Wireless discovery tools use two scanning methods: active and passive. Active scanning works by sending a specific frame and waiting for responses. Which frame is used in active scanning?

• A. Broadcasting a probe request frame
• B. Sniffing the packets from the airwave
• C. Scanning the network
• D. Inspecting WLAN and surrounding networks

Answer: (A)

Active scanning involves actively asking nearby access points for their information by sending a probe request frame on the wireless channel. When the scanner broadcasts this probe request, any AP in range that hears it will reply with a probe response frame containing details about that network (such as the SSID, capabilities, and supported data rates). This approach allows the discovery tool to quickly map available networks across channels, rather than waiting to hear beacon frames. The other described activities—listening passively for traffic, merely scanning, or inspecting networks—do not describe sending a probe to solicit responses, so they don’t capture the mechanism of active scanning.