CompTIA

Network+ Guide
to Networks,
Ninth Edition

Module 5: Cabling

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not
be scanned, copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Module Objectives
By the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Explain basic data transmission concepts, including frequency, bandwidth, throughput,

multiplexing, and common transmission flaws

2. Describe the physical characteristics of and official standards for coaxial cable, twinaxial
cable, twisted-pair cable, fiber-optic cable, and their related connectors

3. Compare the benefits and limitations of various networking media

4. Select and use the appropriate tool to troubleshoot common cable problems

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Transmission Basics

• Transmission techniques in use on today’s network are complex and varied

• This section covers:
• Measurements that indicate network efficiency
• Obstacles to good network performance

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Frequency, Bandwidth, and Throughput

• Frequency is typically measured in MHz or GHz, which indicates the number of times in a
second that an electrical signal can change states
• Bandwidth is the amount of data that could be theoretically transmitted during a given
period of time
• Throughput is the measure of how much data is actually transmitted during given time
period
• New technologies such as modulation (sending data over an analog signal) and encoding
(converting data into a digital signal for transmission) offer methods for increasing
theoretical bandwidth and effective data throughput given the same maximum frequency

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Transmission Flaws (1 of 2)

• Noise is any undesirable influence degrading or distorting signal

• Noise is measured in dB (decibels)
• Two common sources of noise include the following:
• EMI (electromagnetic interference) is caused by motors, power lines, televisions,
copiers, fluorescent lights, etc…
• One type of EMI is RFI (radio frequency interference)
• Cross-talk occurs when the signal on one wire infringes on adjacent wire signal
• Alien cross-talk occurs between two cables
• Near end cross-talk (NEXT) occurs near source
• Far end cross-talk (FEXT) occurs at the far end

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Transmission Flaws (1 of 2)

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Transmission Flaws (2 of 2)

• Attenuation is the loss of a signal’s strength as it travels away from source

• Signals can be boosted using a repeater, which regenerates a digital signal in its original
form without noise previously accumulated
• Latency is the delay between signal transmission and receipt
• Latency may cause network transmission errors
• The length of the cable affects latency, as does the existence of any intervening device
• RTT (Round Trip Time) is the time for packet to go from sender to receiver, then back from
receiver to sender
• If packets experience varying amounts of delay they can arrive out of order
• A problem commonly called jitter or PDV (Packet Delay Variation)

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Duplex, Half-Duplex, and Simplex (1 of 2)

• NIC settings include the direction in which signals travel over the media and the number of
signals that can traverse the media at any given time
• These two settings are combined to create different methods of communication
• Full-duplex – Signals travel in both directions over a medium simultaneously
• Half-duplex – Signals may travel in both directions but only in one direction at a time
• Simplex – Signals may travel in only one direction and is sometimes called one-way or
unidirectional, communication
• In Windows, use Device Manager to configure a NIC, including speed and duplex settings

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Duplex, Half-Duplex, and Simplex (2 of 2)

Figure 5-4 A network adapter’s Speed

& Duplex configuration can be
changed

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Multiplexing (1 of 2)

• Multiplexing is a form of transmission that allows multiple signals to travel simultaneously

over one medium
• To carry multiple signals, the medium’s channel is logically separated into multiple smaller
channels, or subchannels
• Multiplexer (MUX) is a device that combines many channel signals
• It is required at the transmitting end of the channel
• A Demultiplexer (DEMUX) separates the combined signals on the receiving end
• Three types of multiplexing are used on copper lines:
• TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) divides a channel into multiple time intervals
• STDM (Statistical Time Division Multiplexing) assigns slots to nodes according to
priority and need
• FDM (Frequency Division Multiplexing) assigns different frequency band for each
communications subchannel

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Multiplexing (1 of 2)

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Multiplexing (2 of 2)

• Three types of multiplexing are used on fiber-optic cable

• WDM (Wavelength Division Multiplexing) carries multiple light signals simultaneously
by dividing a light beam into different wavelengths or colors
• DWDM (Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing) increases the number of channels
provided by normal WDM
• CWDM (Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing) lowers cost by spacing frequency
bands wider apart to allow for cheaper transceiver equipment

* A light beam or beam of light is a directional projection of light energy radiating from a
light source.

