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220-1201 Practice Question: Upgrading its network to support 10 Gbps…
A company is upgrading its network to support 10 Gbps connections between server racks. The distance between racks is 25 meters. Which cabling standard is most appropriate for this upgrade?
⚠ Common exam trap
This question tests the common misconception that Cat6 is sufficient for 10 Gbps at any distance. In reality, Cat6 only supports 10 Gbps up to 37-55 meters depending on cable quality, while Cat6a is the standard for reliable 10 Gbps up to 100 meters.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Cat6a cable.
Cat6a cable is the most appropriate choice because it supports 10GBASE-T (10 Gbps) over twisted-pair copper cabling at distances up to 100 meters, which easily covers the 25-meter distance between racks. Cat6a has a bandwidth of 500 MHz, double that of Cat6, and includes improved alien crosstalk (AXT) specifications required for reliable 10 Gbps transmission. This makes it the standard recommendation for 10 Gbps Ethernet in data center environments.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Cat5e cable.
Why it's wrong here
Cat5e only supports 1 Gbps, not 10 Gbps.
- ✗
Cat6 cable.
Why it's wrong here
Cat6 supports 10 Gbps only up to 55 meters, but Cat6a is more reliable and standard for 10 Gbps.
- ✓
Cat6a cable.
Why this is correct
Cat6a supports 10 Gbps up to 100 meters, making it ideal for 25-meter rack connections.
- ✗
Cat7 cable.
Why it's wrong here
Cat7 is not a TIA/EIA standard and is less common; Cat6a is the appropriate standard for 10 Gbps.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Network Configuration: IP, DNS, DHCP
Key term
Unshielded Twisted Pair
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) is a type of copper cabling used in Ethernet networks, where pairs of wires are twisted together to reduce electrical interference, without additional metallic shielding.
Key term
Ethernet
Ethernet is a wired networking technology that connects devices like computers, printers, and servers to each other and to the internet using cables.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 220-1201 exam.