Although when buying a patch cable, it may not be necessary to know this, when installing a long cable run it may be important as each type is slightly more suitable for different applications. A variety of different cables are available for Ethernet and other telecommunications and networking applications. These network cables that are described by their different Ethernet cable categories, e. Cat 5 cables, Cat 6 cables, Cat 7 and Cat 8etc, which are often recognised by the TIA telecommunications Industries Association and they are summarised below:.
Further descriptions of Cat-5 and Cat-5e cables are given below as these are widely used for Ethernet networking applications today. The RJ45, Registered Jack 45 connector is used almost universally as the physical connector used on Ethernet cables, and with networking cables in general.
Fortunately these are backwards compatible with the RJ45 so there is no need to have a completely new installation when migrating to Cat 7. The RJ45 connector used on the ends of Ethernet cables are small plastic plugs with a retaining catch that can be released when the cable needs to be removed. The term plug refers to the male end of the connection on the network cable, and the jack refers to the port or female and normally located on the equipment. The RJ45 connector has eight pins that are spaced around 1 mm apart, and the wires are inserted and crimped to provide a reliable connection.
The actual connector type is known as an 8P8C - eight position - eight contact. Strictly speaking the actual connector type should be reared to as an 8P8C, and the wiring pattern is RJ45, but in reality the term RJ45 for Ethernet cables is used almost universally.
Although the RJ45 connector is ideal for most applications, it is not particularly robust. It is suitable for office, datacentre and home connections where robustness is not an issue. However there are a number of scenarios where a more robust connector is needed - applications like audio visual, stage audio and lighting, etc where Ethernet is used need a much more robust connection. To address this problem the Ethercon connector is used. As the Ethercon connector has a circular metal outer protection combined with the RG45 style inner, it provides the required connectivity wit the robustness required for applications like stage and other audio visual areas where Ethernet connections are required.
It is possible not only to obtain the Ethercon connectors on their own, but also ready made Ethercon leads as well. Although the wiring and the cable manufacture details may vary between the different cable categories, the basic connectivity remains the same. In this way Ethernet cables can be used reliably to make connections between items of equipment, etc. A summary of the signals carried and the relevant wires and connections is given in the table below:.
In the table, TX is transmitted data, and RX is received data. There are two standard RJ45 pinouts for the individual arrangement of the wire connections to the RJ45 connectors within an Ethernet cable: the TA and TB standards. One or other of the conventions should be followed, as this will ensure the required connectivity, although as it is just a colour convention and the same wires and pairs are connected to the same pins, it does not matter which one is followed.
In practice TB is the more commonly used, and therefore it is probably best to use this one. The standard used may also be indicated on the sheath of ready made Ethernet cables.
There are a number of different configurations of cable that may be employed according to the equipment and the requirement.
The most common type are the straight through cables which are wired in a 1 to 1 configuration. However Cat-5 crossover cables are also required on occasions. Typically a Cat-5 cable used to connect a computer PC to a switch will be a straight through cable. However if two computers or two switches are connected together then a Cat5 crossover cable is used. Many Ethernet interfaces in use today are able to detect the type of cable, whether it is a straight through or crossover cable, and they are able to adapt to the required format.
This means that the requirement for Cat-5 crossover cables is less than it might otherwise be. A shielded Ethernet cable is covered with a layer of grounded foil that helps prevent electromagnetic interference. In the modern house, with plenty of Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth connections, and appliance activity, unshielded cables can run into interference and distortion issues.
This is especially true for Ethernet cables that are run for longer distances — so shielding quickly becomes important in more complex setups, which is why it became a mandatory part of the standard. However, more advanced versions may also add a foil shield as an inner layer of the cable sheath, for maximum protection.
A general rule of thumb is that higher numbers represent faster speeds and higher frequencies, measured in megahertz MHz. As is the case with most technologies, newer cables typically support higher bandwidths and therefore increased download speeds and faster connections.
