Fast Reference: Cabling
The second in a series of fast references, "Cabling" will give you an at-a-glance knowledge of the major types of cables, their basic pros and cons, and the shorthand for each type.
The second in a series of fast references, "Cabling" will give you an at-a-glance knowledge of the major types of cables, their basic pros and cons, and the shorthand for each type.
Fast Reference: Cabling
|
||
![]() |
||
|
||
Shorthand: 100BaseT | ||
Pro: Less expensive than Fiber Optics | Con: Vulnerable to radio and electrical frequencies | |
Category |
|
|
|
No longer approved | No longer approved |
|
No longer approved | No longer approved |
CAT 3 | 16 Mbps | Used predominantely for POTS Voice |
|
No longer approved |
No longer approved |
|
No longer approved | No longer approved |
CAT 5E | 1000 Mbps (10000 Mbps prototype) |
100 Mbps TPDDI 155 Mbps ATM Gigabit Ethernet Offers better near-end crosstalk than CAT 5 |
CAT 6 | 250 MHz | Super-fast broadband applications Vendor recommended, minimum required and most popular cabling for new installs |
CAT 6E | 500 MHz | Required for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-T) |
CAT 7 (ISO Class F) |
1 GHz per pair with Siemon connector |
Full-motion video Teleradiology Required for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-T) Government and manufacturing environments Shielded system |
|
||
Shorthand: 100BaseTX | ||
Pro: Good for use when radio or electrical interference is possible | Con: The extra shielding makes it bulky | |
|
||
Shorthand: Thin coaxial is 10Base2; Thick coaxial is 10Base5 | ||
Pro: Good for TV/Video | Con: UTP/STP cable is cheaper, easier to install and offers higher speeds | |
|
||
Shorthand: 10BaseF | ||
Most common is 50 micron laser | ||
Pro: No problem with electrical interference, can transmit signal further than coaxial and twisted cable, and at faster speeds | Con: More expensive than twisted cable |