Copper Network Cables(Comptia Objective 3.1)

Question 1

What does most network cables have inside of them?

Answer 1

” Twisted Pair Copper Cabling”

• Balanced pair operation
• Two wires with equal and opposite signals
• Transmit +, Transmit -, Receive +, Receive -

Question 2

Why do we use twisted pairs of wires inside a Network Cable?

Answer 2

Because it keeps each single wire constantly moving away from interference
- The opposite signals are compared on the other end

Question 3

Who provides the Network Cabling Standards?

Answer 3

• Electronic Industries Alliance( EIA)
• usually starts with RS#( Recommended standard)
• Telecommunications industry Association( TIA)
• standards usually have a ANSI/TIA/EIA - 568
• International ISO/IEC 11801 Cabling Standards - Defines classes of networking standards

Question 4

What is the Maximum Ethernet standard supported of Cat 3 Cables? And distance supported?

Answer 4

10BASE-T or 10 megabits/second.

- Can be used for up to 100 meters.

Question 5

What is the Maximum Ethernet standard supported of Cat 5 Cables? And distance supported?

Answer 5

100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T or 100-1000 megabits per second

- Can be used up to 100 meters

Question 6

What is the Maximum Ethernet standard supported of Cat 5e( Enhanced) Cables? And distance supported?

Answer 6

100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T or 100-1000 megabits per second

• Can be used up to 100 meters
• minor enhancements made to the standard speeds remained mainly the same.

Question 7

What is the Maximum Ethernet standard supported of Cat 6 Cables? And distance supported?

Answer 7

10GBASE-T or 10gigabyte/s per second

- Can be used up to 37- meters

Question 8

What is the Maximum Ethernet standard supported of Cat 6A( Augmented) Cables? And distance supported?

Answer 8

10GBASE-T or 10gigabyte/s per second

- Can be used up to 100 meters.

Question 9

What is a Plenum?

Answer 9

A space above an office ceiling where you would run network cabling, electrical, telephone etc.

• Often in the same area as HVAC systems in ceiling
• Concerns in case of fire would be smoke and toxic fumes from cabling

Question 10

What is used to insulate a Traditional Cable jacket?

Answer 10

PVC( Polyvinyl Chloride)

- fumes could be toxic.

Question 11

What type of cable insulation would you want to use in an Plenum?

Answer 11

• Fire Rated Cable Jacket such as FEP( Flurinated ethylene polymer or low smoke PVC( Polyvinyl chloride)

Question 12

What is a disadvantage of a Plenum rated network cable?

Answer 12

They are not as flexible and special planning will be required to run the cable.

Question 13

What are the Network Cable Termination Standards?

Answer 13

T568A and T568B

• Pin assignments from EIA/TIA - 568-B standard
• Eight pin 8 conductor 100ohm balanced twisted pair cabling.

Question 14

What is the difference between T568A and T568B termination standards?

Answer 14

T568A and T568B have different pin assignments

• T568A pin out used horizontal cabling(same floor of the building) whereas T568B does not as it can be ran vertical.
• You can’t terminate oppposing ends of a cable using two different standards.

Question 15

What does the term “ Coaxial cable” mean?

Answer 15

Means two or more forms share a common axis( e.g. dielectric insulator, metal shielding, plastic jacket running in one direction

Question 16

What standard of Coaxial cable is used for Television/ digital cable?

Answer 16

• RG-6 is used for this and also for high speed internet over cable

Question 17

What standard of Coaxial able is used for Patch cables?

Answer 17

• RG-59 but not designed for long distances.

Question 18

How can you identify between the 568a/b termination standards?

Answer 18

• 568A will have a White and Green twisted pair wire in position 1 where as 568b will start with white and orange.
• Position 2 568A=Green/ 568B=Orange
• Position 3 568A=White/Orange/568B=White/Green
• Position 4 568A=Blue/ 568B=Blue
• Position 5 568A=White/Blue/ 568B=White/Blue
• Position 6 568A= Orange/ 568B=Green
• Position 7 568A=White/Brown/ 568B= White/Brown
• Position 8 568A=Brown/ 568B = Brown.