Cisco WLSI 300‑120 Practice Exam
About the Cisco 300-120 WLSI exam
Exam at a glance
The professional-tier CCNP Wireless concentration exam for implementing advanced wireless solutions, replacing 300-430 ENWLSI as part of Cisco's wireless-track relaunch on March 19, 2026.
Domain weighting
- FlexConnect — 15%
- QoS on a Wireless Network — 10%
- Multicast — 10%
- Location Services — 10%
- Advanced Location Services — 10%
- Security for Wireless Client Connectivity — 20%
- Monitoring — 15%
- Device Hardening — 10%
Track placement
- Track: CCNP Wireless (relaunched March 19, 2026).
- Tier: Professional Concentration.
- Core pair: 350-101 WLCOR — required for CCNP Wireless.
- Sister Concentration: 300-110 WLSD (wireless design focus, alternative Concentration choice).
- Replaces: 300-430 ENWLSI. Last day for the old code was March 18, 2026; content blueprint is essentially identical.
- Standalone badge: passing WLSI alone earns Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Wireless Implementation.
Prerequisites
No formal prerequisites. Cisco expects CCNA-level (200-301) networking knowledge plus hands-on time with WLCs, lightweight APs, and the Catalyst 9800 controller family. Existing 300-430 ENWLSI study material applies directly — the re-code did not redraw the blueprint.
Why take this certification
- One of the few specialist wireless credentials. Enterprise wireless is a small, well-paid specialisation. WLSI is the implementation-focused half of CCNP Wireless and a clean signal to hiring managers that you can stand up Catalyst 9800 + Cisco Spaces deployments in production.
- Re-coded, not re-written. If you held 300-430 ENWLSI, the credit carries over automatically — and existing ENWLSI study material is still on-blueprint, so the learning investment compounds.
- Continuing-education recertification. Three-year validity with the option to recertify via Cisco's Continuing Education program — stay current without sitting another exam by completing approved training.
- Direct day-to-day skills. FlexConnect, wireless QoS, multicast, location services, and 802.1X / EAP-based client security are the actual mechanics of running a modern enterprise wireless network. Few exams map this directly to operational work.
What you'll learn in the 300-120 WLSI exam
WLSI is implementation-heavy — the exam expects you to know how to configure, deploy, and troubleshoot enterprise wireless features on the Catalyst 9800 platform and Cisco Spaces, not just describe them. Most questions are scenario-driven: a deployment is described, a symptom is named, and you choose the configuration or design decision that resolves it.
Core technologies you'll be tested on
- FlexConnect: local switching vs central switching, FlexConnect groups, CCKM / OKC / 802.11r fast-roaming with FlexConnect, split-tunneling, smart-AP-image upgrades, fault tolerance.
- Wireless QoS: WMM (Wi-Fi Multimedia), DSCP / 802.11e UP mappings, trust boundaries on the AP and WLC, Application Visibility & Control (AVC), QoS profiles per WLAN, FastLane for iOS, Call Admission Control (CAC) for voice.
- Multicast over wireless: multicast-multicast (MoM) vs multicast-unicast (MoU) modes, IGMP snooping on the WLC, multicast roaming, mDNS / Bonjour gateway, AirPlay and Chromecast use cases.
- Location services: Cisco Spaces (cloud) and CMX (on-prem), Hyperlocation antenna arrays, FastLocate, RSSI vs Angle-of-Arrival, BLE beacon integration, asset tracking, presence analytics, captive-portal use cases.
- Advanced client security: 802.1X with EAP-TLS / PEAP / EAP-FAST / EAP-TEAP, ISE integration as the AAA back-end, certificate-based device onboarding, MAB, WPA3-Enterprise (192-bit and SAE), iPSK, OWE for guest, Identity PSK.
- Monitoring and device hardening: NetFlow / IPFIX export from the WLC, syslog destinations, SNMPv3, RADIUS accounting, AAA on the WLC management plane, role-based access control, certificate management for HTTPS and 802.1X, controller and AP image signing.
Deployment patterns you'll need to recognise
- Designing FlexConnect groups that survive WAN outages while preserving 802.11r fast-roaming.
