N10-009 Network Implementation Practice Question
A network engineer is planning to connect two switches that are 150 meters apart. The link must support at least 1 Gbps and the budget is limited. Which cable type should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the 100-meter distance limit for twisted-pair copper (Cat5e/Cat6a) at 1 Gbps, and candidates mistakenly assume Cat6a can exceed this due to its higher rating, but the standard still caps it at 100 meters for 1 Gbps.
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
✓
Multimode fiber optic
Multimode fiber optic cable supports 1 Gbps over distances up to 550 meters (OM2) or more, easily covering the 150-meter requirement at a lower cost than single-mode fiber. It is the best choice for this distance and budget because twisted-pair copper (Cat5e/Cat6a) is limited to 100 meters for 1 Gbps, and single-mode fiber is more expensive due to laser-based transceivers.
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 twisted-pair copper
Why it's wrong here
Cat6a twisted-pair copper cable is primarily designed to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 Gbps) over distances up to 100 meters. While it offers superior performance characteristics compared to Cat5e, its maximum reliable transmission distance for *any* standard Ethernet speed, including 1 Gbps, remains 100 meters. Therefore, using Cat6a for a 150-meter link would still exceed the specified distance limitation, leading to unreliable connectivity and potential packet loss.
When this WOULD be correct
Cat6a would be correct if the distance were 100 meters or less, and the requirement was for 10 Gbps or 1 Gbps with a lower cost than fiber, or if the environment had existing copper infrastructure and no fiber expertise.
- ✓
Multimode fiber optic
Why this is correct
Multimode fiber optic cable, particularly when utilizing 1000BASE-SX transceivers, is an excellent choice for connecting switches 150 meters apart. This standard reliably supports Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) over distances up to 550 meters using OM4 fiber, or 220-300 meters with OM3, comfortably exceeding the 150-meter requirement. It offers a significantly more cost-effective solution than single-mode fiber for intermediate distances like this, making it the most practical and efficient option.
- ✗
Single-mode fiber optic
Why it's wrong here
Single-mode fiber optic cable is technically capable of supporting 1 Gbps over distances far exceeding 150 meters, often spanning many kilometers due to its minimal modal dispersion. However, for relatively short runs like 150 meters, single-mode fiber and its associated transceivers (e.g., 1000BASE-LX) are considerably more expensive to deploy and terminate compared to multimode fiber solutions. While it would function, it represents an over-engineered and uneconomical choice for this specific scenario.
When this WOULD be correct
A network engineer needs to connect two switches 10 km apart with a 10 Gbps link; single-mode fiber would be correct due to its lower attenuation and higher bandwidth over long distances.
- ✗
Cat5e twisted-pair copper
Why it's wrong here
Cat5e twisted-pair copper cabling is engineered to reliably transmit Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) signals over a maximum distance of 100 meters (328 feet). Attempting to extend a Cat5e link to 150 meters would result in significant signal attenuation, increased crosstalk, and potential data corruption, rendering the connection unreliable or non-functional without active repeaters or media converters, which introduce additional complexity and cost.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The N10-009 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓Multimode fiber opticCorrect answer▾
Why this is correct
Multimode fiber optic cable, particularly when utilizing 1000BASE-SX transceivers, is an excellent choice for connecting switches 150 meters apart. This standard reliably supports Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) over distances up to 550 meters using OM4 fiber, or 220-300 meters with OM3, comfortably exceeding the 150-meter requirement. It offers a significantly more cost-effective solution than single-mode fiber for intermediate distances like this, making it the most practical and efficient option.
✗Cat6a twisted-pair copperWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Cat6a twisted-pair copper is limited to 100 meters for 10GBASE-T and 1GBASE-T, so it cannot reach 150 meters. The question requires a link of 150 meters, making Cat6a unsuitable.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
Cat6a would be correct if the distance were 100 meters or less, and the requirement was for 10 Gbps or 1 Gbps with a lower cost than fiber, or if the environment had existing copper infrastructure and no fiber expertise.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume Cat6a supports longer distances because it is rated for 10 Gbps up to 100 meters, and they might overlook the specific distance limit or think it can exceed 100 meters at 1 Gbps.
✗Single-mode fiber opticWrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
Single-mode fiber optic is more expensive than multimode fiber and is typically used for longer distances (several kilometers), making it overkill and over budget for a 150-meter link.
★ When this WOULD be the correct answer
A network engineer needs to connect two switches 10 km apart with a 10 Gbps link; single-mode fiber would be correct due to its lower attenuation and higher bandwidth over long distances.
Why candidates choose this
Candidates may assume single-mode is always superior to multimode, overlooking that its higher cost and specialized transceivers are unnecessary for short distances like 150 meters.
Analysis generated from the official N10-009blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
Related to this question
Learn chapter
Physical Network Infrastructure
Key term
Fiber optic cable
A fiber optic cable is a high-speed data transmission medium that uses pulses of light traveling through thin strands of glass or plastic to carry information over long distances with minimal signal loss.
Key term
Multimode fiber
A type of optical fiber that carries multiple light signals simultaneously over short to medium distances, commonly used in local area networks and data centers.
About these practice questions
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This N10-009 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 N10-009 exam.