Category 5/5E &amp; Cat 6 &amp; Cat7 Cabling Jargon

Fibermart
Thursday 06 February, 2014
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Fiber-Mart tutorial articles about Catx items are so comprehensive. This tutorial aims to provide a clear understanding about Category 5, Category 5e, and Category 6, Cat7 UTP network cabling Jargon. In this artical you can learn the most important aspects you need to know.

Key Jargon
Category 5 Cable	Cat 5e cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it in new installations. Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000 Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower levels of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
Category 6 Cable	Category 6 cable was designed to perform at frequencies of up to 250 MHz and offers higher performance for better transmission of data at speeds up to 1000 Mbps (see comparison chart below). Some properly installed Category 6 cable will also support 10 Gigabit speeds, but likely with limitations on length (look for our upcoming Category 6A / 10 Gig tutorial).
Category 6A Cable	Category 6A (augmented Category 6) is the latest twisted-pair cable type defined in February 2008 under the newest version of the TIA 568-B standard (568-B.2-10). Category 6A operates at frequencies of up to 500 MHz and can support transmission speeds at 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps). (Look for our upcoming Category 6A / 10 Gig tutorial.)
Category 7 cable	Category 7 cable (prior to Category 6A cable) was designed to transmit data at 10-gigabit speeds. Category 7 cable is an F/STP (PiMF) cable that includes shielding for individual pairs and the cable as a whole. Category 7 is terminated with RJ-45 compatible GG45 connectors or TERA connectors, and it is rated for transmission frequencies up to 600 MHz. This cable type is rarely installed in the U.S.
UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair)	UTP cables are mostly used for LAN networks. They can be used for voice, low-speed data, high-speed data, audio and paging systems, and building automation and control systems. UTP cable can be used in both the horizontal and backbone cabling subsystems. UTP network cable is a 4-pair, 100-ohm cable that consists of 4 unshielded twisted pairs surrounded by an outer jacket. Each pair is wound together for the purposes of canceling out noise that can interfere with the signal. UTP cabling systems are the most commonly deployed cable type in the U.S.
F/UTP(foil unshielded twisted pair)	F/UTP cable consists of four unshielded twisted pairs surrounded by an overall foil shield. F/UTP has also been referred to as ScTP (screened twisted pair) and FTP (foiled twisted pair). F/UTP cable is not as common as UTP, but is sometimes deployed in environments where electromagnetic interference (EMI) is a significant concern. With shielded systems, the foil shield must maintain continuity throughout the entire system.
S/FTP (shielded foil twisted pair)	S/FTP consists of four foil-shielded twisted pairs surrounded by an overall braided shield. This fully shielded cable is often referred to as PiMF (pairs in metal foil), or SSTP. It is the primary cable type deployed in Europe, but rarely seen in the U.S. With shielded systems, the foil shield must maintain continuity throughout the entire system.
ScTP (Screened Twisted-Pair)	A recognized cable type in the ANSI/TIA-568-C standard is screened twisted-pair (ScTP) cabling, a hybrid of STP and UTP cable. ScTP cable contains four pairs of unshielded 24 AWG, 100 ohm wire surrounded by a foil shield or wrapper and a drain wire for grounding purposes.Therefore, ScTP is also sometimes called foil twisted-pair (FTP) cable because the foil shield surrounds all four conductors.
S/STP or S/FTP(Screened Shielded Twisted-Pair)	S/STP cabling, also known as screened fully shielded twisted-pair (S/FTP), contains four individually shielded pairs of 24 AWG, 100 ohm wire surrounded by an outer metal shielding covering the entire group of shielded copper pairs. This type of cabling offers the best protection from interference from external sources, and also eliminates alien crosstalk (discussed later), allowing the greatest potential for higher speeds. Category 7 is an S/STP cable standardized in ISO 11801 Ed. 2, which offers a usable bandwidth to 600MHz
RJ (registered jack)	The RJ (registered jack) prefix is one of the most widely (and incorrectly) used prefixes in the computer industry; nearly everyone, including people working for cabling companies, is guilty of referring to an eight-position modular jack (sometimes called an 8P8C) as an RJ-45.
Patch Panel	A Patch Cable is a cable assembly that consists of a length of UTP cable with an RJ45 male connector crimped onto each end. This cable assembly is used to provide connectivity between any two RJ45 jacks. The two most common uses for patch cables are for connecting patch panel ports to other patch panel ports or to switch ports, and for connecting the work area outlet (jack) to the computer or other networked device.
Patch Cable	A Patch Cable is a cable assembly that consists of a length of UTP cable with an RJ45 male connector crimped onto each end. This cable assembly is used to provide connectivity between any two RJ45 jacks. The two most common uses for patch cables are for connecting patch panel ports to other patch panel ports or to switch ports, and for connecting the work area outlet (jack) to the computer or other networked device.
Wiring Schemes	The wiring scheme (also called the pinout scheme, pattern, or configuration) that you choose indicates in what order the color-coded wires will be connected to the jacks. These schemes are an important part of standardization of a cabling system. Almost all UTP cabling uses the same color-coded wiring schemes for cables; the color-coding scheme uses a solid-color conductor, and it has a mate that is white with a stripe or band the same color as its solid-colored mate
