CWNA-108 Exam Information and Guideline
Certified Wireless Network Administrator
Below are complete topics detail with latest syllabus and course outline, that will help you good knowledge about exam objectives and topics that you have to prepare. These contents are covered in questions and answers pool of exam.
Exam Code: CWNA-108
Exam Name: Certified Wireless Network Administrator
Vendor: CWNP (Certified Wireless Network Professional)
Level: Foundational/Associate
Exam Duration: 90 minutes
Number of Questions: 60 multiple-choice/multiple-answer questions
Passing Score: 70% (approximately 42 correct answers out of 60)
Exam Delivery: Pearson VUE (in-person or online proctored)
- Radio Frequency (RF) Technologies
- RF Basics:
- Wavelength, frequency, amplitude, phase
- RF behavior (absorption, reflection, scattering, refraction, diffraction, etc.)
- Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR)
- RF math (dB, dBm, dBi, EIRP, etc.)
- RF Signal Characteristics:
- Modulation techniques (DSSS, OFDM, MIMO, etc.)
- Channel width and bonding
- Co-channel and adjacent-channel interference
- RF Antennas:
- Antenna types (omnidirectional, directional, sector, etc.)
- Antenna gain, beamwidth, and polarization
- Antenna connectors and cables
- RF Regulations:
- FCC, ETSI, and other regulatory bodies
- Frequency bands (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)
- Power output limits and compliance
- Wireless LAN (WLAN) Technologies and Standards
- IEEE 802.11 Standards:
- 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6) and their differences
- PHY and MAC layer functions
- Wi-Fi Alliance Certifications:
- Wi-Fi CERTIFIED programs (WPA2, WPA3, Wi-Fi 6, etc.)
- WLAN Topologies:
- Basic Service Set (BSS), Extended Service Set (ESS), Independent Basic Service Set (IBSS)
- Mesh networking and wireless distribution systems (WDS)
- WLAN Devices:
- Access Points (APs), wireless controllers, bridges, repeaters, and clients
- Dual-band and tri-band devices
- WLAN Protocols and Operation
- 802.11 Frame Types:
- Management, control, and data frames
- Beacon frames, probe requests/responses, association, and authentication
- 802.11 MAC Layer Operations:
- CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance)
- RTS/CTS (Request to Send/Clear to Send)
- Acknowledgment (ACK) frames
- Power Save Mechanisms:
- Legacy power save, U-APSD, WMM Power Save
- Roaming and Load Balancing:
- Fast BSS Transition (802.11r)
- Band steering and client balancing
- WLAN Security
- Security Protocols:
- WEP, WPA, WPA2, WPA3
- TKIP, CCMP, GCMP encryption
- Authentication Methods:
- Open system, shared key, 802.1X/EAP
- EAP types (PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-TTLS, etc.)
- Rogue Devices and Mitigation:
- Rogue AP detection and prevention
- Wireless intrusion detection/prevention systems (WIDS/WIPS)
- Guest Access and Captive Portals:
- Secure guest access solutions
- BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) policies
- WLAN Site Surveying and Design
- Site Survey Types:
- Predictive, passive, and active surveys
- Post-deployment validation surveys
- Site Survey Tools:
- Spectrum analyzers, protocol analyzers, and heat mapping tools
- Network Design Considerations:
- Capacity vs. coverage requirements
- Channel planning and co-channel interference
- AP placement and density
- Heatmaps and Reporting:
- Signal strength, SNR, and data rate heatmaps
- Survey report documentation
- WLAN Troubleshooting and Optimization
- Common WLAN Issues:
- Interference (RF and non-RF)
- Hidden node problem
- Channel utilization and contention
- Performance Optimization:
- Bandwidth and throughput optimization
- QoS (Quality of Service) and WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia)
- Troubleshooting Tools:
- Protocol analyzers (e.g., Wireshark)
- Spectrum analyzers and Wi-Fi scanners
- Client Connectivity Issues:
- Misconfigurations, driver issues, and compatibility problems
- WLAN Hardware and Software
- Access Points:
- Autonomous vs. controller-based APs
- Cloud-managed APs
- Wireless Controllers:
- Centralized vs. distributed architectures
- Virtual controllers
- Network Management Systems (NMS):
- Monitoring, configuration, and reporting tools
- Emerging Technologies:
- Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz band), IoT integration, and 5G coexistence
- WLAN Applications and Use Cases
- Enterprise WLANs:
- High-density environments (stadiums, conference centers)
- Office and campus deployments
- SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) WLANs:
- Residential and small business setups
- Specialized WLANs:
- Outdoor wireless, industrial, and healthcare environments
- IoT and Smart Devices:
- Integration with IoT devices and smart technologies
- WLAN Vendor-Specific Features
- Vendor Implementations:
- Cisco, Aruba, Ruckus, Ubiquiti, etc.
- Proprietary Features:
- Vendor-specific protocols and optimizations
- Interoperability:
- Ensuring compatibility between different vendor devices
- WLAN Documentation and Policies
- Network Documentation:
- Diagrams, configurations, and inventory
- Policies and Procedures:
- Security policies, acceptable use policies (AUP), and BYOD policies
- Change Management:
- Documenting changes and maintaining network integrity