NETWORKCABLE

Crossover Network Cables vs Straight Through Cable

Straight Through Cables• When you buy "regular" computer

network cables, you are really just buying a straight through Ethernet cable. This means that both ends of the cables will be identical. The colours of the smaller cables inside the ethernet cable, will be in the same order, from left to right.

• This type of cable is used for connecting a PC to a hub/switch or for connecting a router to a switch. The hub/switch performs the crossover for you, that is why you need a crossover cable, for when you connect a PC directly with another PC.

Crossover Cables• A crossover Ethernet cable

have a different look on either side of the cable. The purpose of the crossover cable, is to connect one device directly to another device, without a switch or hub being present.

• So if you were connecting one PC directly with another PC, you would then use a crossover network cable.

CAT 3 Network CableThey are an unshielded twisted pair cabledesigned to carry data of up to 10 Mbit/s.

CAT 3 Network CableSpecifications of the Cat 3 Ethernet Cable• Cat-3 cabling supports frequencies of up to

16 Mhz and speeds of up to 10 Mbit/s. This is much slower then the more recent speeds of CAT 5 Cables (100 Mhz), or CAT 5e (350 Mhz).

• CAT3 cables were the popular standard with network administrators, in the early 1990s, but are now all but completely phased out. They may still be found in two-line telephone systems, and can still be easily adapted to be used to run VoIP.

CAT 5 Network CableThe Cat-5 cable is short for Category 5 cable,

a current industry standard for network and telephone wiring.

CAT 5 Network CableSpecifications of the Cat 5 Ethernet Cable• Cat-5 cabling supports frequencies of up to 100 Mhz and

speeds of up to 100 Mbps (megabytes per second). The Cat-5 Cable is unsheilded wire containing four pairs of 24-gauge twisted copper pairs, terminating in an RJ-45 jack.

• Cat5 and Cat5e LAN cables are easily the most popular and the most common, so it is very probable that if you are using an Ethernet cable it is a Cat 5 cable.

• However, for the majority Cat5e cables are the normality, as these have fixed a few little issues that came along with the Cat5 cable. Cat5e cables also support the faster speeds of 1000Mbit (or Gigabit) connections.

CAT 5e Network CableThe Cat 5e cable is the most popular network cable around and is easily the most common in home and office networks. Cat 5e cables are also

certified to run at Gigabit speeds, so if you want a faster network, make sure you look at getting these cables, as well as getting a Gigabit

certified router and network cards.

CAT 5e Network CableSpecifications of the Cat 5e Ethernet Cable• Cat-5 cabling supports frequencies of up to

350 Mhz and speeds of up to 1000 Mbps (one gigabyte per second). The Cat-5e Cable is unsheilded wire containing four pairs of 24-gauge twisted copper pairs, terminating in an RJ-45 jack.

• CAT5e cables are easily the most common and popular ethernet cables being used.

• However, for the majority Cat5e cables are the normality, as these have fixed a few little issues that came along with the Cat5 cable. Cat5e cables also support the faster speeds of 1000Mbit (or Gigabit) connections.

CAT 6 Network Cable

Specifications of the Cat 6 Ethernet Cable• Cat-6 cabling supports frequencies of up to 250 Mhz

and speeds of up to 1000 Mbit/s. This is a big improvement on previous network cabling speeds (CAT 3: 10 Mhz, CAT 5: 100Mhz). Cat 6a cables can perform up to speeds of 500 Mhz.

• CAT6 cables are becoming increasingly popular, especially with their capabilites of performing at Gigabit Speeds. However, Cat 5e cables are still the most used and most popular network cable.

These cables are designed to function at 1000 Mbit/s per second and are used for the more

recent Gigabit networks.

CAT 7 Network Cable

Specifications of the Cat 7 Ethernet Cable• Cat-7 cabling supports frequencies of up to

600 Mhz and speeds of up to 10,000 Mbit/s. This is a big improvement on previous network cabling speeds (CAT 3: 10 Mhz, CAT 5: 100Mhz, CAT 6: 250 Mhz). Cat 7a cables can perform up to frequencies of 1000 Mhz and 40 Gbit/s.

These cables are designed to function at 10 Gigabit, over 100m of copper cabling.

SUMMARY• Straight through cables have identical ends and are used

for connecting computers through a hub/switch• Crossover cables have different ends and are used for

connecting devices directly with each other (eg. PC to PC)• Category 5e cables are the most popular and common

computer network cables used today.• To gain a fast Gigabit network, you don't just require

Cat6 cables, but you are also in need of compatible gigabit components, such as Gigabit network cards and a Gigabit Router.