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Coaxial Cable and Twinaxial Cable (1 of 3)

• Coaxial cable, called “coax”, was the foundation for Ethernet networks in the 1980s
• Coax has been replaced by newer media types
• A form of coax is still used for cable Internet, cable TV, and some multimedia connection
types
• Coax has a central metal core surrounded by an insulator, a braided metal shielding, and an
outer cover, called the sheath or jacket
• Two types of coax, RG-6 and RG-59, can terminate with one of two connector types:
• F-connector
• BNC connector

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Coaxial Cable and Twinaxial Cable (2 of 3)

• Twinaxial cable, called “twinax”, looks similar to coax except there are two cores
• The two cores cooperate in a half-duplex fashion to transmit data
• This makes it capable of supporting much higher throughput than coax
• Twinax is made from 26 or 28 AWG copper so it is resistant to damage from rough handling
• The type of twinax cable determines its maximum supported distances
• Passive is sufficient for the shortest distances of less than about 5 or 7 meters
• Active contains internal electrical components to strengthen signals up to 10 meters

* American Wire Gauge (AWG) is the standard way to denote wire size
Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
Coaxial Cable and Twinaxial Cable (3 of 3)

Figure 5-10 Twinax cable is factory

terminated with transceivers; each core
pair is welded to a circuit board inside
the transceiver

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Twisted-Pair Cable

• Twisted-pair cable consists of color-coded insulated copper wire pairs each with a 0.4 to 0.8
mm diameter
• Every two wires are twisted together to form pairs encased in a plastic sheath
• Twisted-pair cabling in Ethernet networks contains four wire pairs
• Fast Ethernet uses one pair to send data and one pair to receive data
• Networks using Gigabit Ethernet use all four pairs for both sending and receiving
• Most common twisted pair types include the following:
• Category (cat) 3, 5, 5e, 6, 6a, 7, 7a, and 8
• CAT 5e or higher used in modern LANs
• All twisted-pair cable falls into one of two classifications:
• Shielded twisted pair (STP)
• Unshielded twisted pair (UTP)

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) (1 of 3)

• Wires in STP cable are individually insulated and may also be surrounded by metallic
substance shielding (foil)
• Shielding acts as a barrier to external electromagnetic forces
• The shielding must be grounded to enhance its protective effects
• Effectiveness of STP’s shield depends on the following:
• Level and type of environmental noise
• Thickness and material used for the shield
• Grounding mechanism
• Symmetry and consistency of the shielding
• Newer types of cable, such as Cat 8, incorporate more sophisticated shielding materials,
more tightly twisted wires, higher bandwidths to offer data rates rivaling fiber-optic cable at
short distances

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) (2 of 3)

Figure 5-13 STP cable

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) (3 of 3)

Figure 5-14 The insides of a Cat 8

cable

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)

• UTP cabling consists of one or more insulated wire pairs encased in plastic sheath
• UTP does not contain additional shielding
• This makes UTP less expensive and less resistant to noise than STP
• Historically, UTP was more popular than STP
• Modern cable prices have dropped low enough that STP prices are becoming more
reasonable

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Comparing STP and UTP

STP and UTP similarities and differences include the following:

• Throughput – STP and UTP can transmit the same rates
• Cost – STP and UTP vary in cost
• STP is typically more expensive than UTP
• Connector – STP and UTP use RJ-45 (registered jack 45)
• Noise immunity – STP is more noise resistant
• Size and scalability – The maximum segment length for both is 100 meters on Ethernet
networks that support data rates from 1 Mbps and 10 Gbps
• Some categories of STP require shorter segment lengths to achieve maximum
throughput

