Question 153 of 1,020

Common Networking Hardware →hardMultiple ChoiceObjective-mapped

Upgrade to 10 Gbps with Existing Cat6a Cabling

This 220-1201 practice question tests your understanding of common networking hardware. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. 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 company is upgrading its network to support 10 Gbps speeds for a server farm. The existing cabling is Cat6a, and the switches are Gigabit. The IT manager wants to minimize cost while achieving 10 Gbps. Which hardware change is required?

Clue words in this question

Noticing these words before you look at the options changes how you read each choice.

Clue: "minimum / minimize"
Why it matters: Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

A
Replace the Cat6a cabling with Cat7 cabling.
Why wrong: Cat6a already supports 10 Gbps at 100 meters. Cat7 is not necessary and is not a standard recognized by TIA/EIA for Ethernet.
B
Install 10 Gbps switches and use the existing Cat6a cabling.
Correct. Cat6a supports 10 Gbps, so only the switches need to be upgraded to 10 Gbps models. This is the most cost-effective solution.
C
Replace the switches with Gigabit models that have SFP+ ports for fiber.
Why wrong: SFP+ ports can support 10 Gbps, but the scenario states existing cabling is Cat6a, which is copper. Using SFP+ would require fiber cabling, adding cost.
D
Add a repeater to boost the signal on the existing Cat6a cabling.
Why wrong: Repeaters are used to extend distance, not increase speed. Cat6a already supports 10 Gbps at the required distance, so a repeater is unnecessary.

Full breakdown with real-world context →

Quick Answer

The answer is to install 10 Gbps switches while keeping the existing Cat6a cabling. This is correct because Cat6a cabling is specifically rated to support 10 Gbps speeds at distances up to 100 meters, so the physical infrastructure is already capable of handling the upgrade. The real bottleneck in this scenario is the current Gigabit switches, which cap throughput at 1 Gbps regardless of cable quality. On the CompTIA A+ Core 1 220-1201 exam, this question tests your understanding of cabling standards versus hardware limitations—a common trap is assuming you need new cable, when in fact Cat6a is fully 10 Gbps-ready. A useful memory tip: think of the cable as the highway and the switch as the on-ramp; a wide highway (Cat6a) is useless if the on-ramp (switch) is narrow.

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

✓

Install 10 Gbps switches and use the existing Cat6a cabling.

Cat6a cabling is rated to support 10 Gbps Ethernet up to 100 meters, so no cable replacement is needed. The bottleneck is the existing Gigabit switches, which must be upgraded to 10 Gbps switches to achieve the desired speed. This is the most cost-effective approach because it avoids the expense of new cabling.

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.

✗
Replace the Cat6a cabling with Cat7 cabling.
Why it's wrong here
Cat6a already supports 10 Gbps at 100 meters. Cat7 is not necessary and is not a standard recognized by TIA/EIA for Ethernet.
✓
Install 10 Gbps switches and use the existing Cat6a cabling.
Why this is correct
Correct. Cat6a supports 10 Gbps, so only the switches need to be upgraded to 10 Gbps models. This is the most cost-effective solution.
Clue confirmation
The clue word "minimum / minimize" in the question point toward this answer.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✗
Replace the switches with Gigabit models that have SFP+ ports for fiber.
Why it's wrong here
SFP+ ports can support 10 Gbps, but the scenario states existing cabling is Cat6a, which is copper. Using SFP+ would require fiber cabling, adding cost.
✗
Add a repeater to boost the signal on the existing Cat6a cabling.
Why it's wrong here
Repeaters are used to extend distance, not increase speed. Cat6a already supports 10 Gbps at the required distance, so a repeater is unnecessary.

Common exam traps

Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword

Students often think a higher category cable (e.g., Cat7) is needed for 10 Gbps, but Cat6a supports it. The real bottleneck is the switch hardware, not the cabling.

Trap categories for this question

Scenario analysis trap
SFP+ ports can support 10 Gbps, but the scenario states existing cabling is Cat6a, which is copper. Using SFP+ would require fiber cabling, adding cost.

