Which component is commonly used to terminate copper at the work area and connect to the patch panel?

• A. BNC connector.
• B. Coaxial barrel connector.
• C. Keystone jack / RJ45 modular connector.
• D. DB9 connector.

Answer: (C)

The element used to terminate copper at the work area and connect to the patch panel is the RJ-45 modular connector (keystone jack). This is the standard for Cat5e/6/6a copper cabling in modern structured cabling. At the work area, cables terminate in a faceplate or wall outlet equipped with an RJ-45 jack, and a patch cord with an RJ-45 plug runs from that outlet to the patch panel in the telecommunications closet. This setup provides a quick, reliable copper link for Ethernet and similar services.

BNC connectors are associated with coaxial cable, not typical copper UTP terminations in work areas. Coaxial barrel connectors bridge coax cables and aren’t used for terminating CAT copper runs to patch panels. DB9 connectors are for serial interfaces and have no place in standard copper Ethernet terminations.