Which condition occurs when an access point receives a distant client's signal at a lower power level than that of a nearer client?

• A. Bluetooth interference.
• B. Near/Far.
• C. Co-channel interference.
• D. Hidden node.

Answer: (B)

The situation being tested is how received signal power at the access point varies with distance and how a power imbalance between two users affects reception. In wireless networks, signal strength decreases as distance increases due to path loss. If there are two clients transmitting at roughly the same time—one close to the AP and one far—the AP will receive the near client’s signal with much higher power than the far client’s signal. This difference is known as the near/far condition. It describes exactly what the question states: the AP receives the distant client’s signal at a lower power level than the nearer client’s. The result can be that the stronger (nearby) transmission is decoded more reliably, while the weaker (distant) transmission may be suppressed or corrupted, impacting overall performance. The other options describe different interference scenarios (co-channel interference, hidden node, Bluetooth interference) that don’t specifically capture this distance-based power imbalance.