This N10-009 practice question tests your understanding of network implementation. Compare every option against the stated constraints before choosing — the best answer satisfies all requirements, not just the most obvious one. 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 network engineer needs to connect two buildings that are 200 meters apart with a 1 Gbps link. The path is outdoors and susceptible to lightning strikes. Which cable type is the most appropriate for this scenario?
Why wrong: Cat6a is rated for 10 Gbps up to 100 meters; at 200 meters it would likely fail to maintain 1 Gbps and is susceptible to lightning strikes.
B
Multimode fiber optic
Multimode fiber (e.g., 1000BASE-SX) supports 1 Gbps over 200m easily, is immune to electrical interference and lightning, and is cost-effective for this distance.
C
Cat5e UTP
Why wrong: Cat5e supports 1 Gbps up to 100 meters only; 200 meters exceeds the specification, and UTP is vulnerable to lightning.
D
Single-mode fiber optic
Why wrong: Single-mode fiber supports much longer distances but is more expensive and unnecessary for 200m; multimode is sufficient.
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Multimode fiber optic
Multimode fiber optic cable is the most appropriate choice because it supports 1 Gbps over distances up to 550 meters (using OM2/OM3 fiber) and is completely immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) from lightning strikes. Unlike copper cabling, fiber uses light pulses for transmission, so it does not conduct electricity, making it ideal for outdoor runs between buildings where lightning is a risk.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
Cat6a UTP
Why it's wrong here
Cat6a is rated for 10 Gbps up to 100 meters; at 200 meters it would likely fail to maintain 1 Gbps and is susceptible to lightning strikes.
✓
Multimode fiber optic
Why this is correct
Multimode fiber (e.g., 1000BASE-SX) supports 1 Gbps over 200m easily, is immune to electrical interference and lightning, and is cost-effective for this distance.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Cat5e UTP
Why it's wrong here
Cat5e supports 1 Gbps up to 100 meters only; 200 meters exceeds the specification, and UTP is vulnerable to lightning.
✗
Single-mode fiber optic
Why it's wrong here
Single-mode fiber supports much longer distances but is more expensive and unnecessary for 200m; multimode is sufficient.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often choose Cat6a UTP because they focus on bandwidth and distance but forget the outdoor lightning risk, assuming that higher-category copper can handle longer distances, when in fact all UTP copper is limited to 100 meters for Ethernet and is conductive.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Multimode fiber typically uses 850 nm or 1300 nm wavelengths with LED or VCSEL transmitters, and for 1 Gbps (1000BASE-SX), the maximum distance over OM2 fiber is 550 meters, easily covering 200 meters. In real-world deployments, lightning strikes can induce high-voltage surges in copper cables even if they are not directly hit, potentially destroying switch ports and creating fire hazards, which is why fiber is the standard for inter-building links.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
→Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
→Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
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 N10-009 question in full detail.
Network Implementation — This question tests Network Implementation — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Multimode fiber optic — Multimode fiber optic cable is the most appropriate choice because it supports 1 Gbps over distances up to 550 meters (using OM2/OM3 fiber) and is completely immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) from lightning strikes. Unlike copper cabling, fiber uses light pulses for transmission, so it does not conduct electricity, making it ideal for outdoor runs between buildings where lightning is a risk.
What should I do if I get this N10-009 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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