Detailed technical explanation

How to think about this question

10GBASE-T (IEEE 802.3an) operates over twisted-pair copper cabling and requires Cat6a or better for full 100-meter reach. The existing Cat6a cabling meets this specification, so only the switches need to be upgraded to 10GBASE-T-capable models. In real-world deployments, using existing cabling can significantly reduce costs, but careful testing for alien crosstalk (ANEXT) is recommended to ensure reliable performance at 10 Gbps.

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 practitioner preparing for the 220-1201 exam encounters this exact type of scenario on the job. The correct answer here is not the most general option — it is the best answer for the specific constraint described. Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option. Real exam questions reward reading the full scenario before eliminating options, because the constraint defines which answer fits.

What to study next

Got this wrong? Here's your next step.

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Related 220-1201 practice-question pages

Use these pages to review the topic behind this question. This is how one missed question becomes focused revision.

Mobile Device Hardware Servicing practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Hardware Servicing.

Mobile Device Connection Methods practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Connection Methods.

Mobile Device Accessories practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Accessories.

Mobile Device Network Connectivity practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Network Connectivity.

Mobile Device Application Support practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Mobile Device Application Support.

Network Protocols practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Protocols.

TCP & UDP Ports practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to TCP & UDP Ports.

Wireless Networking Technologies practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Wireless Networking Technologies.

Network Services practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Services.

Network Configuration Concepts practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Network Configuration Concepts.

Common Networking Hardware practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to Common Networking Hardware.

IP Addressing practice questions

Practise 220-1201 questions linked to IP Addressing.

Practice this exam

Start a free 220-1201 practice session

Short sessions build daily habit. Longer sessions build exam-day stamina. Try a timed session to simulate real conditions.

10 questions 20 questions 30 questions 50 questions Timed 30

220-1201 practice-test guide →Study guide →Browse all practice tests

FAQ

Questions learners often ask

What does this 220-1201 question test?

Common Networking Hardware — This question tests Common Networking Hardware — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..

What is the correct answer to this question?

The correct answer is: Install 10 Gbps switches and use the existing Cat6a cabling. — Cat6a cabling is rated to support 10 Gbps Ethernet up to 100 meters, so no cable replacement is needed. The bottleneck is the existing Gigabit switches, which must be upgraded to 10 Gbps switches to achieve the desired speed. This is the most cost-effective approach because it avoids the expense of new cabling.

What should I do if I get this 220-1201 question wrong?

Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.

Are there clue words in this question I should notice?

Yes — watch for: "minimum / minimize". Asks for the least resource use — fewest addresses, smallest subnet, lowest overhead. Eliminate over-provisioned options even if they would technically work.

What is the key concept behind this question?

Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.

About these practice questions

Courseiva creates original exam-style practice questions with explanations and wrong-answer analysis. It does not publish real exam questions, exam dumps, or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →

How Courseiva writes practice questions · Editorial policy

Same concept, more angles

1 more ways this is tested on 220-1201

These questions test the same concept from different angles. Work through them to make sure you can recognise it however the exam phrases it.

Variation 1. A small office with 15 employees uses a single switch to connect all workstations. Users report that the network becomes extremely slow during peak hours, and some packets are being dropped. The switch is a 10/100 model with a 1 Gbps uplink to the router. What is the most likely cause of the slowdown?

easy

A.The switch is not a managed switch and cannot prioritize traffic.
✓ B.The switch's ports are only 100 Mbps, causing a bottleneck when multiple users are active.
C.The router's uplink port is faulty and needs to be replaced.
D.The switch is a hub, not a switch, causing collisions.

Why B: The switch operates at 10/100 Mbps per port, meaning each workstation is limited to a maximum of 100 Mbps. With 15 employees active during peak hours, the aggregate traffic can easily exceed the 100 Mbps per-port capacity, causing congestion, packet drops, and slowdowns. The 1 Gbps uplink to the router is not the bottleneck; the bottleneck is the 100 Mbps access ports connecting the workstations.

Keep practising

Question Discussion

Share a tip, memory trick, or ask about the reasoning behind this question. Do not post real exam questions, leaked content, braindumps, or copyrighted exam material. Comments are moderated and may be removed without notice.

Loading comments…

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.