Network Cables & Connectors Flashcards
Two sources of Electrical Interference
electromagnetic interference (EMI) and attenuation
Class A 100 kHz Low speed cable used for older voice telephone installations. Not for use in data networks.
Cat 1
Class B 1 MHz Used in older data networks like ARCnet and early Token Ring.
Cat 2
Class C 16 MHz Used in early Ethernet; unsuitable for faster networks, but still used for voice telephone cables.
Cat 3
Not standard 20 MHz Used by early Ethernet and some Token Ring networks, but was never common.
Cat 4
Class D 100MHz Widely used for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet networks, also used for telephone and video. Superseded by Cat5e.
Cat 5
Class D 100 MHz Category 5 Enhanced. Same overall properties as Cat5, but higher testing standards.
Cat 5e
Class E 250 MHz Stronger crosstalk specifications than Cat 5e. Popular for new Gigabit Ethernet installations, and short distance 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks. Frequently shielded for additional EMI protection; if so, the shielding needs a grounded connection.
Cat 6
Class EA 500 MHz Augmented Category 6. Shielded, and allows full distance 10 Gigabit Ethernet operation.
Cat 6a
Class F 600 MHz Similar to Cat6A, but screened and shielded for higher noise resistance.
Cat 7
Class FA 1000 MHz Augmented Category 7. Maybe suitable for emerging 40 Gigabit Ethernet.
Cat 7a
The first popular twisted-pair Ethernet standard, used in the early 1990s. Operates at 10 Mbps, using two wire pairs on a Cat3 or higher cable. Typically joined with hubs because switches were still expensive, but are compatible with modern switched networks too.
10BASE-T
A 100 Mbps standard, also known as Fast Ethernet. It still uses two wire pairs, but requires Cat5 or higher cable. While they’re somewhat out of date, Fast Ethernet switches and other devices are still available and widely used in small networks
100BASE-TX
Also known as Gigabit Ethernet, since it operates at 1000Mbps. It uses all four wire pairs of a Cat5 or higher cable. It’s the dominant standard for modern LANs
1000BASE-T
As the name implies, 10 Gigabit Ethernet operates at 10 Gbps, using all four pairs of Cat6a cable. Over shorter distances, it can work over ordinary Cat6 as well. 10 Gigabit devices are still considerably more expensive than Gigabit devices, so are still limited to high demand applications and network backbones where performance is essential.
10GBASE-T
Which tool measures signal reflection along a cable to find break and estimate their locations?
Time-domain Reflectometer
0.64 mm 6.1 mm 75 ohms Common for baseband video and older cable television systems. Not reliable for broadband network connections.
RG-59
1 mm 6.86 mm 75 ohms Standard for newer digital cable, satellite, and cable modem connections. Essentially a higher grade RG-59.
RG-6
1.63 mm 10.5 mm 75 ohms Used for the same purposes as RG-6, but usually only for long distance drops and underground cables.
RG-11
2.17 mm 10.3 mm 50 ohms Used by 10BASE5 “Thicknet” Ethernet, the first Ethernet standard. Now obsolete.
RG-8
0.81 mm 5.0 mm 50 ohms Used by 10BASE2 “Thinnet” Ethernet, a cheaper but more limited alternative to Thicknet. Also obsolete.
RG-58
A miniature quick connect/disconnect radio frequency connector used for coaxial cable
BNC connector
Used for baseband video and older cable television systems
RG-59
Used for newer digital cable, satellite, and cable modem connections
RG-6
Used for long distance drops and underground cables
RG-11
Used by 10BASE5 “Thicknet” Ethernet, the first Ethernet standard
RG-8
Used by 10BASE2 “Thinnet” Ethernet, a cheaper but more limited alternative to Thicknet
RG-58
The transparent fiber that carries the signal. It’s usually made out of silica glass far more transparent than ordinary consumer glass, but other transparent materials can be used. Core diameters are under 100 microns, or millionths of a meter.
Fiber Core
A second layer immediately surrounding the core. It’s also transparent, but has a different refractive index than the core itself. Light passing down along the cable reflects off the boundary with the cladding, keeping it within the core. Claddings are usually 125 or 140 microns in diameter, similar to a human hair.
