Cat5 Cable

Cat5 Cable

By Anne Ahira

CAT5 cable, which is the shortened version of Category 5 cable, is a high signal integrity twisted pair cable type. It can come in shielded or unshielded cable versions.

It is mainly used for computer networks as in the Ethernet, or for structured cabling. It may also be used to carry other signals such as ATM, token ring, and possibly just voice service.

The specified performance characteristics of CAT5 cable can be found in a document called ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A, with further clarifications that are found in TSB-95.

There are twisted pairs held in a single cable jacket specifically within all CAT5 cable. The reason for this is that it preserves the high signal-to-noise ratio to prevent crosstalk.

CAT5 cable is mostly used in 100 Mbit/s networks. Typically CAT5 cable features three different twists for each inch of twisted pair 24 gauge copper wires inside each cable.

Enhanced versions of CAT5 cable have been designed, thus now CAT5 cable is being phased out in favor of CAT5e cable. The test methods and the characteristics of the CAT5e cable are defined in TIA/EIA-568-B.2-2001.

CAT5e cable has much stricter performance specifications, however it still does not provide longer cable distances in the instance of Ethernet networks. Those particular cables still must adhere to 328 feet (100m) in length that allows for 5m of end patch cable that needs to be at each end.

There are two types of CAT5 cable, solid conductor and stranded form. Each will be used depending on whether one is using insulation piercing connectors or insulation displacement connectors.

Stranded CAT5 cable is a higher flexible cable thus it can be used with insulation piercing connectors and still retain a reliable connection. When used, however, with insulation-displacement connectors then it makes highly unreliable connections.

Thus, building wiring will be solid core, however the movable cable that you use to plug your computer into a wall socket, for example, will be using the stranded form. CAT5 cable is ordinarily connected with 8P8C modular connectors.

Mixed cable types, solid core and stranded, ought not to be connected in series because the impedance per pair will of course differ slightly, thus that may cause signal degradation.

One may actually find CAT5 cable that has been “UV rated.” This means that it may be open to the elements to outdoor UV radiation and still not suffer significant destruction.

There is also CAT5 cable that is rated as suitable for “direct burial,” when the cable must be placed underground. In order to hinder any moisture migration into the cable, ordinarily this cable will be gel filled.

A very interesting tip that all cable installers know when using CAT5 cable on a tower is that because vertical cables will channel water directly into sensitive indoor equipment, they will therefore add a drip-loop at the underside of any run of cable.

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