2.2 - Network cabling and termination

Network+ N10-009 objective 2.2 covers physical cabling, its ratings and how it is terminated. Cable runs through air-handling (plenum) spaces must use plenum-rated (CMP) cable, which produces less toxic smoke if it burns. Cat8 twisted-pair is rated for 25 or 40 Gbps over very short runs, above Cat6a. In the data center, a direct attach copper (DAC) cable integrates transceivers on a fixed twinax assembly for cheap short links. To terminate twisted-pair to a patch panel, technicians use a punch-down (110) block with an insulation-displacement tool. You should also know fiber types (single-mode versus multimode), connectors, straight-through versus crossover, and T568A/B. Expect scenario questions that describe a fire-code requirement, a speed and distance, or a termination task and ask which cable rating, category, assembly or hardware is correct.

Memory hook
Air-handling (plenum) spaces = plenum/CMP cable. 25/40 Gbps very short = Cat8. Fixed twinax with built-in transceivers = DAC. Terminate twisted-pair to a patch panel = punch-down (110) block.

Practice questions

1. Which connector is used to terminate fiber optic cabling?

  • RJ45
  • RJ11
  • LC (correct answer)
  • BNC

LC (and SC/ST) are fiber connectors. RJ45 is for twisted-pair Ethernet, RJ11 for phone lines, BNC for legacy coax.

2. Which short-reach data-center cable integrates transceivers on a fixed twinax assembly?

  • OM4 multimode fiber
  • Cat6a patch cable
  • DAC (direct attach copper) (correct answer)
  • Console rollover cable

A DAC (direct attach copper) is a twinax cable with fixed SFP/QSFP ends for cheap short top-of-rack links. OM4 is fiber; a rollover is for console access.

3. Which cable is wired pin-to-opposite-pin for connecting to a device console port?

  • Ethernet crossover cable
  • Rollover (console) cable (correct answer)
  • Straight-through cable
  • Twinax DAC cable

A rollover (console) cable reverses all pins end to end to reach a device's serial console port (often RJ45 to DB9/USB). A crossover swaps only TX/RX pairs.

4. Which twisted-pair category is required for 10GBASE-T over a full 100 m run?

  • Cat5e
  • Cat6
  • Cat6a (correct answer)
  • Cat3

Cat6a supports 10 Gbps over the full 100 m. Cat6 only reaches 10 Gbps up to ~55 m, Cat5e tops out at 1 Gbps, Cat3 is legacy 10 Mbps.

5. On a straight-through cable, which wiring standard is used on both ends?

  • T568B on both ends (correct answer)
  • T568A on one, T568B on the other
  • T568A on both, then reversed
  • Crossed pairs 1-2 and 3-6

A straight-through cable uses the same standard (e.g., T568B) on both ends. A crossover uses T568A on one end and T568B on the other to swap TX/RX.

6. Which small form-factor transceiver supports 10 Gbps links?

  • GBIC
  • SFP+ (correct answer)
  • SFP
  • RJ45 module

SFP+ supports 10 Gbps. Plain SFP tops out at ~1 Gbps, GBIC is a larger 1 Gbps predecessor, QSFP/QSFP+ handle 40 Gbps+.

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