BICSI - Installer 1 – Exam Review
2026 | 100% Accurate
• Insertion loss -✓✓The difference in the amount of power received
before and after something is inserted into the circuit.
• American Wire Gauge (AWG) -✓✓A standard rating that indicates the
diameter of a wire, such as the conducting core of a coaxial cable or the
twisted pairs in a UTP cable.
• Bandwidth -✓✓The amount of data that can be transmitted over a
network in a given amount of time.
• Decibel (dB) -✓✓A unit used to compare the loudness of different
sounds.
• Crosstalk -✓✓when data bleeds from one pair to another in a cable
• Alien Crosstalk (AXT) -✓✓Unwanted signal coupling from one
permanent link to another
• USOC -✓✓Universal Service Order Code
• 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)
2026 | 100% Accurate
• Insertion loss -✓✓The difference in the amount of power received
before and after something is inserted into the circuit.
• American Wire Gauge (AWG) -✓✓A standard rating that indicates the
diameter of a wire, such as the conducting core of a coaxial cable or the
twisted pairs in a UTP cable.
• Bandwidth -✓✓The amount of data that can be transmitted over a
network in a given amount of time.
• Decibel (dB) -✓✓A unit used to compare the loudness of different
sounds.
• Crosstalk -✓✓when data bleeds from one pair to another in a cable
• Alien Crosstalk (AXT) -✓✓Unwanted signal coupling from one
permanent link to another
• USOC -✓✓Universal Service Order Code
• 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)
