A permanent link test includes testing which components?

• A. Patch cords
• B. The cable and jacks
• C. Wall ports
• D. The equipment rack

Answer: (B)

When testing copper cabling, the focus is on the fixed portion of the installation that will remain in place—the path from the patch panel to the wall outlet. This is the permanent link. It includes the installed cable and the jack/connector at the outlet. Patch cords are not part of this fixed path, since they are removable and can vary, so they belong to other test scopes (the channel test when combined with the permanent link). The equipment rack isn’t part of the copper path being tested. So, the permanent link test verifies the integrity and termination quality of the installed cable and its outlets, ensuring the fixed portion meets the required performance.