Which Connector Fits a Two-Pair Data Cable?
A technician needs to replace the connector on a data cable that uses two pairs of wires. Which of the following connectors should the technician use?
Community Insight
The question tests cable-to-connector matching by wire-pair count, and the trap is picking a connector that carries a different signal type (coax, fiber, or power) rather than a two-pair copper line.
This Core 1 question asks which connector terminates a data cable with two pairs (four) wires. The correct choice is the RJ11 connector, the standard modular plug for telephone-style two-pair cabling, while F-type, ST, and Molex serve entirely different media.
Learners often choose F-type because it appears on network-adjacent equipment, but F-type terminates coaxial cable with a single center conductor and shield, not two twisted pairs.
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
RJ11 is a small modular connector that seats four or six conductors, which matches a cable built with two wire pairs — the classic telephone/DSL wiring scheme. Because the question specifies exactly two pairs, RJ11 is the only listed connector designed to terminate that copper configuration, and it locks into the same modular jack used in analog phone and modem lines. A technician re-terminating such a cable would crimp a new RJ11 plug onto the sorted pair colors.Why the Other Options Are Wrong
F-type is a threaded coaxial connector used for cable internet and CATV, carrying a single center conductor plus shielding rather than two pairs. ST (straight-tip) is a bayonet-style fiber-optic connector that terminates glass, not copper pairs. Molex is a legacy 4-pin peripheral power connector inside a computer chassis and has no role in data cabling.Community Comment Notes
A commenter summarized the reasoning directly: "493. A — RJ11" with the note that "Two pairs/four wires commonly points to RJ11 telephone-style cabling." That matches the wire-count logic in the question, so the community reasoning and this analysis agree on option A.Exam Strategy
Anchor on physical characteristics: count pairs or conductors, then match the connector family — modular copper (RJ11/RJ45), coaxial (F-type/BNC), fiber (ST/SC/LC), or power (Molex). Eliminate any connector that terminates a different media type before considering wire counts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why isn't F-type the right connector for a two-pair data cable?
F-type is a coaxial connector with a single center conductor and shield, so it cannot terminate two twisted pairs of wires.
How many wires does an RJ11 connector support?
RJ11 seats four or six conductors, which covers the two-pair (four-wire) cabling described in the question.
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