Keep in mind that longer Ethernet cables have slower transmission speeds. Both Cat 3 and Cat 5 Ethernet cables are, at this point, obsolete. You might still find a Cat 5 cable in use, but you should avoid them altogether when buying new. However, manufacturers build Cat 5e cables under more stringent testing standards to eliminate unwanted signal transfers between communication channels crosstalk. Cat 5e is currently the most commonly used cable, mainly due to its low production cost and support for speeds faster than Cat 5 cables.
The Cat 6 Ethernet cable supports higher bandwidths than Cat 5 and Cat 5e cables. Said shielding protects the twisted pairs of wires inside the Ethernet cable, which helps prevent crosstalk and noise interference. Cat 6 cables technically support speeds up to 10Gbps for up to 55 meters.
That speed comes with a price, however, as a Cat 6 cable is more expensive than Cat 5 and Cat 5e variants. Cat 6a cables come shielded, and their sheathing — which is thick enough to eliminate crosstalk — makes for a much denser, less flexible cable than Cat 6.
Cat 7 cables support higher bandwidths and significantly faster transmission speeds than Cat 6 cables by utilizing the newest widely available Ethernet technology. Cat 7 cables reach up to Gbps at a range of 15 meters, making them one of the most capable categories of Ethernet cables.
Cat 7 cables always are shielded, and they use a modified GigaGate45 connector, which is backward compatible with RJ45 Ethernet ports. That modified GG45 connector is a proprietary component, though, and while the backward compatibility helped a little, there are still issues with following previous Ethernet standards. It's what you don't see that makes the difference. With Tripp Lite, you get solid engineering, proven reliability and exceptional customer service.
All our products undergo rigorous quality control before they are offered for sale, and independent testing agencies verify our products meet or exceed the latest safety and performance standards. Our commitment to quality allows us to back our products with industry-leading warranties and responsive customer service.
It's the Tripp Lite difference. The "Cat" in Cat5e, Cat6, etc. For a time, this unshielded twisted pair UTP cable was the most common form of wiring for voice telephone systems in homes and offices. It consisted of two insulated copper wires twisted around each other and was designed for analog voice communications. Category 2 cabling was capable of voice and data communications and was primarily used during the s for IBM Token Ring networks.
It supported a data transmission rate of 4 Mbps. Introduced in the early s, Category 3 cabling had four twisted pairs and was the first to support 10BaseT Ethernet networks as well as digital voice communications. It is still found in older buildings but its 10 Mbps data rate is considered too slow for modern networking. Bandwidth vs. Data Rate Bandwidth or frequency is a property of a cable and measures the rate at which a signal will cycle each second.
Cat5 can handle up to million signals a second or MHz. The cable category with the highest bandwidth is currently Cat8 with 2 billion 2 GHz signals per second, 20 times as many as Cat5.
Data Rate and Bandwidth are related terms but they are not the same. Higher frequencies carry more 1s and 0s, allowing more bits of data to be transmitted per second. Cat5 cables have a one-to-one relationship between bandwidth and data rate: MHz cable can transmit Mb per second. Higher Category cables such as Cat8 encode the data so more bits can be transmitted in the same amount of time. Frequency and therefore data rate can be increased by increasing the gauge of the conductor wires, adding more twists to the conductors, or adding shielding to each pair of conductors.
Like Cat3, Category 4 cable is typically found in older buildings where the cost of complete replacement is prohibitive. Introduced in , Category 5 cable has a data rate of up to Mbps. It is used for standard 10BaseT and BaseT Fast Ethernet networks, and can distribute data, video and telephone signals at distances up to meters ft.
Cat5e is not an official designation but is used by manufacturers to describe an enhanced Cat5 cable that is capable of speeds up to 1 Gbps.
Its higher data rate is achieved by increasing the number of twists, making it more resistant to crosstalk. Cat5e is recommended for new sub-Gigabit network installations. In comparison to Cat5e, Cat6 cable provides greater bandwidth and data transfer rates up to 1 Gbps over m, the same as Cat5e. However, at shorter distances of up to 37 m ft. Cat6 includes a physical separator called a "spline" between the four pairs to reduce crosstalk and foil shielding to reduce electromagnetic interference.
