CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

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What is the maximum range for multimode fiber communication?

100 km
10 km
2 km
500 km

The correct answer is: 2 km

Multimode fiber communication typically has a maximum range of around 2 kilometers when using standard multimode fiber optics. This limitation is primarily due to modal dispersion, where different light modes travel at varying speeds and can cause signal degradation over longer distances. As a result, multimode fibers are generally used for shorter distances, such as within buildings or in local area networks (LANs). In contrast, single-mode fibers, which are designed to carry signals over much longer distances (upwards of 40 km and sometimes even up to 100 km or more), utilize a smaller core diameter that allows only one mode of light to propagate, thereby reducing dispersion effects significantly. Therefore, while longer distances can be achieved with other types of fibers, multimode fiber's inherent characteristics limit its effective range to approximately 2 km in practical applications.