What is Network Cabling?

Cable is the medium through which information usually moves from one network
device to another. There are several types of cable which are commonly used with
LANs. In some cases, a network will utilize only one type of cable, other networks
will use a variety of cable types. The type of cable chosen for a network is related to
the network's topology, protocol, and size. Understanding the characteristics of
different types of cable and how they relate to other aspects of a network is necessary
for the development of a successful network.

The following sections discuss the types of cables used in networks and other related
topics.

 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

 Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
 Coaxial Cable
 Fiber Optic Cable
 Cable Installation Guides
 Wireless LANs
 Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

Twisted pair cabling comes in two varieties: shielded and unshielded. Unshielded
twisted pair (UTP) is the most popular and is generally the best option for school
networks (See fig. 1).

Fig.1. Unshielded twisted pair

The quality of UTP may vary from telephone-grade wire to extremely high-speed
cable. The cable has four pairs of wires inside the jacket. Each pair is twisted with a
different number of twists per inch to help eliminate interference from adjacent pairs
and other electrical devices. The tighter the twisting, the higher the supported
transmission rate and the greater the cost per foot. The EIA/TIA (Electronic Industry

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 17
Association/Telecommunication Industry Association) has established standards of
UTP and rated six categories of wire (additional categories are emerging).

Categories of Unshielded Twisted Pair

Category Speed Use

1 1 Mbps Voice Only (Telephone Wire)
2 4 Mbps LocalTalk & Telephone (Rarely used)
3 16 Mbps 10BaseT Ethernet
4 20 Mbps Token Ring (Rarely used)
100 Mbps (2 pair) 100BaseT Ethernet
5
1000 Mbps (4 pair) Gigabit Ethernet
5e 1,000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet
6 10,000 Mbps Gigabit Ethernet

Unshielded Twisted Pair Connector

The standard connector for unshielded twisted pair cabling is an RJ-45 connector.
This is a plastic connector that looks like a large telephone-style connector (See fig.
2). A slot allows the RJ-45 to be inserted only one way. RJ stands for Registered Jack,
implying that the connector follows a standard borrowed from the telephone industry.
This standard designates which wire goes with each pin inside the connector.

Fig. 2. RJ-45 connector

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

Although UTP cable is the least expensive cable, it may be susceptible to radio and
electrical frequency interference (it should not be too close to electric motors,

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 18
fluorescent lights, etc.). If you must place cable in environments with lots of potential
interference, or if you must place cable in extremely sensitive environments that may
be susceptible to the electrical current in the UTP, shielded twisted pair may be the
solution. Shielded cables can also help to extend the maximum distance of the cables.

Shielded twisted pair cable is available in three different configurations:

1. Each pair of wires is individually shielded with foil.

2. There is a foil or braid shield inside the jacket covering all wires (as a group).
3. There is a shield around each individual pair, as well as around the entire group
of wires (referred to as double shield twisted pair).

Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cabling has a single copper conductor at its center. A plastic layer provides
insulation between the center conductor and a braided metal shield (See fig. 3). The
metal shield helps to block any outside interference from fluorescent lights, motors,
and other computers.

Fig. 3. Coaxial cable

Although coaxial cabling is difficult to install, it is highly resistant to signal

interference. In addition, it can support greater cable lengths between network devices
than twisted pair cable. The two types of coaxial cabling are thick coaxial and thin
coaxial.

Thin coaxial cable is also referred to as thinnet. 10Base2 refers to the specifications
for thin coaxial cable carrying Ethernet signals. The 2 refers to the approximate
maximum segment length being 200 meters. In actual fact the maximum segment
length is 185 meters. Thin coaxial cable has been popular in school networks,
especially linear bus networks.

Thick coaxial cable is also referred to as thicknet. 10Base5 refers to the specifications
for thick coaxial cable carrying Ethernet signals. The 5 refers to the maximum

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 19
segment length being 500 meters. Thick coaxial cable has an extra protective plastic
cover that helps keep moisture away from the center conductor. This makes thick
coaxial a great choice when running longer lengths in a linear bus network. One
disadvantage of thick coaxial is that it does not bend easily and is difficult to install.

Coaxial Cable Connectors

The most common type of connector used with coaxial cables is the Bayone-Neill-
Concelman (BNC) connector (See fig. 4). Different types of adapters are available for
BNC connectors, including a T-connector, barrel connector, and terminator.
Connectors on the cable are the weakest points in any network. To help avoid
problems with your network, always use the BNC connectors that crimp, rather screw,
onto the cable.

Fig. 4. BNC connector

Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic cabling consists of a center glass core surrounded by several layers of
protective materials (See fig. 5). It transmits light rather than electronic signals
eliminating the problem of electrical interference. This makes it ideal for certain
environments that contain a large amount of electrical interference. It has also made it
the standard for connecting networks between buildings, due to its immunity to the
effects of moisture and lighting.

