10BASE-T Maximum Cable Length Explained | Generated by AI
Question: According to the 10BASE-T Ethernet technical specification, what is the maximum distance between a HUB and a network interface card (NIC)?
A. 20m
B. 50m
C. 100m
D. 200m
Answer:
C. 100m
Explanation:
The 10BASE-T standard (defined in IEEE 802.3i-1990) is the 10 Mbps Ethernet specification that uses unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling β typically Category 3 or better β and operates in a physical star topology with a hub (or repeater) at the center.
Key technical parameters of 10BASE-T include:
- Maximum cable length between the hub (repeater) and the network interface card (DTE): 100 meters
- Uses RJ-45 connectors
- Two pairs of the four pairs in the cable are used (one for transmit, one for receive)
- The 100-meter limit includes patch cords and is the total allowed length of the horizontal cabling segment
This 100-meter maximum segment length is a fundamental rule in 10BASE-T and has been consistently documented in both the original IEEE 802.3 standard and all subsequent references.
Therefore, the correct answer is C. 100m.
The other options are incorrect because:
- 20m and 50m are far below the standard allowance
- 200m exceeds the specification and would cause excessive signal attenuation and timing problems
References:
- IEEE 802.3-1990 standard (10BASE-T clause)
- https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/802.3/1990/