SG0-001 · Question #374
When implementing a gigabit Ethernet network, which of the following is the MINIMUM category of cable required?
The correct answer is B. CAT5. The minimum category of cable required to implement a gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) network is Category 5 (CAT5), although CAT5e or higher is generally recommended for better performance.
Question
When implementing a gigabit Ethernet network, which of the following is the MINIMUM category of cable required?
Options
- ACAT3
- BCAT5
- CCAT5e
- DCAT6
How the community answered
(36 responses)- B92% (33)
- C3% (1)
- D6% (2)
Why each option
The minimum category of cable required to implement a gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) network is Category 5 (CAT5), although CAT5e or higher is generally recommended for better performance.
CAT3 cable is only suitable for voice and 10BASE-T Ethernet (10 Mbps) and cannot support Gigabit Ethernet speeds.
The IEEE 802.3ab standard for 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) specifies that it can operate over four pairs of unshielded twisted pair (UTP) Category 5 cabling for distances up to 100 meters, making CAT5 the technical minimum requirement.
CAT5e is commonly used for Gigabit Ethernet and provides superior performance to CAT5, but it is not the absolute minimum technical requirement as CAT5 can also support it.
CAT6 cable is designed for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-T) over shorter distances and offers significantly more bandwidth than required for standard Gigabit Ethernet, making it an over-specification for the minimum requirement.
Concept tested: Ethernet cable categories for Gigabit Ethernet
Source: https://www.ieee802.org/3/ab/
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