A network technician deploys three wireless access points across an office building to provide coverage on the 2.4 GHz band. Users report frequent packet loss, slow speeds, and dropped connections when moving near areas covered by multiple access points. Upon inspecting the wireless controller, the technician observes that the access points are manually configured to operate on channels 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Which of the following is the most likely cause of the wireless performance degradation?
- ADHCP scope exhaustion preventing wireless clients from acquiring valid IP addresses when roaming between access points.
- BAn incorrect STP root bridge priority configuration causing Layer 2 switching loops across access point trunk ports.
- Adjacent-channel interference caused by using overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.Answer
- DAn implicit deny rule on the wireless network security gateway blocking inter-access point roaming frames.
Answer
Adjacent-channel interference caused by using overlapping channels in the 2.4 GHz frequency spectrum.
In the 2.4 GHz frequency band, standard 20 MHz channels require a 25 MHz separation between channel centers to avoid overlapping. Consequently, only channels 1, 6, and 11 are non-overlapping. Setting adjacent access points to channels 1, 2, and 3 causes severe adjacent-channel interference (ACI), resulting in corrupted Wi-Fi frames, excessive retransmissions, and performance degradation in areas where signals overlap.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
2.4 GHz Wireless Channel Overlap and Interference
Estimated Time:45s