You wish to build a wireless network that provides significantly better throughput than a single IEEE 802.11b access point. Which of the following is an acceptable solution?

• A. Co-locate IEEE 802.11 FHSS and 802.11 DSSS access points in the same area.
• B. Upgrade all clients to 802.11ac.
• C. Use only one high-power 802.11b AP.
• D. Use the same frequency band for all APs.

Answer: (A)

Increasing throughput in a wireless setup often comes from adding more airtime sources rather than pushing a single link to higher speed. By placing two access points that use different PHY methods in the same area, you create two separate networks that can serve clients in parallel. The IEEE 802.11 FHSS and 802.11 DSSS approaches handle the medium differently—FHSS hops across frequencies while DSSS uses fixed channels—so when configured thoughtfully, they can coexist with reduced interference. This setup gives more opportunities for clients to communicate without stepping on each other’s transmissions, boosting the overall capacity available in that area.

Upgrading all clients to 802.11ac would indeed raise maximum speeds, but it often isn’t practical due to hardware, cost, and compatibility constraints. Relying on a single high-power 802.11b AP concentrates traffic on one link and can create a bottleneck. Using the same frequency band for all APs tends to increase interference and collisions, reducing performance rather than improving it.