BICSI INSTALLER 1 2026 CORE EXAM TIPS QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Coaxial cable types - ✔✔Series-6 and Series-11
✔✔Coaxial connectors - ✔✔Series-6 uses BNC and F connectors
Series-11 uses F and N connectors
✔✔Fiber connectors - ✔✔SC, ST, and SST(LC or
✔✔cladding - ✔✔The glass or plastic shield around the core of a fiber-optic cable.
Cladding reflects light back to the core in patterns that vary depending on the
transmission mode. This reflection allows fiber to bend around corners without impairing
the light-based signal.
✔✔Multimode Fiber (MMF) - ✔✔Larger core with multiple paths of light. Common for
backbone and horizontal cabling in buildings. OM2 - Not recommended for new installs.
OM3 - Higher bandwidth. OM4 - Highest bandwidth for MMF. 2000m/6500ft limitation.
850 nm and 1300 nm (nanometers)
✔✔Singlemode Fiber - ✔✔Smaller core with only one path of lights. Horizontal, riser,
campus environments.
9 um core, 125 um cladding.
OS1 - LAN, tight buffered construction, 1310/1550 nm
OS2 - Outside Plant, 1310, 1490, 1550, 1625 nm
3000m/9842ft limtations.
✔✔Ribbon Fiber - ✔✔Multiple 250 um fibers bonded into a flat color coded ribbon. Can
splice a bunch at a time.
✔✔Fiber - Tight buffer diameter - ✔✔900 um
✔✔Fiber - Acrylate coating diameter - ✔✔250 um
✔✔OM1 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 200 MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 400 MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔OM2 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔OM3 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 1500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
850 nm RFL - 2000MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
, ✔✔OM4 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 3500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
850 nm RFL - 4700MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔Modal Distortion - ✔✔A light distortion problem unique to MMF fiber-optic cable.
Happens when light signals are sent at the same time.
✔✔chromatic dispersion - ✔✔The broadening of a pulse due to different propagation
velocities of the spectral components of the light pulse. Begins at the light source
✔✔Modal Bandwidth is described in terms of... - ✔✔(MHz)(km)
✔✔Ferrule
Key
Latching Mechanism - ✔✔flat or pre-radiused end
assures consistent connector orientation within couplers
locks in place
✔✔Straight Tip (ST) - ✔✔One of the most common fiber-optic connectors, similar in
style to the BNC connector in coax
✔✔subscriber connector (SC) - ✔✔A square snap coupling for fiber-optic cable, about
2.5 mm wide, used for cable-to-cable connections or to connect cables to network
devices. It latches with a push-pull action similar to audio and video jacks.
✔✔Small Form Factor (SFF) - ✔✔LC and MU
✔✔an example of array connectors... - ✔✔MPO
Can terminate 6-72 optical fibers into a single ferrule
✔✔Ohm's Law - ✔✔V=IR
✔✔Typical balanced twisted pair cable - ✔✔100 Ohms
UTP
4 pairs
blue, orange, green, brown (tip/ring)
✔✔8P8C -B pinout - ✔✔White/orange
Orange
White/green
Blue
White/blue
Green
White/brown
ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Coaxial cable types - ✔✔Series-6 and Series-11
✔✔Coaxial connectors - ✔✔Series-6 uses BNC and F connectors
Series-11 uses F and N connectors
✔✔Fiber connectors - ✔✔SC, ST, and SST(LC or
✔✔cladding - ✔✔The glass or plastic shield around the core of a fiber-optic cable.
Cladding reflects light back to the core in patterns that vary depending on the
transmission mode. This reflection allows fiber to bend around corners without impairing
the light-based signal.
✔✔Multimode Fiber (MMF) - ✔✔Larger core with multiple paths of light. Common for
backbone and horizontal cabling in buildings. OM2 - Not recommended for new installs.
OM3 - Higher bandwidth. OM4 - Highest bandwidth for MMF. 2000m/6500ft limitation.
850 nm and 1300 nm (nanometers)
✔✔Singlemode Fiber - ✔✔Smaller core with only one path of lights. Horizontal, riser,
campus environments.
9 um core, 125 um cladding.
OS1 - LAN, tight buffered construction, 1310/1550 nm
OS2 - Outside Plant, 1310, 1490, 1550, 1625 nm
3000m/9842ft limtations.
✔✔Ribbon Fiber - ✔✔Multiple 250 um fibers bonded into a flat color coded ribbon. Can
splice a bunch at a time.
✔✔Fiber - Tight buffer diameter - ✔✔900 um
✔✔Fiber - Acrylate coating diameter - ✔✔250 um
✔✔OM1 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 200 MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 400 MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔OM2 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔OM3 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 1500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
850 nm RFL - 2000MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
, ✔✔OM4 - ✔✔850 nm OFL - 3500MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
850 nm RFL - 4700MHz•km (3.5dB/km)
1300 nm - 500MHz•km (1.5dB/km)
✔✔Modal Distortion - ✔✔A light distortion problem unique to MMF fiber-optic cable.
Happens when light signals are sent at the same time.
✔✔chromatic dispersion - ✔✔The broadening of a pulse due to different propagation
velocities of the spectral components of the light pulse. Begins at the light source
✔✔Modal Bandwidth is described in terms of... - ✔✔(MHz)(km)
✔✔Ferrule
Key
Latching Mechanism - ✔✔flat or pre-radiused end
assures consistent connector orientation within couplers
locks in place
✔✔Straight Tip (ST) - ✔✔One of the most common fiber-optic connectors, similar in
style to the BNC connector in coax
✔✔subscriber connector (SC) - ✔✔A square snap coupling for fiber-optic cable, about
2.5 mm wide, used for cable-to-cable connections or to connect cables to network
devices. It latches with a push-pull action similar to audio and video jacks.
✔✔Small Form Factor (SFF) - ✔✔LC and MU
✔✔an example of array connectors... - ✔✔MPO
Can terminate 6-72 optical fibers into a single ferrule
✔✔Ohm's Law - ✔✔V=IR
✔✔Typical balanced twisted pair cable - ✔✔100 Ohms
UTP
4 pairs
blue, orange, green, brown (tip/ring)
✔✔8P8C -B pinout - ✔✔White/orange
Orange
White/green
Blue
White/blue
Green
White/brown