- Mapping voice and video traffic through end-to-end QoS — from the wireless client through the AP, controller, and switching fabric.
- Choosing multicast mode (MoM vs MoU) based on AP count, group size, and underlying wired multicast support.
- Selecting a location-services architecture — cloud Cisco Spaces vs on-prem CMX, with or without Hyperlocation.
- Designing 802.1X with ISE for both certificate-driven corporate devices and PSK-style onboarding for IoT, plus guest access via OWE or sponsor portal.
- Hardening the management plane: AAA-authenticated CLI / GUI access, role-based admin scopes, encrypted SNMP, signed image upgrades.
How the practice exams help
Each free question and every premium exam mirrors the configure-or-troubleshoot format WLSI uses — a deployment is described, an outcome is required, and the candidate selects the configuration step (or root cause) that fits. Detailed explanations cover not only why the right answer is right but why each distractor is wrong, so you learn the trade-offs and command syntax rather than memorising answers.
How to prepare for the 300-120 WLSI exam
A practical four-week study plan that assumes daily access to (or lab time on) a Catalyst 9800 controller plus access points. Stretch to six or eight weeks if you don't have hands-on time during the workday.
- Week 1 — Blueprint + WLC fundamentals. Pull the official Cisco WLSI exam topics PDF and tick off every bullet you can already explain. Read the FlexConnect, QoS, and multicast chapters of the CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Wireless ENWLSI 300-430 Official Cert Guide (Cisco Press) — the cert guide content still applies cleanly to WLSI because the blueprint is the same.
- Week 2 — Labs on the 9800. Spin up a Catalyst 9800-CL in your hypervisor of choice or use the Cisco dCloud wireless sandboxes. Build a FlexConnect group, configure WMM + DSCP mappings on a voice WLAN, enable multicast roaming, and verify with packet captures. Document every command — you'll re-use the notes for exam review.
- Week 3 — Location services and security. Sign up for a free Cisco Spaces developer tier and connect your test WLC. Build a small site map, generate presence analytics, integrate one BLE beacon. Then pair the WLC with an ISE evaluation VM and run through EAP-TLS, PEAP, iPSK, and OWE flows. WPA3-Enterprise 192-bit is heavily favoured on the blueprint — practise it specifically.
- Week 4 — Practice exams and weak-domain drill. Take timed full-length practice tests, then re-study the lowest-scoring domains. Aim for consistent 85%+ on practice before scheduling. Because Cisco does not publish a fixed pass mark, over-shooting the bar is the safest strategy.
Recommended timeline
4 weeks of focused study (10-15 hours per week) for engineers already running Cisco wireless in production. Plan for 8-10 weeks if your hands-on time is limited to evenings and weekends. Holders of the prior 300-430 ENWLSI can usually compress to 2-3 weeks of refresh — the content is identical.
Official resources
Start with the Cisco Learning Network WLSI exam topics page. The Implementing Cisco Enterprise Wireless Networks (ENWLSI) Cisco Press cert guide remains the canonical text. For the on-controller side, the Cisco Catalyst 9800 configuration guides are exam-grade reference material — every CLI snippet WLSI tests is in there. Pair the reading with hands-on time on Cisco dCloud or your own 9800 lab.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Cisco 300-120 WLSI exam?
300-120 WLSI (Implementing Cisco Wireless Advanced Solutions) is a Professional-tier Concentration exam under the relaunched CCNP Wireless track. It went live on March 19, 2026 and replaces the prior 300-430 ENWLSI exam — content is essentially the same blueprint, just under a new code. WLSI validates advanced enterprise-wireless implementation skills: FlexConnect deployments, wireless QoS, multicast, location services (Cisco Spaces / CMX), advanced 802.1X / EAP-based client security, and device hardening.
What are the prerequisites for the 300-120 WLSI exam?
There are no formal prerequisites for WLSI itself, but Cisco assumes you already hold or have studied CCNA-level networking (200-301) and have hands-on experience with Cisco WLCs, lightweight access points, and the Catalyst 9800 wireless controller family. To earn the full CCNP Wireless certification you must pass 350-101 WLCOR (the Core exam) plus one Concentration such as WLSI. WLSI alone earns the standalone Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Wireless Implementation badge.
