CWNA Research & Evidence-Based Practice 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which document type provides the most authoritative evidence when determining the maximum EIRP allowed for 5 GHz outdoor Wi-Fi in the United States?
- Wi-Fi Alliance certification database
- FCC Part 15 regulations (Correct answer)
- Wireless vendor application notes
- CWNA study guide
Correct answer: FCC Part 15 regulations
FCC Part 15 is the federal regulatory authority governing unlicensed RF transmissions in the US, making it the definitive source for EIRP limits.
Question 2: A CWNA professional is asked to justify deploying 6 GHz Wi-Fi 6E instead of 5 GHz Wi-Fi 6. Which evidence best supports the 6 GHz recommendation?
- 6 GHz has a newer brand name
- Spectrum analysis showing heavy 5 GHz congestion and available 6 GHz channels (Correct answer)
- A colleague's preference for newer technology
- Vendor promotional materials for 6 GHz APs
Correct answer: Spectrum analysis showing heavy 5 GHz congestion and available 6 GHz channels
Spectrum analysis data demonstrating 5 GHz congestion and 6 GHz availability provides objective, measurable justification for the technology recommendation.
Question 3: When conducting a load test on a wireless network, which output metric provides the most actionable, evidence-based assessment of scalability?
- AP LED color during the test
- Per-client throughput measurements at increasing client density (Correct answer)
- Total number of APs in the test area
- Signal strength at the center of the test area
Correct answer: Per-client throughput measurements at increasing client density
Measuring per-client throughput as client density increases directly reveals how the network scales and where performance degrades.
Question 4: A wireless analyst reads a peer-reviewed paper claiming a specific roaming algorithm reduces handoff latency. What is the most appropriate next step before adopting this finding?
- Immediately update all AP firmware
- Replicate the test conditions in the target environment to validate applicability (Correct answer)
- Share the paper with the sales team
- Discard the findings as academic and impractical
Correct answer: Replicate the test conditions in the target environment to validate applicability
Research findings must be validated in the specific deployment environment because results may not generalize across different hardware, configurations, or RF conditions.
Question 5: Which statistical measure is most useful when analyzing RSSI samples collected across a large office floor during a passive site survey?
- Maximum RSSI value observed
- Mean and standard deviation of RSSI samples (Correct answer)
- The single lowest RSSI reading
- The first RSSI reading collected
Correct answer: Mean and standard deviation of RSSI samples
Mean and standard deviation together describe the central tendency and variability of coverage, giving a complete statistical picture of signal quality distribution.
Question 6: An enterprise is evaluating MU-MIMO performance claims. Which test design provides the strongest evidence that MU-MIMO improves aggregate throughput?
- Testing with a single client in isolation
- Testing with multiple simultaneous spatial-stream-capable clients and measuring aggregate throughput vs. SU-MIMO baseline (Correct answer)
- Reading the AP's MU-MIMO marketing claims
- Checking if the AP has MU-MIMO enabled in the GUI
Correct answer: Testing with multiple simultaneous spatial-stream-capable clients and measuring aggregate throughput vs. SU-MIMO baseline
MU-MIMO benefits only appear with multiple simultaneous clients; measuring aggregate throughput against a SU-MIMO baseline provides direct comparative evidence.
Question 7: When documenting wireless network changes for future evidence-based troubleshooting, which artifact is MOST valuable to capture before and after each change?
- A photograph of the server room
- Baseline RF measurements, configuration exports, and packet captures (Correct answer)
- End-user satisfaction survey responses
- Number of support tickets before the change
Correct answer: Baseline RF measurements, configuration exports, and packet captures
RF measurements, configuration snapshots, and packet captures create an objective before/after record that enables precise comparison and root-cause analysis.
CWNA Research & Evidence-Based Practice 3
Which document type provides the most authoritative evidence when determining the maximum EIRP allowed for 5 GHz outdoor Wi-Fi in the United States?