Fiber Cladding
Strengthens and protects the fiber itself, but doesn’t affect its optical properties. The innermost part of the buffer is a plastic coating usually 250 microns in diameter. The coating itself is generally surrounded by further protections. Indoor cables tend to use a tight buffer around 900 microns in diameter, while outdoor cables use a larger loose tube buffer with gel or other materials meant to protect the fiber from environmental conditions.
Fiber Buffer
Provides tensile strength to support the cable and reduce physical stress on the glass fibers. Usually made of aramid (Kevlar) yarn, fiberglass, or steel cable. Large multifiber cables will often have a central strength member, with the fibers themselves placed around it.
Fiber Strength members
The outermost layer of the cable, usually color coded to give technicians information about the type of fiber inside.
Fiber Outer Jacket
Use materials that don’t easily burn or produce toxic smoke.
Plenum-grade optical cables
More than one optical fiber in a single jacket. Each fiber is optically independent from the others, so can be used for separate channels or duplex operation.
Multifiber cables
2.5 mm round Bayonet One of the first popular MMF connectors, but less common for SMF. Increasingly being replaced by small form factor (SFF) connectors.
ST (straight tip)
2.5 mm round Screw An early single-mode connector using the same ferrule type as ST. Very popular in the past, now being replaced by SC and LC connectors.
FC (Ferrule connector, or fiber channel)
2.5 mm round Push/pull snap Square bodied and using the same standard ferrule; commonly two are clipped together in a duplex SC-DC format.
SC (Subscriber connector, or standard connector)
1.25 mm round Snap SFF connector. Similar appearance to SC, but smaller and with a retaining clip. Available in single and duplex formats.
LC (Lucent connector, or local connector}
2.45 mm x 4.4 mm rectangle Snap A duplex SFF connector. Looks very much like an RJ-45 connector, and has two fibers in a single rectangular ferrule.
MT-RJ (Mechanical Transfer - Registered Jack)
A rigid cylinder that fits over the end of the cable.
Ferrule
A type of splitter where multiple fibers on one end are fused to join at a single core.
Fiber Coupler
A connectivity-testing tool that can be used to trace and identify a wire along its entire length.
Toner Probe
A general-purpose electronic tester which can measure resistance, current, or voltage between two points
Multimeter
A cable testing tool that at the minimum measures conductivity and resistance to detect breaks and shorts. Different variants might be known as line testers. Some cable testers are more sophisticated and can measure cable length, check for noise levels, or detect what device is on the other end of an active cable.
Cable tester
A more sophisticated cable tester. Measures signal reflections along a cable to find breaks, shorts, or even minor flaws along its path, and estimate their locations.
Time-domain reflectometer
A device that can perform advanced tests on cable quality and certify that it meets appropriate performance standards.
Cable certifier
Connects transmit and receive pins on a connector, effectively letting it plug into itself to allow diagnostic tests
Loopback plug
Used for older voice telephone installations and not used in data networks
Cat 1
Used in early Ethernet and unsuitable for faster networks but still used for voice telephone cables
Cat 3
Used in older data networks like ARCnet and early Token Ring
Cat 2
Widely used for Fast Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet networks and also used for telephone and video
Cat 5
Used by early Ethernet and some Token Ring networks but was never common
Cat 4
You’re observing fine black particles on printouts and in the printer itself. Which tool will you use to fix this problem?
Toner Vacuum
Cable that operates at 10 megabits per second (Mbps), with a maximum distance of 2,000 meters (m) or 2 kilometers (km)
10BaseF is also known as 10BaseFL (Fiber Optic)
Cable that operates at 10 megabits per second (Mbps), with a maximum distance of 185 meters
10Base2 (thin coax cable that uses BNC connectors)
-Thinnet or Cheapernet
Cable that operates at 10 megabits per second (Mbps), with a maximum distance of 500 meters
10Base5 (thick coax cable that uses N connectors)
-Thicknet
Cable that operates at 10 megabits per second (Mbps), with a maximum distance of 100 meters between devices
10BaseT
Cable that operates at 100 megabits per second (Mbps), with a maximum distance of 100 meters between devices
100BaseT
What is the color code of T-568A from 1-8 pinout?
Green/white Green Orange/white Blue Blue/white Orange Brown/white Brown
What is the color code of T-568B from 1-8 pinout?
Orange/white Orange Green/white Blue Blue/white Green Brown/white Brown
Which 2 pairs of Cat wires are switched between T-568A and T-568B
1,2,3,6 Orange/white Orange Green/white Green
