220-1201 Practice Test 37 — 15 Questions

Question 1

A customer reports that their new Gigabit Ethernet connection is only achieving 100 Mbps speeds. The cable run is 75 meters through a drop ceiling and uses a Cat5e cable. What is the most likely cause of the speed limitation?

Accepted Answer

The cable is actually Cat5, not Cat5e.. Cat5e cables are rated for Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters, so a 75-meter run should be fine. The issue is likely that the cable is not Cat5e or higher; Cat5 cables only support 100 Mbps. Always verify the cable category when troubleshooting speed issues.

Answer

The cable is too long for Cat5e.

Answer

The cable is shielded and causing interference.

Answer

The network switch port is faulty.

Question 2

A small office is setting up a new VoIP phone system. The IT staff must run new cabling to each desk. Which cable type is most appropriate for connecting VoIP phones to the network?

Accepted Answer

Cat5e UTP. VoIP phones typically use Ethernet for data and power (PoE). Cat6a supports higher frequencies and is backward compatible, making it ideal for future-proofing. Cat5e is also sufficient but Cat6a offers better performance.

Answer

Coaxial cable

Answer

Fiber optic cable

Answer

Serial cable

Question 3

A technician is installing a new network drop in a warehouse where there is high electromagnetic interference (EMI) from machinery. Which cable type should be used to minimize signal degradation?

Accepted Answer

Cat6a STP. Shielded twisted pair (STP) cables have a metal shield that reduces EMI. In industrial environments with heavy machinery, STP is preferred over unshielded cables. Fiber optic would also work but is more expensive and harder to terminate.

Answer

Cat5e UTP

Answer

Coaxial cable

Answer

Plenum-rated cable

Question 4

A user reports intermittent network connectivity in an office that recently had a new ceiling installed. The network drop runs through the ceiling and is not in a conduit. What is the most likely cause of the intermittent connection?

Accepted Answer

The cable is pinched or kinked by the new ceiling installation.. Cables run through ceilings without proper support can be damaged by ceiling tiles or other equipment. The intermittent nature suggests a physical issue like a kink or pinch. Always ensure cables are secured and protected in plenum spaces.

Answer

The cable is too long for the network speed.

Answer

The cable is not properly terminated at the patch panel.

Answer

The network switch port is faulty.

Question 5

A company is deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet in a data center and needs cabling that supports this speed over a distance of 50 meters. Which cable type should be selected?

Accepted Answer

Cat6a. Cat6a supports 10 Gbps up to 100 meters, making it suitable for this distance. Cat6 supports 10 Gbps only up to 55 meters, so it would also work but with less margin. Cat5e is limited to 1 Gbps, and Cat3 is for voice.

Answer

Cat5e

Answer

Cat6

Answer

Cat3

Question 6

A technician is troubleshooting a network drop that was working yesterday but now has no link light. The cable run is 90 meters and uses Cat5e. The patch cables and switch ports have been tested and are fine. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The cable has been cut or damaged.. A cable that was working but now fails often indicates physical damage. The length is within spec, so it's not a distance issue. The most common cause is a break or cut in the cable, possibly from recent activity.

Answer

The cable is too long for Cat5e.

Answer

The network switch is not powered on.

Answer

The cable is terminated with the wrong standard.

Question 7

A customer wants to connect two buildings that are 200 meters apart with a high-speed network link. Which cabling solution is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Fiber optic cable. Fiber optic cable can transmit data over long distances without signal loss, making it ideal for inter-building connections. Copper Ethernet is limited to 100 meters. Wireless could work but may be less reliable than fiber.

Answer

Cat6a copper cable

Answer

Coaxial cable

Answer

Wireless bridge

Question 8

A technician is installing a new network in a school and must run cables through air handling plenums. What type of cable jacket is required for this installation?

Accepted Answer

Plenum-rated jacket. Plenum-rated cables have a special jacket that does not emit toxic fumes when burned, required by fire codes for air handling spaces. PVC cables are not allowed because they produce hazardous smoke. This is a safety and code compliance issue.

Answer

PVC jacket

Answer

Shielded jacket

Answer

Riser-rated jacket

Question 9

A network administrator is troubleshooting a 1000BASE-T connection that is only running at 100 Mbps. The cable is Cat5e and the switch supports Gigabit. The link light is green but the speed is capped. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

One of the four wire pairs is broken or shorted.. If only one pair of wires is faulty, Gigabit Ethernet (which uses all four pairs) will fall back to 100 Mbps (which uses only two pairs). This is a common issue with damaged cables. A faulty pair may not cause a complete link loss but will reduce speed.