How is WLSI different from WLCOR and WLSD?
WLCOR (350-101) is the Core exam — broad coverage of architecture, infrastructure, network services, security, and assurance. Every CCNP Wireless candidate must pass it. WLSI (300-120) is the implementation-focused Concentration: how to deploy FlexConnect, configure wireless QoS, multicast, location services, and advanced client security. WLSD (300-110) is the design-focused Concentration: site surveys, RF design, capacity planning, predictive vs post-deployment surveys. CCNP Wireless = WLCOR + one Concentration (WLSI for implementers, WLSD for designers).
Why was the exam renamed from ENWLSI to WLSI?
On March 19, 2026, Cisco relaunched the CCNP Wireless track and renamed the four-character ENWLSI code (300-430) to the simpler WLSI code (300-120). The content blueprint is essentially the same — Cisco re-shelved the exam under the new naming convention adopted across the relaunched wireless portfolio. The last day to sit the old 300-430 code was March 18, 2026; from March 19 onward the exam is only available as 300-120 WLSI. If you previously passed 300-430, the credit carries over automatically.
How much does the 300-120 exam cost and how do I register?
The 300-120 WLSI exam costs $300 USD (converted to local currency). Register through Pearson VUE at pearsonvue.com/cisco — choose between in-person delivery at an authorised testing centre or online proctoring. Cisco occasionally offers discount vouchers via Cisco Learning Credits, Cisco Modeling Labs subscriptions, or partner / NetAcad programs. There is a 5-day waiting period before retaking after a failure.
How long does it take to prepare for the 300-120 WLSI exam?
Engineers with daily hands-on Cisco wireless experience and CCNA (200-301) knowledge typically need 6-8 weeks of focused study (10-15 hours per week). Candidates without recent wireless deployment experience should plan for 10-12 weeks and front-load lab time. Because the WLSI blueprint mirrors the prior 300-430 ENWLSI exam, ENWLSI study material from 2024-2026 is still directly applicable — only the exam code on the cover has changed.
What hands-on lab equipment do I need to prepare?
Ideal lab: a Catalyst 9800 wireless controller (physical, virtual, or 9800-CL on a hypervisor) paired with two or more Catalyst 9100-series access points. Catalyst 9800-CL runs on VMware ESXi, KVM, or as a sandbox on Cisco dCloud, which is the most accessible path for individual study. For location services practice, Cisco Spaces offers a free developer tier — sign up at spaces.cisco.com. If physical kit isn't an option, Cisco's dCloud (dcloud.cisco.com) hosts ready-made 9800 + Spaces + ISE labs that mirror exam scenarios.
How long is the 300-120 / CCNP Wireless certification valid?
Three years from the date you pass. Cisco allows recertification by either re-taking a current Cisco professional-level exam, passing any one Expert-level exam, or earning Continuing Education credits through the Cisco CE program. The CE path lets you stay certified without sitting another exam by completing approved training, instructor-led courses, or content-author activities — see cisco.com/go/ce for the credit catalogue.
What career value does the 300-120 exam offer?
WLSI signals that you can stand up and operate enterprise wireless networks at scale — the work most wireless network engineers, wireless operations leads, and pre-sales wireless SEs do day to day. Combined with WLCOR it earns full CCNP Wireless, one of Cisco's most respected professional credentials in the wireless specialisation. Even on its own, the standalone Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise Wireless Implementation badge maps cleanly to job titles like Wireless Network Engineer, RF / Wireless Implementation Engineer, and Wireless Solutions Architect.
What is the retake policy if I fail the 300-120 exam?
Cisco enforces a 5-day waiting period between attempts at the same exam. There is no cap on the total number of attempts, but each retake requires the full $300 fee. After three consecutive failures at the same exam Cisco imposes a 180-day waiting period before a fourth attempt. Use the score report breakdown (delivered immediately after the test) to focus retake study on the lowest-scoring domains rather than re-reading the whole blueprint.