Introduced in , Cat6a is an "augmented" Category 6 cable with a bandwidth of up to MHz. While substantially similar to the performance characteristics of Cat6a, Cat7 cables features proprietary GG45 connectors and robust shielding. Cat7a Category 7 Augmented is a further refinement of Cat7, capable of 40 Gigabit speeds over 50 meters and Gbps up to 15 meters.
Its conductors are wrapped in foil to virtually eliminate crosstalk and enable higher data rates. The result is a heavier gauge cable that is quite rigid and can be difficult to install in tight spaces. It still uses RJ45 connectors and is backwards compatible with previous standards. What type of Ethernet cable should I buy for my home network? Even with a speedy WiFi6 router, your connection to the Internet is usually the bandwidth bottleneck.
Currently, the fastest Internet plans available from the major carriers offer download speeds of 1 gigabit per second 1, Mbps.
If you already have the fastest Internet access available from your provider, use Cat6a cable. This will give you some headroom for future speed increases. For Internet download speeds up to a gigabit, Cat5e is a good choice. You'll save a little money over Cat6a and the thinner cable will be easier to install. The further a signal has to travel along a cable, the more it will degrade a process known as attenuation until it reaches the point where it can no longer be detected, or is too distorted to be interpreted by the receiving device.
Attenuation can also be caused by noise due to electrical currents and radio frequencies. Cables with shielding to minimize noise will work reliably over greater distances. The maximum length of a Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable is about ft. Beyond this, the signal begins to degrade, reducing the speed and reliability of the connection.
Good quality cable can support runs in excess of meters but data transmission speed may be reduced. Higher data rates can also be achieved over shorter distances. Ethernet cables made from four twisted pairs are terminated using an 8-pin RJ45 connector. Older telephone cable based on two twisted pairs typically use RJ11 connectors. The terms 8p8c Eight Position, Eight Contact and RJ45 are often used interchangeably but 8p8c actually refers to a category of connectors of which RJ45 is one.
The modern RJ45 Ethernet connector is the most common example of an 8p8c connector. GG45 connectors have 12 pins in total, 8 providing backwards compatibility with Cat6, and an additional 4 pins providing support for frequencies of up to MHz.
Why is an Ethernet cable connector called RJ45? The "45" simply refers to the number of the interface in the standard specification. Molded connectors are permanently attached to a cable using a manufacturing process called over-molding. The connector and cable are covered with a thermoplastic or silicon material to form one solid piece called a boot, making the cable more durable and able to withstanding a high number of insertion cycles. Snagless connectors have a modified boot that protects the connector's lock from being accidentally snapped off.
Snagless cables are typically used in situations where the cable is frequently connected and disconnected, such as a laptop-to-wall network connection. Snagless Connector NBL. Manufactured from small gauge copper wire, the four-pair stranded cable increases airflow in crowded equipment racks, which helps keep components cool and functioning properly. The slim design also makes the cable lighter and easier to install in high-density racks, cable trays and ductwork. Flat Cables Although not a common choice, flat cables have some unique characteristics that make them beneficial in certain applications.
Flat cables have good heat dissipation and more evenly distribute physical loads on the cable. They also bend only through the wide faces whereas a conventional round cable bends in all directions. A flat cable is a good choice if you need to carry an Ethernet patch cable around in your laptop bag. It is strong, light and will not tangle easily. Its flat shape makes it ideal for cable runs under carpet and behind baseboard.
Solid Core Cables Network cables are available in stranded and solid wire formats. As the name suggests, a solid core cable uses one solid copper wire for each conductor, so a 4-pair cable will have a total of 8 solid copper wires.
Solid conductor cable is easy to punch down, making it ideal for structured wiring applications. In situations where a cable is repeatedly flexed or connected and disconnected, choose a stranded cable. For horizontal cable runs not subject to repeated movement, or for Power-over-Ethernet PoE and outdoor applications, use solid core cable.
Armored cable is recommended for outdoor applications and any location where the cable could potentially be crushed or cut. What is a Crossover Cable? The difference is the pin assignment for the green and orange pairs. TA pinouts are the most commonly used but either will work so long as both ends of the cable are similarly wired.
The U. Government requires the use of the TA standard for networks installed under a federal contract.
0コメント