Answer

The cable is too long for Gigabit.

Answer

The network card is set to 100 Mbps manually.

Answer

The switch port is configured for 100 Mbps.

Question 10

A technician is asked to run a new network cable from a patch panel to a cubicle 80 meters away. The cable must support at least 1 Gbps. The technician has Cat6 cable on hand. What is the maximum distance this cable will support for 1 Gbps?

Accepted Answer

100 meters. Cat6 supports 1 Gbps up to 100 meters, so 80 meters is fine. The question tests knowledge of distance limits for different categories. Cat6 also supports 10 Gbps up to 55 meters, but for 1 Gbps, the limit is 100 meters.

Answer

55 meters

Answer

150 meters

Answer

200 meters

Question 11

A customer reports that their new Gigabit Ethernet connection is only achieving 100 Mbps speeds. The cable run is about 75 meters through a drop ceiling. The technician checks the patch panel and wall jack terminations, which appear correct. What is the most likely cause of the speed issue?

Accepted Answer

The cable is Cat5e or lower, which cannot support Gigabit Ethernet at that distance.. This question tests knowledge of Ethernet cabling standards and performance limitations. The correct answer is that the cable is likely Cat5e or lower, as Cat5e is only certified for Gigabit up to 100 meters, but older Cat5 may only support 100 Mbps. The scenario highlights the importance of using proper cabling for desired speeds.

Answer

The cable run exceeds the maximum length for Gigabit Ethernet.

Answer

The wall jack is wired for T568B but the patch panel uses T568A.

Answer

The cable is shielded (STP) and the connectors are unshielded (UTP).

Question 12

A small office is upgrading from 100Base-TX to 1000Base-T. The existing cabling is Cat5e, runs are under 50 meters, and terminations are T568B. After the upgrade, some workstations intermittently lose connectivity. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The terminations are not fully seated or have poor contact on some pairs.. This question tests understanding that Cat5e supports Gigabit Ethernet, but poor termination or cable damage can cause issues. The correct answer is that the terminations may have poor contact or are not fully inserted, as 1000Base-T uses all four pairs and is less tolerant of faults than 100Base-TX.

Answer

The cable runs are too long for 1000Base-T.

Answer

The T568B wiring standard is incompatible with 1000Base-T.

Answer

The network switch ports are set to 100 Mbps full duplex.

Question 13

A technician is installing a new VoIP phone for a user. The user's desk already has a Cat6 wall jack, but the phone requires both network connectivity and a separate power source. The technician has a limited number of power outlets nearby. What is the simplest solution?

Accepted Answer

Use a Power over Ethernet (PoE) injector between the wall jack and the phone.. This question tests knowledge of Power over Ethernet (PoE) as a cabling-related concept. The correct answer is to use a PoE switch or injector, which sends power over the Ethernet cable, eliminating the need for a separate power adapter.

Answer

Run a new power extension cord from the nearest outlet.

Answer

Replace the Cat6 cable with a USB-C cable for power.

Answer

Install a wireless bridge to eliminate the cable.

Question 14

A technician is troubleshooting a network drop that was working yesterday but now shows 'No Link' on the switch port. The cable run is through a conduit in the wall. The technician tests the cable with a continuity tester and finds that pins 1, 2, 3, and 6 are good, but pins 4, 5, 7, and 8 show no continuity. What is the most likely cause?

Accepted Answer

The cable is cut or crushed in the conduit, breaking the secondary pairs.. This question tests understanding of Ethernet pinout and fault isolation. The correct answer is that the cable is likely damaged or broken on the pairs used for 1000Base-T (all four pairs), but 100Base-TX only uses pairs 1-2 and 3-6. The symptom indicates a break in the cable affecting the secondary pairs.

Answer

The cable is only Cat5 and cannot support Gigabit.

Answer

The cable has a short circuit between pins 4 and 5.

Answer

The wall jack is wired for T568A but the patch panel is T568B.

Question 15

A user reports that their desktop computer connected to the network via a 10-meter Cat6 cable keeps losing connectivity when they move their chair. The cable runs under the desk and is occasionally stepped on. What is the most likely issue?

Accepted Answer

The cable has been crushed or kinked from being stepped on.. This question tests basic troubleshooting for physical cable damage. The correct answer is that the cable is likely damaged from being stepped on, causing intermittent connectivity.

Answer

The cable is too long for reliable connectivity.

Answer

The cable is not shielded and picking up interference.

Answer

The network switch port is faulty.