Why won't a workstation link with a 150m shielded cable?

N10-008 By islever Editorial Last updated

Short answer

B Attenuation

Question

A network technician added a new workstation to the network and needs to make a custom, shielded cable that is 492ft (150m) with both ends wired to TIA/EIA-568A standards. The workstation is not establishing a link to the switchport. Which of the following is the cause of the issue?
  1. Cable shielding
  2. Attenuation Correct Answer
  3. Incorrect pinout
  4. Near-end crosstalk

Key Takeaways

The exam tests whether you can distinguish distance-related attenuation from wiring faults; because both ends are wired to 568A, the pinout is correct and attenuation is the real cause.

This N10-008 question tests Ethernet cable length limits and the correct answer is B. Attenuation. The community overwhelmingly votes B because a 150m shielded cable exceeds the 100m maximum for twisted-pair Ethernet.

Common mistake: C. Incorrect pinout is the most common wrong answer, but the question clearly states both ends are wired to TIA/EIA-568A, so the pinout is straight-through and not the issue.

Expert Analysis

Why the Answer Is Correct

B. Attenuation is correct because Ethernet over twisted-pair cabling has a maximum segment length of 100 meters (328 feet). At 150 meters (492 feet), the signal becomes too weak for the switchport to detect a valid link, even with shielded cable. Comments 1, 3, and 4 correctly point to the 100-meter distance limitation as the determining factor.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong

A. Cable shielding helps protect against electromagnetic interference, but it does not extend the maximum distance limit. C. Incorrect pinout is not the issue because both ends use TIA/EIA-568A, creating a standard straight-through cable. If one end were 568A and the other 568B it could matter, but that is not the case here. D. Near-end crosstalk is interference between wire pairs in the same cable and is not caused by exceeding the distance limit.

Community Comment Notes

The most helpful comments note the 100-meter limitation and select Attenuation: comment 3 states, "It's B the cable went past its limit of 100 meters." Comments 2 and 5 incorrectly suggest C. Incorrect pinout, but they rely on a possible mismatch that is ruled out by the question wording. The strong community vote of B reflects a clear consensus that distance/attenuation is the key issue.

Official Reference

These links open the official vendor documentation in a new tab.

Exam Strategy

Always note when the question specifies that both cable ends follow the same TIA/EIA standard—that tells you pinout is correct. When you see a cable length over 100 meters, select attenuation caused by excessive distance, not crosstalk or shielding.

Community Votes

B
100%

100% of anonymous learners picked answer B. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.

Discussion 6 contributions

Compiled from public community threads and reader submissions, lightly edited for clarity. Handles and vote tallies are shown as recorded, and comments reflect the views of individual contributors.

From public community threads 6

  1. subaie503 👍 4 Answered B
    Distance Limitations Of Shielded Twisted Pair The max distance for STP ethernet cables is 100m (330ft), although some categories only offer peak performance up to 55m (180ft).
  2. Nil_Rab 👍 3
    C. Incorrect pinout. This is because if the cable was made with both ends wired to TIA/EIA-568A standards, then the pinout configuration should match on both ends. If one end is wired to TIA/EIA-568A standards and the other end is wired to TIA/EIA-568B standards, or if there are errors in the wiring order of the cable, it can lead to connectivity issues and prevent the workstation from establishing a link to the switchport. The other options, such as cable shielding (option A), attenuation (option B), and near-end crosstalk (option D), could potentially cause issues with the connection quality, but they are less likely to be the primary cause of the workstation's inability to establish a link compared to an incorrect pinout.
  3. Sgthud 👍 3 Answered B
    It's B the cable went past its limit of 100 meters.
  4. Soullifespirit 👍 1
    C. Incorrect pinout Explanation: In the TIA/EIA-568A standard, both ends of the cable should be wired in the same pinout configuration. If the pinout is incorrect on one end of the cable, it will result in a mismatch between the wiring of the workstation's Ethernet interface and the wiring of the switchport, preventing the establishment of a link.
  5. TopUp 👍 1
    B. is the answer From ChatGPT- Ethernet Category 5e (Cat 5e): Cat 5e cables also have a maximum length of about 100 meters (328 feet), but they offer better performance and are more suitable for Gigabit Ethernet compared to Cat 5 cables.
Show 1 more comment
  1. emilia_088 👍 1
    I go with C

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