Which statement accurately describes a potential issue with duplex and speed settings on Cisco 2960 switches?

Which statement accurately describes a potential issue with duplex and speed settings on Cisco 2960 switches?

• A. All duplex settings operate in full-duplex mode by default
• B. An auto-negotiation failure can result in connectivity issues
• C. Switchports can only operate at 10 mb/s
• D. Only half-duplex operations are supported

Answer: (B)

The statement that accurately describes a potential issue with duplex and speed settings on Cisco 2960 switches is that an auto-negotiation failure can result in connectivity issues. When a switch port is set to auto-negotiate its speed and duplex settings, it communicates with the connected device to determine the best configuration for operation. If there is a failure in this negotiation process—perhaps due to mismatched settings, hardware incompatibilities, or improper cable connections—it can lead to a situation where the devices end up with incompatible configurations. For example, if one device successfully negotiates full-duplex mode while the other falls back to half-duplex, this discrepancy can lead to collisions, resulting in network performance issues and degraded connectivity. The failure to establish the correct settings can manifest as intermittent connectivity or a complete inability to communicate, emphasizing the importance of ensuring proper duplex and speed settings for reliable network operation. The other choices present misconceptions about the capabilities and behaviors of the switches. Full-duplex settings do exist and are utilized, not all settings default to full duplex; thus, stating all duplexes operate in this mode is inaccurate. Switchports on Cisco 2960 switches can operate at various speeds beyond just 10 mb/s; they typically support multiple speeds, including

The statement that accurately describes a potential issue with duplex and speed settings on Cisco 2960 switches is that an auto-negotiation failure can result in connectivity issues. When a switch port is set to auto-negotiate its speed and duplex settings, it communicates with the connected device to determine the best configuration for operation. If there is a failure in this negotiation process—perhaps due to mismatched settings, hardware incompatibilities, or improper cable connections—it can lead to a situation where the devices end up with incompatible configurations.

For example, if one device successfully negotiates full-duplex mode while the other falls back to half-duplex, this discrepancy can lead to collisions, resulting in network performance issues and degraded connectivity. The failure to establish the correct settings can manifest as intermittent connectivity or a complete inability to communicate, emphasizing the importance of ensuring proper duplex and speed settings for reliable network operation.

The other choices present misconceptions about the capabilities and behaviors of the switches. Full-duplex settings do exist and are utilized, not all settings default to full duplex; thus, stating all duplexes operate in this mode is inaccurate. Switchports on Cisco 2960 switches can operate at various speeds beyond just 10 mb/s; they typically support multiple speeds, including