TestOut LabSim A+ Certification Practice Exam

To improve Internet performance, what should be disabled on an older wireless access point?

1. WPA encryption

2. IPv6 support

3. SSID broadcast

4. Guest access

The correct answer is: SSID broadcast

Disabling SSID broadcast on an older wireless access point can help improve internet performance for a few reasons. When SSID broadcast is enabled, the network continuously announces its presence, which can lead to unnecessary traffic on the network. This can particularly affect older access points that may have limited processing power and bandwidth. Furthermore, by disabling SSID broadcast, you can reduce the visible attacks on the network as potential intruders won't see the network listed among available connections. This doesn’t eliminate vulnerabilities but can make it slightly less tempting for unauthorized attempts. In addition, when a device scans for available networks, it sends out probe requests, which can add to network congestion. By disabling SSID broadcast, the access point won’t respond to these requests, resulting in lower overall traffic and potentially improving performance for legitimate users who are either already connected or who know the SSID and are connecting manually. This consideration helps streamline the network environment, particularly beneficial in scenarios where bandwidth is limited or the infrastructure is older, which can struggle under heavier loads or interference.