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220-1201 Practice Question: During a network cable installation, a technician…
During a network cable installation, a technician needs to verify that a newly run Cat6 cable is properly terminated and free of shorts or opens. The cable is not yet connected to any switch or device. Which tool should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many exam-takers confuse a multimeter's ability to check continuity with the comprehensive wiremap and fault detection that only a cable tester provides, especially when the cable is not yet connected to live equipment.
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
✓
Cable tester
A cable tester is specifically designed to verify proper termination and detect faults like shorts, opens, or miswires in copper Ethernet cables. Since the cable is not connected to any network device, a cable tester can independently validate the integrity of each wire pair by sending signals and checking continuity, which is exactly what this scenario requires.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Tone generator and probe
Why it's wrong here
A tone generator injects an audible signal onto a specific cable, which is then detected by a probe, allowing a technician to physically locate and identify that cable among many in a wall, conduit, or bundle. While excellent for tracing and identification, this tool does not provide information about the cable's electrical continuity, correct pinout sequence, or the presence of shorts or opens, which are crucial for verifying network functionality.
- ✗
Multimeter
Why it's wrong here
A multimeter is a versatile electrical testing device capable of measuring voltage, current, and resistance, and can perform basic continuity checks on individual wires. However, it is impractical and inefficient for thoroughly verifying the proper termination of all eight conductors in a twisted-pair network cable, as it cannot quickly confirm the correct pinout sequence (e.g., T568B) or detect complex wiring faults like split pairs or crosstalk issues.
- ✓
Cable tester
Why this is correct
A cable tester is purpose-built for network cabling, providing comprehensive diagnostics by verifying end-to-end continuity for all individual conductors, confirming the correct pinout sequence according to standards like T568A or T568B, and detecting common faults. These faults include opens (broken wires), shorts (unintended connections between wires), and split pairs (incorrect wire pairing within a twisted pair), all of which are critical for ensuring reliable data transmission and preventing network performance degradation.
- ✗
Loopback plug
Why it's wrong here
A loopback plug is a diagnostic tool designed to test the functionality of network ports on devices such as network interface cards (NICs), switches, or routers. It creates a closed circuit by sending data signals from the transmit pins of a port directly back to its receive pins, allowing the device to self-test its sending and receiving capabilities. This tool verifies the operational status of an active port, but it does not test the integrity or wiring configuration of a standalone, passive network cable.
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Mobile Device Types and Features
Key term
CAN
A CAN (Controller Area Network) is a robust vehicle bus standard designed to allow microcontrollers and devices to communicate with each other without a host computer.
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.