mediumMultiple Choice
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 is rated only for 2.5GBASE-T at 100 metres and cannot sustain 10 Gbps over the 25-metre run; its 100 MHz bandwidth caps it at 1 Gbps for reliable operation. It suits gigabit access-layer drops, not 10 Gbps rack interconnects.
- ✗
Cat6 cable.
Why it's wrong here
Cat6 supports 10GBASE-T only to 55 metres, so a 25-metre run technically qualifies, yet its 250 MHz rating and higher alien crosstalk leave no headroom; Cat6a's 500 MHz is specified for full 100-metre 10GBASE-T. Cat6 fits shorter 10 Gbps patch links.
- ✓
Cat6a cable.
Why this is correct
Cat6a supports 10GBASE-T across the full 100-metre channel, comfortably covering the 25-metre rack-to-rack span. Cat6 is limited to roughly 55 metres at 10 Gbps, so it would not reliably satisfy the stated distance and bandwidth requirement.
- ✗
Cat7 cable.
Why it's wrong here
Cat7 is a shielded copper standard limited to 10GBASE-T at roughly 100 metres, but copper cabling is susceptible to electromagnetic interference and crosstalk between densely packed server racks. It is tempting because it supports 10 Gbps, and it would be the correct choice for short in-rack runs where fibre transceivers are unavailable.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Home and SOHO Network Setup
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.