220-1101 Networking Practice Question
A technician is installing network cabling for a new office. The office has a server room in the basement, and the technician needs to connect workstations on the 2nd floor, which is approximately 120 meters (394 feet) away. The required bandwidth is 1 Gbps. Which cabling type should the technician use?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates often focus on bandwidth (1 Gbps) and assume Cat6 is superior to Cat5e, but the real constraint is the 100-meter distance limit for all twisted-pair copper cabling under 1000BASE-T, making fiber the only correct option for runs exceeding that length.
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
✓
Multi-mode fiber
Multi-mode fiber, because the distance requirement of 120 meters exceeds the maximum segment length for twisted-pair copper cabling (Cat5e and Cat6), which is 100 meters for 1 Gbps. Multi-mode fiber supports distances up to 550 meters at 1 Gbps using 1000BASE-SX, making it the only viable option among the choices.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Cat5e
Why it's wrong here
Cat5e is rated for 1 Gbps (1000BASE-T) only up to a maximum reach of 100 meters per TIA/EIA-568 standards. At 120 meters, signal attenuation and near-end crosstalk become excessive, leading to packet errors, retransmissions, and eventual link loss without adding a network switch or repeater in the path. Exceeding the standard 100-meter channel length violates ISO/IEC 11801 and does not guarantee reliable Ethernet operation, so it cannot be used for this run.
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Cat6
Why it's wrong here
Although Cat6 cable offers improved crosstalk margins and a 250 MHz bandwidth compared to Cat5e, its maximum horizontal link length for 1 Gbps Ethernet remains exactly 100 meters when using standard connectors and patch panels. At 120 meters, the insertion loss and return loss exceed the limits defined in the 1000BASE-T specification, making the link unreliable. Cat6's enhanced performance does not extend the distance reach; it only reduces interference within the permissible 100-meter channel.
- ✓
Multi-mode fiber
Why this is correct
Multi-mode fiber is the correct choice for this 120-meter network run because the 1000BASE-SX standard, used with SFP modules and approved multi-mode fiber (e.g., OM3 or OM4), supports distances up to 550 meters while maintaining a stable 1 Gbps link. Unlike copper twisted-pair, fiber optic cabling is immune to electromagnetic interference and exhibits negligible signal loss over this distance, providing error-free transmission well beyond the 100-meter copper limit. This makes it the only listed option that meets the distance requirement for modern office Ethernet.
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Coaxial
Why it's wrong here
Coaxial cable is not a valid medium for standard 1 Gbps Ethernet networks because modern 1000BASE-T is defined exclusively for four-pair balanced twisted-pair cabling (Cat5e/Cat6) or optical fiber. While coaxial cable is used in legacy 10BASE2/10BASE5 Ethernet or broadband cable internet, it uses a different impedance (50/75 ohms) and signaling scheme that is incompatible with 1000BASE-T transceivers. Attempting to use it for a 1 Gbps office LAN would require proprietary adapters and would still not provide the 120-meter reach or performance required.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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