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CCNA 200-301: Key Differences in Throughput and Distance of Optical-fiber Cabling from Copper Cabling

Fiber optic cabling outperforms copper by providing vastly greater throughput up to 40+ Gbps & carrying signals much longer distances without loss. Learn the facts that set fiber apart for high-speed networking.

Table of Contents

Question

What are two facts that differentiate optical-fiber cabling from copper cabling? (Choose two.)

A. It is less expensive when purchasing patch cables.
B. It carries electrical current further distances for PoE devices.
C. It provides greater throughput options.
D. It has a greater sensitivity to changes in temperature and moisture.
E. It carries signals for longer distances.

Answer

C. It provides greater throughput options.
E. It carries signals for longer distances.

Explanation

Optical-fiber cabling differs from copper cabling in two key aspects:

C. It provides greater throughput options. Fiber optics support much higher data rates over longer distances compared to copper. Singlemode fiber can carry signals up to 40 Gbps and beyond, while multimode fiber supports 10 Gbps and higher speeds. Copper cabling like Cat6a tops out around 10 Gbps.

E. It carries signals for longer distances. Light signals over fiber can travel many kilometers without significant signal loss. Copper is limited to around 100 meters for Ethernet before the signal degrades too much and requires regeneration.

While copper is cheaper for short patch cables and carries power for PoE devices, these are not key differentiators compared to fiber’s distance and bandwidth advantages. Fiber is also less sensitive to temperature and moisture changes than copper.

Cisco Certified Network Associate CCNA 200-301 certification exam practice question and answer (Q&A) dump with detail explanation and reference available free, helpful to pass the Cisco Certified Network Associate CCNA 200-301 exam and earn Cisco Certified Network Associate CCNA 200-301 certification.