Pace IT - Twisted Pair Network Media

Twisted pair network media.

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Instructor, PACE-IT Program – Edmonds Community College

Areas of expertise Industry Certifications

PC Hardware

Network Administration

IT Project Management

Network Design

User Training

IT Troubleshooting

Qualifications Summary

Education

M.B.A., IT Management, Western Governor’s University

B.S., IT Security, Western Governor’s University

Entrepreneur, executive leader, and proven manger with 10+ years of experience turning complex issues into efficient and effective solutions.

Strengths include developing and mentoring diverse workforces, improving processes, analyzing business needs and creating the solutions required— with a focus on technology.

Brian K. Ferrill, M.B.A.

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Twisted pair network media.PACE-IT.

– Twisted pair network cables.

– Categories & characteristics of twisted pair.

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Twisted pair network cables.Twisted pair network media.

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Most people are sort of familiar with twisted pair cables as they tend to be the standard in the local area network (LAN).

Twisted pair network cables are constructed from four pairs of wiring contained within an insulating sheath. Each pair of wires is twisted together with slightly different twist rates. This is to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) from outside sources or from other pairs of wires (crosstalk). Each pair of wires is color coded with the common coloring scheme being: white orange/orange, white blue/blue, white green/green, and white brown/brown.


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– Unshielded vs. shielded twisted pair (UTP vs. STP).

» STP has an additional shield that is either wrapped around each pair of wires or around all four pairs.

» STP reduces the opportunity for EMI or crosstalk, but is more expensive and a little harder to work with.

» UTP is deployed in the network much more often than STP.

– Plenum vs. non-plenum twisted pair.

» Building codes often call for plenum cable to be run in plenum spaces (areas designed to assist in the airflow of a building for HVAC purposes).

» The outer jacket of a plenum cable is either a fire-retardant cover or a low-smoke PVC material. This outer cover makes these twisted pair cables less flexible and more expensive.

» Plenum cables often have a polymer or nylon strand woven into them to help take the weight of hanging cables. This reduces the chance for the cable to stretch, which can cause the pair inside to break.

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Characteristics & categories of twisted pair.Twisted pair network media.

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A twisted pair network cable can either be a straight through or a crossover cable.

A straight through cable is a cable in which the wiring scheme is the same on both ends. They are used to connect dissimilar types of devices (e.g., PC to switch or switch to router). The crossover cable uses a different wiring for the cable ends; they are “crossed over” from end to end. Crossover cables are used to connect similar types of devices (e.g., PC to PC or switch to switch).


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– Conductor construction.» Solid conductor: the core of each wire is made from a

solid copper conductor.• Strong and sturdy; works well for pulling through

walls.• Reduced flexibility.

» Stranded conductor: the core of each wire is made from small, thin strands of copper that are twisted together.

• Not as strong or as sturdy as solid core wire.• More flexible than solid core; works well for patch

cables.

– Categories of twisted pair network media.

» Twisted pair network cables are broken out into categories based on their maximum rated ability to handle network traffic.

» Most of the bandwidth gains in the categories are due to changes in the twist rate in the pairs. More twists in a pair of wires reduces EMI and crosstalk, allowing for more speed.

» There are currently five different categories of twisted pair network cables that are readily available: CAT3, CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, and CAT6a. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum distance a twisted pair cable segment can be is 100 m.

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– CAT3» Rated for up to 10 Mbps speed (10BaseT).

– CAT5» Rated for up to 100 Mbps speed (100BaseT).

– CAT5e» Rated for up to 1 Gbps (1000BaseT).

– CAT6» Rated for up to 10 Gbps (10GbE, 10 Gigabit Ethernet).» Max length of 55 meters when used for 10GbE.

– CAT6a» Rated for up to 10 Gbps (10GbE, 10 Gigabit Ethernet).» Max length of 100 meters when used for 10GbE.

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What was covered.Twisted pair network media.

Twisted pair network cables are the most common of all network cables and are composed of four pairs of wires. UTP is more common than STP. Building codes may call for plenum grade cabling when cables are run in spaces designed to assist in airflow.

Topic

Twisted pair network cables.

Summary

A twisted pair network cable will either be a straight through or crossover cable, depending on how it is constructed. The cable may be solid core—which is good for pulling through walls, or it may be a stranded core cable—which is more flexible and works well for patch cables. The maximum length of a twisted pair cable is 100 m. There are five readily available categories of cables, each with its own maximum speed rating.

Characteristics & categories of twisted pair.

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THANK YOU!

This workforce solution was 100 percent funded by a $3 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability or ownership. Funded by the Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Grant #TC-23745-12-60-A-53.

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