Network Cabling

Heng Sovannarith
heng_sovannarith@yahoo.com
 Introduction
• 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 use only one
type of cable, other networks will use a variety
of cable types.
 Introduction (cont.)
• 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.
 Common network cable types
• Unshielded
twisted pair (UTP)

• Shielded
twisted pair (STP)

• Coaxial cable

• Fiber optic
 Twisted Pair Cabling
• Twisted pair cabling is often used in data networks
for short and medium length connections because
of its relatively lower costs compared to optical
fiber and coaxial cable.
• To reduce crosstalk or electromagnetic induction
between pairs of wires, two insulated copper wires
are twisted around each other.
• 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
Unshielded Twisted Paired (UTP) Cable
• The characteristics of UTP are very good and
make it easy to work with, install, expand and
troubleshoot. Moreover, it is cheap.
• UTP can be affected by radio and electrical
frequency interference, there is not protective
metal shield (it should not be too close to
electric motors, fluorescent lights, etc.).
 UTP categories
Category 1 Data to < 100kbps Voice only (Telephone)

Category 2 Data to 4 Mbps (Localtalk)

Category 3 Data to 10Mbps (Ethernet)

Category 4 Data to 20Mbps (Token ring)

Category 5 Data to 100Mbps (Fast Ethernet)

Category 5e Data to 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet)
Category 6 Data to 1000Mbps (Gigabit Ethernet)
Category 6a Data to 10Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet)
Category 7 Data to 10 Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet)
Category 7a Data to 100 Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet)
 UTP categories (cont.)
• CAT1 is typically telephone wire. This type of
wire is not capable of supporting computer
network traffic and is not twisted.
• CAT2, CAT3, CAT4, CAT5 and CAT6 are network
wire specifications. This type of wire can
support computer network and telephone
traffic.
• CAT2 is used mostly for token ring networks,
supporting speeds up to 4 Mbps.
 UTP categories (cont.)
• For higher network speeds (100Mbps plus)
you must use CAT5, CAT6, CAT7 wire, but for
10Mbps CAT3 will suffice.
• CAT3, CAT4, CAT5 and CAT6, CAT7 cable are
actually 4 pairs of twisted copper wires
and CAT5, CAT6, CAT7 has more twists per
inch than CAT3 therefore can run at higher
speeds and greater lengths.
• UTP have a maximum length of 100 meters.
RJ45 connector
 Making connections - Tools
• CAT5e cable
• RJ45 connectors
• Cable stripper
• Scissors
• Crimping tool
 Making connections - Steps
1. Strip cable end
2. Untwist wire ends
3. Arrange wires
4. Trim wires to size
5. Attach connector
6. Check
7. Crimp
8. Test
 Step 1 – Strip cable end
• Strip 1 – 1½” of insulating sheath
• Avoid cutting into conductor insulation
 Step 2 – Untwist wire ends
• Sort wires by insulation colors
 Step 3 – Arrange wires (cont.)
• Two type of cable arrangement: Straight-
Through and Crossover
• Straight-Through: Computer –
Hub/Switch/Router
• Crossover:
+ Computer – another Computer or
+ a Router - another Router, or
+ a Switch - another Switch
 Step 3 – Arrange wires (cont.)

Hub Switch Router Computer

Hub Crossover Crossover Straight Straight

Switch Crossover Crossover Straight Straight

Router Straight Straight Crossover Crossover

Computers Straight Straight Crossover Crossover

 Step 3 – Arrange wires
TIA/EIA-568 is a set of three telecommunications standards
from the Telecommunications Industry Association.
– TIA/EIA 568A: GW-G OW-Bl BlW-O BrW-Br
– TIA/EIA 568B: OW-O GW-Bl BlW-G BrW-Br
 Step 3 – Arrange wires
• Straight-through cable is a Cat 5 cable that
has similar wiring in both ends. Both cable
ends follow either 568A or 568B.
• Crossover cable is a UTP cable that has one
end following 568A and the other 568B
Step 3 – Arrange wires (cont.)
 Step 4 – Trim wires to size
• Trim all wires evenly
• Leave about ½” of wires exposed
 Step 5 – Attach connector
• Maintain wire order, left-
to-right, with RJ45 tab
facing downward
 Step 6 - Check
• Do all wires extend to end?
• Is sheath well inside connector?
 Step 7 - Crimp
• Squeeze firmly to crimp connecter
onto cable end (8P)
 Step 8 – Test
• Does the cable work?
 Shield Twisted Pair Cabling (STP)
• Although UTP cable is the least expensive
cable, it may be easily influenced or affected
by radio and electrical frequency interference
(it should not be too close to electric motors,
fluorescent lights, etc.).

