Which term describes using a geographic boundary to enforce access controls on a Wi-Fi network?

Which term describes using a geographic boundary to enforce access controls on a Wi-Fi network?

• A. Captive portal
• B. Guest network
• C. Geofencing
• D. MAC filtering

Answer: (C)

Geofencing is about defining a virtual boundary around a real-world area and applying rules based on whether a device is inside or outside that boundary. In a Wi‑Fi setup, you can grant or restrict access depending on the device’s location—inside a campus or building you might allow full access, while outside the boundary access could be blocked or limited. This boundary-based approach relies on locating the device through GPS/location services or other positioning data, then enforcing policy accordingly. Captive portals are about presenting a login page before access is granted, not about location. A guest network is simply a separate network segment with different access, not tied to geographic position. MAC filtering uses device identifiers to permit or deny access, which ignores where the device is located. Geofencing uniquely matches the idea of location-based access controls.

Geofencing is about defining a virtual boundary around a real-world area and applying rules based on whether a device is inside or outside that boundary. In a Wi‑Fi setup, you can grant or restrict access depending on the device’s location—inside a campus or building you might allow full access, while outside the boundary access could be blocked or limited. This boundary-based approach relies on locating the device through GPS/location services or other positioning data, then enforcing policy accordingly.

Captive portals are about presenting a login page before access is granted, not about location. A guest network is simply a separate network segment with different access, not tied to geographic position. MAC filtering uses device identifiers to permit or deny access, which ignores where the device is located. Geofencing uniquely matches the idea of location-based access controls.