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Pinouts (1 of 3)

• Proper cable termination is a requirement for two nodes on a network to communicate

• Poor terminations can lead to loss or noise in a signal
• TIA/EIA specifies two methods of inserting wires into RJ-45 plugs:
• TIA/EIA 568A
• TIA/EIA 568B
• There is no functional difference between the two standards
• Just make sure you use the same standard on every RJ-45 plug and jack

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Pinouts (2 of 3)

Figure 5-17 T568A and T568B

standard terminations for Fast Ethernet
and Gigabit Ethernet

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Pinouts (3 of 3)

• The most common type of networking cable is a straight-through cable (also called patch
cable)
• To create one, terminate RJ-45 plugs at both ends identically
• Rollover cables (also called console cables) are used to connect a computer to the
console port of a router
• All wires are reversed
• Terminations are a mirror image of each other

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 PoE (Power over Ethernet) (1 of 2)

• PoE is an IEEE 802.3AF standard which specifies a method for supplying electrical power
over twisted-pair Ethernet connections
• Amount of power provided is 15.4 watts for standard PoE devices and 25.5 watts for newer
PoE+ devices (802.3AT standard)
• PoE standard specifies two types of devices:
• PSE (Power Sourcing Equipment)
• PDs (Powered Devices)
• PoE requires Cat 5 or better copper cable
• The PSE device first determines whether a node is PoE-capable before attempting to supply
it with power
• On networks that demand PoE but don’t have PoE-capable equipment, you can add PoE
adapters

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
PoE (Power over Ethernet) (2 of 2)

Figure 5-30 PoE adapters can add

functionality to non-PoE devices on a
network

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Ethernet Standards for Twisted-Pair Cable

• A cable’s category (Cat 5e or Cat 6) determines the fastest network speed it can support
• This is a Layer 1 characteristic
• A device’s NIC is also rated for maximum network speeds
• Most LANs today use devices and NICs that can support Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet
• Devices can auto-negotiate for the fastest standard they have in common
• The fastest Ethernet standard currently is 100GBASE-T
• Two new standards were recently ratified by IEEE:
• 2.5GBASE-T
• 5GBASE-T
• These new standards provide intermediate steps between Gigabit Ethernet and 10-Gigabit
Ethernet

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 5-1
What is the typical maximum segment length for Ethernet networks?
a. 10 meters
b. 100 meters
c. 1000 meters
d. 10,000 meters

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 5-1: Answer
What is the typical maximum segment length for Ethernet networks?

Answer: b. 100 meters

The maximum segment length for both STP and UTP is 100 meters, or 328
feet, on Ethernet networks that support data rates from 1Mbps to 10
Gbps.

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber-Optic Cable (1 of 3)

• Fiber-optic cable, also called fiber, contains one or more glass or plastic fibers at its center
(core)
• Data is transmitted via a pulsing light sent from laser or light-emitting diode (LED) through
central fibers
• Surrounding the fibers is a layer of glass or plastic called cladding
• The cladding is less dense than the glass or plastic in the strands and so reflects light
back to the core in patterns
• This reflections allows the fiber to bend
• Outside the cladding, a plastic buffer protects the cladding and core
• The buffer is opaque, it absorbs escaping light
• It is surrounded by Kevlar (polymeric fiber) strands

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber-Optic Cable (2 of 3)

Figure 5-32 A fiber-optic cable

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber-Optic Cable (3 of 3)

• Fiber-optic cabling offers the following benefits over copper cabling:

• Extremely high throughput
• Very high noise resistance
• Excellent security
• Able to carry signals for longer distances
• Drawbacks
• More expensive than twisted pair cable
• Requires special equipment to splice

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 SMF (Single Mode Fiber)