Fiber optic cable has the ability to transmit signals over much longer distances than
coaxial and twisted pair. It also has the capability to carry information at vastly
greater speeds. This capacity broadens communication possibilities to include services
such as video conferencing and interactive services. The cost of fiber optic cabling is
comparable to copper cabling; however, it is more difficult to install and modify.
10BaseF refers to the specifications for fiber optic cable carrying Ethernet signals.

The center core of fiber cables is made from glass or plastic fibers (see fig 5). A
plastic coating then cushions the fiber center, and kevlar fibers help to strengthen the
cables and prevent breakage. The outer insulating jacket made of teflon or PVC.

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 20
 Fig. 5. Fiber optic cable

There are two common types of fiber cables -- single mode and multimode.
Multimode cable has a larger diameter; however, both cables provide high bandwidth
at high speeds. Single mode can provide more distance, but it is more expensive.

Specification Cable Type

10BaseT Unshielded Twisted Pair
10Base2 Thin Coaxial
10Base5 Thick Coaxial
100BaseT Unshielded Twisted Pair
100BaseFX Fiber Optic
100BaseBX Single mode Fiber
100BaseSX Multimode Fiber
1000BaseT Unshielded Twisted Pair
1000BaseFX Fiber Optic
1000BaseBX Single mode Fiber
1000BaseSX Multimode Fiber

Installing Cable - Some Guidelines

When running cable, it is best to follow a few simple rules:

 Always use more cable than you need. Leave plenty of slack.
 Test every part of a network as you install it. Even if it is brand new, it may
have problems that will be difficult to isolate later.
 Stay at least 3 feet away from fluorescent light boxes and other sources of
electrical interference.
 If it is necessary to run cable across the floor, cover the cable with cable
protectors.

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 21
  Label both ends of each cable.
 Use cable ties (not tape) to keep cables in the same location together.

Lecture notes on Networking for HND and Btech by NGOLAH @HIBMAT Buea and Douala Page 22
Making Ethernet Cables - Tricks of the Trade

HOW TO MAKE AN ETHERNET CABLE

Purchasing Ethernet cables can be quite expensive and
pre-made lengths are not always the length you
need. Making Ethernet cables is easy with a box of bulk
Category 5e Ethernet cable and RJ-45 connectors that
are attached to the cut ends of your preferred cable
length.

Bulk Ethernet Cable - Category 5e or CAT5e

(You may also use Category 6 or CAT6 cabling which has

higher performance specifications and is about 20%
more expensive than CAT5e.)

Bulk RJ45 Crimpable Connectors for CAT-5e

or
Bulk RJ45 Crimpable Connectors for CAT-6

RJ-45 Crimping tool

 There are two kinds of Ethernet cables you can make,
Straight Through and Crossover.

STRAIGHT THROUGH Ethernet cables are the

standard cable used for almost all purposes, and are
often called "patch cables". It is highly recommend
you duplicate the color order as shown on the left.
Note how the green pair is not side-by-side as are all
the other pairs. This configuration allows for longer
wire runs.

CROSSOVER CABLES - The purpose of a Crossover

Ethernet cable is to directly connect one computer to
another computer (or device) without going through a
router, switch or hub.

Here's how to make a standard cable:

cut into the plastic sheath about 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the
end of the cut cable. The crimping tool has a razor blade
that will do the trick with practice.
Unwind and pair the similar colors.

Pinch the wires between your fingers and straighten them

out as shown. The color order is important to get correct.

Use scissors to make a straight cut across the 8 wires to

shorten them to 1/2 Inch (1.3 cm) from the cut sleeve to
the end of the wires.

Carefully push all 8 colored wires into the connector. Note

the position of the blue plastic sleeve. Also note how the
wires go all the way to the end.
A view from the top. All the wires are all the way in. There
are no short wires.

WRONG WAY - Note how the blue plastic sleeve is not

inside the connector where it can be locked into place. The
wires are too long. The wires should extend only 1/2 inch
from the blue cut sleeve.

WRONG WAY - Note how the cables do not go all the way to
the end of the connector.

CRIMPING THE CABLE ... carefully place the connector into

the Ethernet Crimper and cinch down on the handles
tightly. The copper splicing tabs on the connector will
pierce into each of the eight wires. There is also a locking
tab that holds the blue plastic sleeve in place for a tight
compression fit. When you remove the cable from the
crimper, that end is ready to use.

For a standard "Straight Through" cable, repeat all steps

and wire color order on the other end of cable. For a cross-
over cable, the other end will have a different color order
as shown by the crossover picture above.
 Make sure to test the cables before installing them. An
inexpensive Ethernet cable tester does this quite well.

NOTE - The maximum cable length of CAT-5, CAT-5e or CAT-6 Ethernet cable is 328 feet or 100 meters.

This .pdf file is a snapshot from http://www.groundcontrol.com/galileo/ch5-ethernet.htm

www.GroundControl.com
A Global Satellite Internet Provider