thinQmaster Virtual testing partner Adaptive practice exams that find your weak spots and drill them. Every answer explained. From $69
Enroll

thinQmaster

Find your exam

Five questions free, before you decide.

Step 1 · choose a vendor

In one of our camps? Your practice exams come with the tuition — they are on your study page already.

IT Support & Hardware · Intermediate

Minimum Bend Radius

The smallest radius a cable can be bent without damaging it or degrading performance.

Definition

Bending tighter than the rated radius increases attenuation in fiber and alters twist geometry in copper. A common rule for UTP is four times the cable diameter (installed), and for fiber, 10 times diameter unloaded and 20 times under tension, unless the manufacturer specifies otherwise. Bend-insensitive fiber tolerates tighter bends.

Example

Use proper cable management rings so patch cords do not kink at the panel.

Exam tip

Excessive bends cause intermittent failures and high loss.

Related terms