Enabling RTS/CTS before data transmission is expected to improve performance in which scenario?

Enabling RTS/CTS before data transmission is expected to improve performance in which scenario?

• A. Low RSSI across the network.
• B. When using WPA security.
• C. When plug-and-play devices are used.
• D. Hidden node presence.

Answer: (D)

RTS/CTS is a control-frame handshake used in CSMA/CA to reserve the wireless channel before sending a data frame. It helps prevent collisions when hidden nodes exist—devices that can hear the access point but not each other. By sending a request-to-send and receiving a clear-to-send, nearby stations know to defer, reducing the chance that two nodes transmit simultaneously and collide at the receiver. This makes the transmission more efficient in networks where hidden-terminal situations are likely, especially with larger data frames or sparse node layouts.

The other scenarios aren’t the main benefit: weak signal strength (low RSSI) doesn’t fix poor reception and adds overhead; security protocol (WPA) operates independently of the medium-access handshake; and plug-and-play device behavior isn’t tied to mitigating collisions.