• SMF (single mode fiber) consists of a narrow core (8-10 microns in diameter)
• Laser-generated light travels over one path, reflecting very little
• The light does not disperse as the signal travels
• SMF can carry signals many miles before repeating is required
• SMF is rarely used for shorter connections due to high cost
• The Internet backbone depends on SMF

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 MMF (Multimode Fiber)

• MMF (multimode fiber) contains a core with a larger diameter than single mode fiber
• Common sizes are 50 or 62.5 microns
• Laser or LED generated light pulses travel at different angles through MMF
• Signals traveling over MMF experience greater attenuation than single-mode fiber
• Common uses include the following:
• Cables connecting routers, switches, and servers on the backbone of a network
• Cables to connect a desktop workstation to the network
• The transition between SMF and MMF might occur at an FDP (fiber distribution panel)

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber Connectors

• MMF connectors can be classified by the number of fibers they connect

• SMF connectors are classified by size and shape of the ferrule
• The ferrule is the extended tip of a connector that makes contact with the receptacle in the
jack
• Shapes and polishes used by SMF ferrules to reduce back reflection include the following:
• Ultra Polished Connector (UPC)
• Angle Polished Connector (APC)
• SMF connectors are typically available with a 1.25-mm ferrule or a 2.5-mm ferrule
• The most common 1.25-mm connector is the LC (local connector)
• Two 2.5-mm connectors are the SC (standard connector) and ST (straight tip)
• Most common MMF connector is the MTRJ (mechanical transfer-registered jack)

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Media Converters

• A media converter is hardware that enables networks or segments running on different

media to interconnect and exchange signals
• The media converter completes the physical connection and converts electrical signals from
copper cable to light wave signals
• Can also be used to convert networks using MMF with networks using SMF

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber Transceivers (1 of 2)

• Some switches allow you to change and upgrade its interfaces

• They contain sockets where one of many types of modular interfaces, called
transceivers, can be plugged in
• GBIC, pronounced jee-bick, was a standard type of transceiver designed for Gigabit
Ethernet connections
• Newer transceivers that have made the GBIC obsolete include the following:
• SFP (small form-factor pluggable)
• XFP (10 Gigabit small form-factor pluggable)
• SFP+
• QSFP (quad small form-factor pluggable)
• QSFP+
• CFP (centum form-factor pluggable)

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Fiber Transceivers (2 of 2)

• To avoid using the incorrect transceiver, you must pair these devices based on supported
speeds and protocols
• Installing a transceiver can be achieved by sliding the transceiver into a socket on the back
of the connectivity device
• Most transceivers come with a tab or latch system and keyed so that they will slide into
the socket when aligned properly

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Ethernet Standards for Fiber-Optic Cable

• Important details about Ethernet standards include the following:

• 100BASE-SX is a low-cost solution for Fast Ethernet and uses a short 850-nanometer
wavelength light signal
• 100BASE-FX also offers Fast Ethernet speeds, uses a longer wavelength, and is rated
up to 2 kilometers
• 1000BASE-SX is a form of Gigabit Ethernet and uses short wavelengths of 850
nanometers
• 1000BASE-LX is the more common fiber version of Gigabit Ethernet and uses long
wavelengths or 1300 nanometers
• 10GBASE-SR is the “short range” standard for 10-Gigabit Ethernet
• 10GBASE-LR uses lasers emitting 1310 nanometer light

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Common Fiber-Cable Problems

• Fiber type mismatch is actually more of a fiber core mismatch

• Even same-mode cables can be mismatched if the cores have different widths
• Wavelength mismatch occurs when transmissions are optimized for one type of cable but
sent over a different type of cable
• Dirty connectors
• If fiber connectors get dirty, signal loss and other errors can start to cause problems
• Link loss – the power of a light signal emitted at one end of a connection is subjected to
many losses along its way to the other end
• These include losses from distance along the cable, losses from multiplexing, and losses
from imperfect connections, patches, or splices

