In Juniper Networks Mist AI Wireless, a rogue access point (AP) is precisely defined to avoid confusion with external or non-threatening wireless devices. Mist qualifies a rogue AP as an unauthorized access point that is physically connected to your wired network infrastructure.
This distinction is critical from a security perspective. A rogue AP represents a direct threat because it bypasses established security controls by providing wireless access into the enterprise wired network without authorization. Such APs are often installed by users without IT approval or, in more serious cases, by malicious actors attempting to gain internal network access.
Mist APs continuously scan the RF environment and correlate wireless observations with wired-side intelligence. If an AP is detected advertising SSIDs and Mist can confirm—through MAC address correlation and wired discovery—that the device is connected to the enterprise’s wired network but is not claimed or authorized in the Mist cloud, it is classified as a rogue AP. This allows administrators to take immediate remediation actions, such as physical removal or switch-port shutdown.
The other options are incorrect for the following reasons:
Neighbor APs are access points belonging to nearby organizations or environments and are not security threats by default. Mist classifies these separately for RF awareness.
APs close to your network as measured by RSSI may simply be physically nearby but not connected to your infrastructure; proximity alone does not make an AP rogue.
Honeypot APs are intentionally deployed decoy access points used in security research or attack detection and are not Mist’s definition of a rogue AP.
Therefore, Mist correctly defines a rogue AP as an unauthorized AP connected to your wired network, making option A the correct answer.
