220-1101 Question 172
Single answerPunchdown toolA technician is terminating several Cat 6 cables onto a 110-style patch panel in a small office. After connecting a few runs, the technician notices intermittent network connectivity on one of the drops. Inspection shows that a couple of conductors are not fully seated in the insulation displacement contacts, and there is excess wire extending past the termination point. Which tool should the technician use to correctly terminate the cable and trim the excess conductor in one step?
- A
Cable stripper
- B
Punchdown tool
- C
Crimping tool
- D
Tone generator and probe
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
The correct answer is punchdown tool. In structured cabling, 110-style patch panels and keystone jacks use insulation displacement contacts (IDCs), which require a punchdown tool to properly seat each conductor. On many punchdown tools, the blade is oriented so the cutting side faces the waste end of the wire, allowing the tool to trim the extra conductor as it seats the wire. This is standard practice in low-voltage copper cabling work. By contrast, a crimping tool is used for attaching plugs such as RJ-45 connectors, and a cable stripper is only for preparing the cable jacket. CompTIA A+ Core 1 objectives expect candidates to distinguish common networking tools and their practical uses, including punchdown tools for patch panels and keystone terminations.
- A. Incorrect.
A cable stripper is used to remove the outer jacket or insulation from cable without damaging the inner conductors. It does not seat wires into a 110 punchdown block or trim the excess conductor at the termination point. Someone might choose this because cable prep is part of termination, but it is not the final seating tool for a patch panel.
- B. Correct.
A punchdown tool is correct because it is specifically designed to insert twisted-pair conductors into insulation displacement connectors on 110-style blocks and patch panels. The cutting blade on the tool trims the extra wire as the conductor is seated, which addresses both problems described in the scenario: poorly seated wires and excess conductor beyond the terminal.
- C. Incorrect.
A crimping tool is used to attach modular connectors such as RJ-45 ends to cable. It is not the proper tool for terminating cable onto a 110-style patch panel. This is a common confusion because both crimping and punching down are cable termination tasks, but they apply to different hardware.
- D. Incorrect.
A tone generator and probe is used to trace and identify cable runs, especially in walls or patch panels. It does not terminate conductors or cut excess wire. Someone might select this if they are thinking about troubleshooting connectivity, but the scenario clearly identifies a physical termination issue.