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220-1201 Practice Question: A technician is troubleshooting a network drop…
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?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common misconception is that a cable run of 90 meters is too long for Cat5e, but the actual limit is 100 meters, so candidates must remember the exact maximum distance and not assume any run near that limit is automatically faulty.
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
✓
The cable has been cut or damaged.
Since the cable run is 90 meters (within the 100-meter maximum for Cat5e), the patch cables and switch ports are verified working, and the link light is absent, the most likely cause is physical damage to the cable—such as a cut, pinch, or break—that interrupts the electrical continuity required for link pulses. A damaged cable prevents the switch and NIC from establishing a link, even if all other components are functional.
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 is too long for Cat5e.
Why it's wrong here
Cat5e supports up to 100 meters, so 90 meters is fine.
- ✓
The cable has been cut or damaged.
Why this is correct
A sudden loss of link suggests a physical break. This could be from construction, rodents, or accidental damage.
- ✗
The network switch is not powered on.
Why it's wrong here
The technician tested the switch port and found it fine, so the switch is powered.
- ✗
The cable is terminated with the wrong standard.
Why it's wrong here
Wrong termination would cause issues from the start, not suddenly after working.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Laptop Hardware and Components
Key term
Switch
A switch is a networking device that connects devices on a local area network and uses MAC addresses to forward data only to the intended recipient.
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.
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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.