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Wireless & Mobility · Intermediate

Hidden Node

A station that cannot hear another station's transmissions, causing both to transmit and collide at the AP.

Definition

Hidden nodes occur when obstacles or distance prevent two clients from hearing each other even though both hear the AP. Their transmissions collide at the AP, increasing retries. RTS/CTS, adding APs, or increasing client power can mitigate the problem.

Example

Two clients on opposite sides of a concrete wall both talk to the same AP.

Exam tip

RTS/CTS is the classic answer for hidden node problems.

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