This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of cabling. The scenario asks you to isolate a root cause — eliminate options that address a different problem before choosing. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
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?
Clue words in this question
Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.
Clue: "most likely"
Why it matters: Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
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.
Key principle: NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
The cable runs are too long for 1000Base-T.
Why it's wrong here
50 meters is well within the 100-meter limit for 1000Base-T, so length is not the issue.
✗
The T568B wiring standard is incompatible with 1000Base-T.
Why it's wrong here
T568B is fully compatible with 1000Base-T; it's a standard wiring scheme.
✓
The terminations are not fully seated or have poor contact on some pairs.
Why this is correct
1000Base-T requires all four pairs to be properly connected; a partially seated connector can cause intermittent loss.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "most likely" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
✗
The network switch ports are set to 100 Mbps full duplex.
Why it's wrong here
If the switch ports were set to 100 Mbps, the connection would be stable at that speed, not intermittent.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: NAT rules depend on direction and matching traffic
NAT is not only about the public address. The inside/outside interface roles and the ACL or rule that matches traffic are just as important.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
NAT questions usually test address translation, overload/PAT behaviour, static mappings and whether the right traffic is being translated. Read the interface direction and address terms carefully.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
PAT allows many inside hosts to share one public address using ports.
Inside local and inside global describe the private and translated addresses.
NAT ACLs identify traffic for translation, not always security filtering.
TExam Day Tips
→Identify inside and outside interfaces first.
→Check whether the scenario needs static NAT, dynamic NAT or PAT.
→Do not confuse NAT matching ACLs with normal packet-filtering intent.
Key takeaway
NAT direction and interface roles matter as much as the IP address mapping. Inside/outside designation controls which traffic is translated.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A small business has 20 workstations on the 192.168.1.0/24 network and one public IP from its ISP. The router uses PAT (NAT overload) so all 20 devices share one public address using different source ports. NAT questions test whether you understand the four address terms and which direction each translation applies.
Related glossary terms
Concepts from this question explained
These glossary pages explain the core terms tested in this 220-1201 question in full detail.
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1201 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Cabling — This question tests Cabling — Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: 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.
What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?
Review the four NAT address types (inside local, inside global, outside local, outside global), PAT port overload, and static vs dynamic NAT use cases. Then practise related 220-1201 NAT questions on configuration and troubleshooting.
Are there clue words in this question I should notice?
Yes — watch for: "most likely". Probability qualifier — the question wants the most probable cause or outcome, not a guaranteed one. Eliminate low-probability options.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Static NAT maps one inside address to one outside address.
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