USOC	The Bell Telephone Universal Service Order Code (USOC) wiring scheme is simple and easy to terminate in up to an eight-position connector. USOC is used for analog and digital voice systems but should never be used for data installations. Splitting the pairs can cause a number of transmission problems when used at frequencies greater than those employed by voice systems. These problems include excessive crosstalk, impedance mismatches, and unacceptable signal-delay differential
T568A and T568B	Both T568A and T568B are universal in that all LAN systems and most voice systems can utilize either wiring sequence without system errors. After all, the electrical signal really doesn’t care if it is running on pair 2 or pair 3, as long as a wire is connected to the pin it needs to use. The TIA/EIA standard specifies eight-position, eight-contact jacks and plugs and four-pair cables, fully terminated, to facilitate this universality. The T568B wiring configuration was at one time the most commonly used scheme, especially for commercial installations;
Bend Radius	Bend radius is the minimum radius a cable can be bent without kinking it, damaging it, or shortening its life. The minimum bend radius for Category 5, 5e, and 6 cable is four times the cable diameter, which is approximately 1 inch. When cabling is bent beyond this specified minimum bend radius, it can cause transmission failures. All pathways must maintain the minimum bend radius wherever the cable makes a bend.
Firestopping	Firestopping is the sealing of holes made in fire walls and floors during cable installation. Firestopping materials and products are designed to restore the fire rating to what it was before penetrating the wall or floor.
Wiremap	This is the most basic test that can be performed on a UTP network link. Wiremap tests for continuity between two devices. Whether using 568A or 568B wiring scheme, all eight pins of each device should be wired straight through (pins 1 through 8 on one end are connected to pins 1 through 8 on the other end). A wiremap test also tests for opens, shorts, grounding, and external voltage
Crosstalk	Crosstalk is the "bleeding" of signals from one pair in a cable onto another pair through induction (wires need not make contact because signals are transferred magnetically). Crosstalk is an unwanted effect that can cause slow data transfer, or completely inhibit the transfer of data signals. Crosstalk is minimized by the twisting of the pairs in the cable. Fiber Optic cable is the only cable medium that is 100% immune to the effects of crosstalk or EMI
Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)	Similar to crosstalk, EMI is an unwanted signal that is induced into the cable. The difference is that EMI typically comes from a source that is external to the cable, such as an electrical cable or device.
Near-end Crosstalk (NEXT)	NEXT is a testing parameter that measures the crosstalk from an interfering pair transmitting at the same end of a network link.
Far-end Crosstalk(FEXT)	PSNEXT is the sum of the NEXT induced on a pair from all other adjacent pairs. PSNEXT is a more stringent measurement than NEXT because it measures the total possible crosstalk from multiple pairs in the same cable, not just the crosstalk from one pair to another pair. PSNEXT is only critical in high-speed networks that transmit data over multiple pairs.
Power Sum ELFEXT (PSELFEXT)	Like PSNEXT, PSELFEXT is the sum of the ELFEXT induced on a pair from all other adjacent pairs. PSELFEXT is only critical in high-speed networks that transmit data over multiple pairs.
Attenuation	Attenuation is the loss of signal over the length of a network link due to the resistance of the wire plus other electrical factors that cause additional resistance (impedance and capacitance for example). A longer cable length, poor connections, bad insulation, a high level of crosstalk, or EMI can all increase attenuation. For each category of cable, the TIA-568B standard specifies the maximum amount of attenuation that is acceptable in a network link.
Attenuation to Crosstalk Ratio (ACR)	ACR is probably the most important result when testing a link. ACR is the difference between the signal attenuation and the near-end crosstalk, representing the strength of the attenuated signal in the presence of crosstalk. If ACR is not high enough, errors will occur or the data signal can be lost. Power Sum ACR (PSACR) is calculated in the same way as ACR, but uses the PSNEXT results rather than NEXT.
Return Loss	Return Loss is the difference between the power of a transmitted signal and the power of the signal reflections caused by variations in link and channel impedance.
Propagation Delay	Propagation Delay tests for the time it takes for the signal to be sent from one end of a link and received by the other end.
Delay Skew	Only a critical parameter in high-speed networks that transmit data using multiple pairs, Delay Skew is the difference in time between the fastest arrival of a data signal on a pair and the slowest. Signals divided over multiple pairs need to reach the other end within a certain amount of time to be re-combined correctly.

Tips for Terminating UTP Connectors

Keep the following points in mind when terminating UTP connectors:

When connecting to jacks and plugs, do not untwist UTP more than 0.5˝ for Category 5e and not more than 0.375˝ for Category 6. Always use connectors, wall plates, and patch panels that are compatible (same rating or higher) with the grade of cable used. To “future-proof” your installation, terminate all four pairs, even if the application requires only two of the pairs. Remember that the T568A wiring scheme is compatible with USOC wiring schemes that use pairs 1 and 2. When terminating ScTP cables, always terminate the drain wire on both ends of the connection.