CompTIA A+ Core 1 (220-1201)NetworkingHard
A technician cannot determine which of dozens of unlabeled cables in a wiring closet corresponds to a specific wall jack in an office. Which of the following tools should the technician use to identify the correct cable?
- ACable certifier
- BTone generator and probe
- CMultimeter
- DLoopback plug
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: B. Tone generator and probe
A tone generator is connected to the cable at the wall jack, sending an audible signal that a probe can detect at the other end, allowing the technician to trace which cable in the closet corresponds to the jack. A cable certifier tests performance against a standard, a loopback plug tests NIC transmit/receive function, and a multimeter measures electrical properties like voltage or continuity, none of which trace a specific cable among many unlabeled ones.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. A cable certifier tests performance specifications, not cable identification.
- C. A multimeter measures voltage, resistance, or continuity, not which specific cable leads where.
- D. A loopback plug tests a NIC's ability to send and receive data, not cable tracing.
Tone Generator and Probe
A tone generator and probe (fox and hound) is a tool set used to trace and identify a specific cable among many unlabeled ones by sending and detecting an audible tone.
- Also called 'fox and hound'
- Generator sends signal, probe detects it
- Used for cable tracing, not performance testing
Memory trick: Fox and hound hunt down the right cable.