit rate
Answer: C
Explanation: Client exclusion blocks clients temporarily if they show suspicious behavior like excessive auth failures.
48. Which tool captures wireless packets for offline analysis?
A. NetFlow
B. Wireshark
C. SNMP trap
D. NetScout
Answer: B
Explanation: Wireshark captures packets, including wireless frames, for detailed offline troubleshooting.
49. An AP shows as “Primary Down” in WLC logs. What should be verified first?
A. AP hostname
B. DHCP relay
C. WLC redundancy configuration
D. RADIUS shared secret
Answer: C
Explanation: If redundancy is configured, a “Primary Down” message indicates a failover or heartbeat issue.
50. What does the DTIM setting control on a WLAN?
A. Roaming thresholds
B. Interval of multicast/broadcast delivery
C. Bandwidth cap for guest SSID
D. Time before client disassociation
Answer: B
Explanation: The Delivery Traffic Indication Message (DTIM) controls how often the AP sends buffered broadcast/multicast packets.
51. A client connects to the 2.4GHz band despite supporting 5GHz. What’s the likely reason?
A. 5GHz band is disabled
B. DFS event
C. Band select not enabled
D. VLAN filter misconfiguration
Answer: C
Explanation: Without band select, dual-band clients may default to 2.4GHz due to stronger RSSI.
52. What is the role of Mobility Groups in Cisco wireless networks?
A. Coordinate VLAN tagging
B. Ensure RF coverage overlap
C. Enable seamless client roaming
D. Provide DHCP redundancy
Answer: C
Explanation: Mobility Groups allow clients to roam between controllers without needing to reauthenticate.
53. A controller reports high CPU utilization. What should you check first?
A. Software version
B. Rogue AP scanning
C. Logging level and debug processes
D. Number of AP licenses
Answer: C
Explanation: Debug processes can overload the controller. Disable unnecessary logging/debug sessions.
54. Which channel width is ideal for high-density enterprise environments?
A. 160 MHz
B. 80 MHz
C. 40 MHz
D. 20 MHz
Answer: D
Explanation: Narrower channels (20 MHz) reduce co-channel interference in dense deployments.
55. What’s a likely cause of duplicate IP address warnings on wireless clients?
A. DHCP Option 82
B. Client static IP configuration
C. Channel overlap
D. VLAN pruning
Answer: B
Explanation: Manually configured client IPs may conflict with dynamically assigned ones, causing duplicate IP errors.
56. A controller-based AP drops connection frequently. What should you verify?
A. AP fallback settings
B. Port speed negotiation
C. MTU size
D. CAPWAP keepalive timers
Answer: D
Explanation: CAPWAP keepalive timers ensure persistent communication between AP and controller. Mismatches can cause drops.
57. An SSID does not appear on certain APs. What is the first thing to verify?
A. Transmit power
B. AP group membership
C. DHCP lease
D. DTIM count
Answer: B
Explanation: SSID broadcast is governed by AP group assignment. If the AP isn’t in the right group, it won’t broadcast the SSID.
58. What tool allows AP configuration and status verification over CLI in real time?
A. Prime Infrastructure
B. DNA Center
C. AP console CLI
D. SNMP poller
Answer: C
Explanation: Direct console CLI on an AP provides immediate status and debug access.
59. What does a low SNR value typically result in?
A. Improved throughput
B. Decreased latency
C. Frequent retries and poor performance
D. Better range
Answer: C
Explanation: Low SNR leads to degraded signal quality and increased retransmissions.
60. What effect does enabling 802.11r (Fast Transition) have on the wireless experience?
A. Delays DHCP lease
B. Allows seamless roaming between APs
C. Reduces encryption strength
D. Extends RF coverage
Answer: B
Explanation: 802.11r enables fast and seamless handoffs between APs, critical for VoIP and video applications.