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Troubleshooting Tools

• You can start troubleshooting a network connection problem by checking the network
connection LED status indicator lights
• A steady light indicates connectivity
• A blinking light indicates activity
• A red or amber light might indicate a problem
• If a cabling issue is suspected, you need to know which tools are designed to analyze and
isolate problems

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Toner and Probe Kit

• Tone generator (toner) is a small electronic device that issues a signal on a wire pair
• Tone locator (probe) is a device that emits a tone when electrical activity detected
• Probe kit or toner probe is a generator and locator combination, sold as a set
• Tone generators and tone locators are used to determine where wired pair terminates
• They cannot be used to determine cable characteristics

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Multimeter

• A multimeter measures electric circuit characteristics such as resistance, voltage, and

impedance
• Use a multimeter to do the following:
• Measure voltage to verify cable is conducting electricity
• Check for the presence of noise
• Test for short or open circuits in the wire
• A short circuit is an unwanted connection
• An open circuit is one where needed connections are missing

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Continuity Tester

• Cable continuity testers (cable testers) test whether a cable carries a signal to destination
• Copper-based cable tester consists of two parts:
• A base unit generates voltage
• A remote unit detects voltage
• Most cable testers provide a series of lights and some emit an audible tone
• They are used to signal pass/fail
• Some continuity testers verify UTP, STP wires are paired correctly
• Not reversed, crossed, or split
• Fiber optic continuity testers issue light pulses on the fiber and determine whether pulses
reach the other end
• Most testers are portable, lightweight, and are inexpensive

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Performance Tester (1 of 2)

• A cable performance tester, line tester, or certifier performs similarly to continuity testers
but can be used to:
• Measure distance to a connectivity device, termination point, or cable fault
• Measure attenuation
• Measure NEXT (near end cross-talk)
• Measure termination resistance and impedance
• Issue pass/fail ratings for Cat 3-7 standards
• Store and print results or save to a computer database
• Graphically depict attenuation and cross-talk

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Cable Performance Tester (2 of 2)

• A TDR (time domain reflectometer) issues a signal then measures the way the signal
bounces back to the TDR
• Indicates distance between nodes
• Indicates whether terminators are properly installed and functional
• OTDRs (optical time domain reflectometers) measure fiber length
• OTDRs also determine faulty splice locations, breaks, connectors, bends and measure
attenuation over cable
• They can measure attenuation over the cable
• OTDRs can be expensive

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 OPM (Optical Power Meter)

• An OPM (Optical Power Meter), also called a light meter, measures the amount of light
power transmitted on a fiber-optic line
• An OPM must be calibrated precisely, following highly accurate optical power standards
• The surrounding room temperature, connection type, and the skill of the technician all
affect the final test results

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 5-2
Which tool could you use to test a twisted-pair cable’s pinout?
a. OTDR
b. Toner probe
c. OPM
d. Continuity tester

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copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.
 Knowledge Check Activity 2-2: Answer
Which tool could you use to test a twisted-pair cable’s pinout?

Answer: d. Continuity tester

Some continuity testers will verify that the wires in a UTP or STP cable
are paired correctly following TIA/EIA 568 standards. OTDRs and OPMs
are used to test fiber-optic cables. A toner probe can help determine
where a wire, possibly out of hundreds, terminates.

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
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 Summary
Now that the lesson has ended, you should be able to:
• Explain basic data transmission concepts, including frequency, bandwidth,
throughput, multiplexing, and common transmission flaws
• Describe the physical characteristics of and official standards for coaxial
cable, twinaxial cable, twisted-pair cable, fiber-optic cable, and their related
connectors
• Compare the benefits and limitations of various networking media
• Select and use the appropriate tool to troubleshoot common cable problems

Jill West, CompTIA Network+ Guide to Networks, 9th Edition. © 2022 Cengage. All Rights Reserved. May not be scanned,
copied or duplicated, or posted to a publicly accessible website, in whole or in part.