1 – Jacket
2 – Shield-foil
3 – Drain wire
4 – Solid twisted pair
 Shield Twisted Pair Cabling (STP)
(cont.)
• The only difference between the STP and UTP
cable is the additional shielding material used
in STP cables.
• The shielding covers the full length of the
cable and protects it from any external
interference.
• STP is more expensive than UTP
 Coaxial Cable (cont.)
• Coaxial is a type of wire that consists of a center
wire surrounded by insulation and then a
grounded shield of braided wire. The shield
minimizes electrical and radio frequency
interference.
• It is the primary type of cabling used by the cable
television industry and is also widely used for
computer networks. Although more expensive
than UTP, it is much less effected by interference.
 Coaxial Cable
• Coaxial Cable has a copper conductor lies in
the center of the cable, which is surrounded
by insulation. A braided or mesh outer
covering surrounds the insulation.
 Coaxial Cable (cont.)
• The two types of coaxial cabling are thick coaxial
and thin coaxial.
• Thin coaxial
– Thin coaxial cable is also referred to as thinnet.
– It is a 0.2 inch diameter cable
– 10Base2 refers to the specifications for thin coaxial
cable carrying Ethernet signals.
– The approximate maximum segment length of thin
coaxial cable is 200 meters. In actual fact the
maximum segment length is 185 meters.
 Coaxial Cable (cont.)
• Thick Coaxial
– Thick coaxial cable is also referred to as thicknet.
– It is a 0.4 inch diameter cable
– 10Base5 refers to the specifications for thick
coaxial cable carrying Ethernet signals.
– The maximum segment length of Thick Coaxial
cable being 500 meters.
Categories of Coaxial Cables
 Coaxial Connector
• BNC (bayonet Neill-Concelman) Connector is a
male type mounted at each end of a cable.
• BNC T-connectors (used with the 10Base-2
system) are female devices for connecting two
cables to a network interface card (NIC).
• BNC Terminator is placed at the end of
a transmission line to prevent an signal from
being reflected back from the end,
causing interference.
• BNC Barrel Connector is used to connect two
Coaxial cables together.
Coaxial Connector (cont.)
Coaxial Connector (cont.)
 Optical Fiber
• Fibers of glass
• Usually 120 micrometers in diameter
• Used to carry signals in the form of light over
distances more than 1 km.
• No repeaters needed?
 Optical Fiber (cont.)
• SPEED: Fiber optic networks operate at high
speeds - up into the gigabits
• BANDWIDTH: large carrying capacity
• DISTANCE: Signals can be transmitted further
without needing to be "refreshed" or
strengthened.
• RESISTANCE: Greater resistance to
electromagnetic noise such as radios, motors or
other nearby cables.
• MAINTENANCE: Fiber optic cables costs much
less to maintain.
 Fiber Optic
• Core – thin glass center of the fiber where
light travels.
• Cladding – outer optical material surrounding
the core
• Buffer Coating – plastic
coating that protects
the fiber.
 Advantages of Optical Fibre

• Thinner
• Less Expensive
• Higher Carrying Capacity
• Less Signal Degradation
• Light Signals
• Non-Flammable
• Light Weight
 Areas of Application
• Telecommunications
• Local Area Networks
• Cable TV
• CCTV
 Type of Fibers
Optical fibers come in two types:
• Single-mode fibers – used to transmit one signal per
fiber (used in telephone and cable TV). They have small
cores(9 microns in diameter) and transmit infra-red light
from laser.
• Multi-mode fibers – used to transmit many signals per
fiber (used in computer networks). They have larger
cores(62.5 microns in diameter) and transmit infra-red
light from LED.
– Step-Index mode and Graded-Index Mode
Total Internal Reflection in Fiber
 Fiber Optic Connector
• More than a dozen types of fiber optic
connectors have been developed by various
manufacturers since 1980s.
• The most common connector used with fiber
optic cable is an ST (Straight-tip) connector. It
is barrel shaped, similar to a BNC connector.
• A newer connector, the SC (Subscriber
Connector), is becoming more popular. It has a
squared face and is easier to connect.
Fiber Optic Connector (cont.)

ST Connector SC Connector
 Cable Summary
Specification Cable Type Maximum length
10BaseT Unshielded Twisted Pair 100 meters
10Base2 Thin Coaxial 185 meters
10Base5 Thick Coaxial 200 meters
10BaseF Fiber Optic 2000 meters
100BaseTX Unshielded Twisted Pair 220 meters