220-1101 Question 194
Single answerCategoriesA technician is upgrading a small office network and needs to recommend the correct network category cable for a new 10 Gbps connection between a switch and a workstation. The cable run will be 40 meters through an area with fluorescent lighting and other electrical equipment. The manager wants a standards-based copper solution that supports the required speed at that distance. Which cable category should the technician recommend?
- A
Cat 5
- B
Cat 5e
- C
Cat 6
- D
Cat 3
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The best answer is Cat 6. In CompTIA A+ Core 1, candidates are expected to know common cable categories and their practical use cases. Cat 5e is typically associated with Gigabit Ethernet, while Cat 6 supports higher performance and can carry 10GBASE-T over shorter distances, commonly up to 55 meters. For full 100-meter 10 Gbps runs, Cat 6a is generally the preferred standard, but it is not listed as an option here. Since the required distance is 40 meters, Cat 6 is the most appropriate answer. This aligns with common TIA/EIA structured cabling guidance and Ethernet deployment best practices for copper cabling selection.
- A. Incorrect.
Cat 5 is incorrect. Category 5 is an older cabling standard and is not the correct recommendation for a new 10 Gbps copper installation. While some older environments may still have Cat 5 in place, it was designed for much lower performance and is not the appropriate standards-based choice for this scenario.
- B. Incorrect.
Cat 5e is incorrect. Cat 5e commonly supports 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet and is widely used for Gigabit networks, but it is not the proper recommendation for a 10 Gbps link in this scenario. A technician choosing Cat 5e may be confusing its strong Gigabit support with 10 Gigabit capability.
- C. Correct.
Cat 6 is correct. Category 6 cable can support 10GBASE-T at shorter distances, commonly up to 55 meters under proper installation conditions. Because the run is only 40 meters, Cat 6 is a valid standards-based copper choice for a 10 Gbps connection. It also offers better performance characteristics than lower categories in environments with potential electrical interference.
- D. Incorrect.
Cat 3 is incorrect. Category 3 cabling is a much older standard associated with legacy voice and very low-speed data networks. It is not suitable for modern Ethernet speeds such as 1 Gbps or 10 Gbps. Someone might choose it if they confuse general twisted-pair cabling categories or focus only on physical compatibility rather than bandwidth capability.