Lesson 3 - Chapter 4: Structured Cabling

Question 1

The standards defined by TIA/EIA that determine a functioning network are called what?

Answer 1

structured cabling

Question 2

What is the idea/purpose of structured cabling?

Answer 2

to create a safe, reliable cabling infrastructure for all interconnected devices

(telephone, videos, computer networks)

Question 3

An ideal structured cabling setup would have what 3 things?

Answer 3

1. Protection from vacuum cleaners, tripping on wires, EMI
2. Hardware to organize and protect cabling
3. Flexibility to grow according to company’s needs

Question 4

Successfully implementing a basic structured cabling network requires what 3 essential ingredients?

Answer 4

1. a telecommunications room
2. horizontal cabling
3. a work area

(basic star network)

Question 5

All cables from the telecommunications room to the workstations run in what direction for the most part?

Answer 5

horizontal

(called horizontal cabling)

Question 6

A single piece of installed horizontal cabling is called what?

Answer 6

a run

(“running” the cable along the ceiling)

Question 7

What is a work area?

Answer 7

Often an office or cubicle with a workstation and telephone

Question 8

In most modern networks, what Cat cable is used for the horizontal run cabling?

Answer 8

Cat 6 or better

Question 9

The TIA/EIA standards define a number of other aspects of horizontal cabling such as these 3 things:

Answer 9

1. type of wires
2. number of pairs of wires
3. fire ratings

Question 10

All UTP cables come in 1 or 2 types. What are they and describe them.

Answer 10

1. Solid core (single solid wire)
2. Stranded core (each wire is a bundle of tiny wire strands)

stranded core = looks like a broom

Question 11

Out of solid core and stranded core, which is the better conductor? Which will handle more rough play without breaking?

Answer 11

Solid core = better conductor, but can break if handled roughly
Stranded core = can handle more rough handling without breaking

Question 12

TIA/EIA specifies that horizontal cabling should always be which UTP type?

Answer 12

Should always be solid core

(because this wire is going into the walls and ceilings, safe from damage)

Question 13

The central component of every telecommunications room is what?

Answer 13

One or more equipment racks

Question 14

What’s an equipment rack?

Answer 14

provides a safe, stable platform for all various hardware components

(like a bookshelf for books)

Question 15

All equipment racks are ___ inches wide

Answer 15

19 inches wide

(and their heights vary, can be on a wall or floor to ceiling)

Question 16

All rack-mounted equipment uses a height measurement known as? What is that height measurement?

Answer 16

U

a U = 1.75 inches

1 device fits into a U space of 1.75 inches = 1U
1 device needs 3.5 inches = 2U
1 device needs 7 inches = 4U

(1U, 2U, 4U are most common sizes)

Question 17

You can avoid having to re-arrange UTP horizontal solid core cabling on a switch (for example) and risking breakage by using what?

Answer 17

a patch panel

(connect the horizontal cabling to the permanent cable area in the back of it)

Question 18

What’s a patch panel? What does it have in the front and the back?

Answer 18

A box with a row of female connectors (ports) in the front and permanent connections in the back (for horizontal cabling)

Question 19

The most common type of patch panel today uses what special type of connector?

Answer 19

110 block (or called 110-punchdown block)

Question 20

UTP cables connect to a 110 block using what tool?

Answer 20

a punchdown tool

Question 21

Patch panels come in a wide variety such as (3) with ___ ports

Answer 21

UTP, STP, or fiber ports (or a mix) with 8-48+ ports

Question 22

Do UTP patch panels come with Cat ratings too?

Answer 22

Yes! Always get a matching Cat cable and Cat patch panel (Cat 6 cable with Cat 6 patch panel)

[some higher-rated panels support earlier Cat cable standards ie Cat 6 patch with Cat 5e cabling]

Question 23

What cable do you use to connect patch panel ports to the switch?

Answer 23

patch cables (with a stranded core so you can remove patch cable repeatedly)

Question 24

What type of cables are patch cables?

Answer 24

short UTP cables (2-5 feet) with stranded core

Question 25

What tool would you use to make your own patch cables?

Answer 25

a specific crimper for the stranded cable a patch cable uses

Question 26

What are the 2 main tools you need to crimp?

Answer 26

1. RJ-45 crimper with a built-in wire stripper
2. a pair of wire snips

Question 27

What is a crimper used for? what is a wire stripper for? (2)

Answer 27

crimper: to attach the connector to the cable

a wire stripper removes the jacket (plastic outer sheath) from the wire

Question 28

To make your own patch cables, make sure the stranded UTP cable matches what?

Answer 28

the Cat level of your horizontal cabling (that will run to the patch panel)

Question 29

A good patch cable should include a boot. What is that?

Answer 29

a plastic sheath that partially covers the connector to protect it (like a dress)

[must be added before crimping both ends of the patch cable]

Question 30

After making your own patch cable, what do you use to test whether it’s properly crimped?

Answer 30

a cable tester, to verify all individual wires are properly connected and in the right spot

Question 31

You connect a workstation to the wall outlet with what cable?

Answer 31

a patch cable (stranded core)

(withstands moving equipment around, occasional kick)

Question 32

The female RJ-45 jacks in wall outlets for work area also have Cat ratings which means you must buy what?

Answer 32

You must buy Cat-rated jacks for wall outlets that match the Cat rating of the cabling in your network