Twisted Pair Cabling

Correct Answer: CAT 5e or higher

CAT 5e or higher cable should be chosen for this small office network setup. CAT 5e and higher categories of twisted pair cables are designed to support data transfer speeds of at least 1 Gbps, which meets the requirement stated in the question. CAT 3 cables are older and have lower bandwidth, supporting only up to 10 Mbps. RG-6 is a coaxial cable type used for cable television and satellite TV installations, not suitable for Ethernet networking. While CAT 5 cables can support up to 100 Mbps, they do not meet the 1 Gbps requirement, making CAT 5e or higher the best choice for this scenario.

Correct Answer: Use cable bundle separators

Using cable bundle separators is the best method to minimize cross-talk between cables when installing additional twisted pair cabling. Cross-talk occurs when signals from one cable interfere with signals in adjacent cables, causing signal degradation and potential data loss. Cable bundle separators physically separate the cables, preventing the electromagnetic fields around each cable from interfering with one another. Increasing cable length would actually worsen cross-talk by providing more opportunity for interference. Tightly wrapping cables together would increase cross-talk by placing the cables in close proximity to each other. Using lower category cables, which are not designed to resist cross-talk as effectively as higher category cables, would also likely increase cross-talk.

Correct Answer: Better protection against electromagnetic interference

The primary advantage of using shielded twisted pair (STP) cables over unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables is better protection against electromagnetic interference. STP cables have an additional layer of shielding around the twisted pairs of wires, which provides superior protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI). This shielding helps maintain signal integrity and reduces crosstalk, making STP cables ideal for environments with high levels of electrical noise or interference. The other options are incorrect: Increased maximum cable length for data transmission is not accurate. Both STP and UTP cables have similar maximum length limitations. Higher data transfer rates in all network environments is not correct. While STP can provide better performance in noisy environments, it does not inherently offer higher data transfer rates in all situations. Lower cost and easier installation in office settings is incorrect. STP cables are typically more expensive and slightly more challenging to install due to their additional shielding and thicker diameter compared to UTP cables.