See
Mode Conditioning Patch Cord
for more information.
Note on 1000BASE-T Cable Requirements:
The Category 5 networking cables that work for 100BASE-TX connections should also work for
1000BASE-T, as long as all four-pairs are connected. But, for the most robust connections, you
should use cabling that complies with the Category 5e specifications, as described in Addendum
5 to the TIA-568-A standard (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A-5).
Because of the increased speed provided by 1000BASE-T (Gigabit-T), network cable quality is
more important than for either 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX. Cabling plants being used to carry
1000BASE-T networking must comply with the IEEE 802.3ab standards. In particular, the cabling
must pass tests for Attenuation, Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT), and Far-End Crosstalk (FEXT).
Additionally, unlike the cables for 100BASE-TX, the 1000BASE-T cables must pass tests for
Equal-Level Far-End Crosstalk (ELFEXT) and Return Loss.
When testing your cabling, be sure to include the patch cables that connect the switch and other
end devices to the patch panels on your site. The patch cables are frequently overlooked when
testing cable and they must also comply with the cabling standards.
The Category 5 networking cables that work for 100BASE-TX connections should also work for
1000BASE-T, as long as all four-pairs are connected. But, for the most robust connections, you
should use cabling that complies with the Category 5e specifications, as described in Addendum
5 to the TIA-568-A standard (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A-5).
Because of the increased speed provided by 1000BASE-T (Gigabit-T), network cable quality is
more important than for either 10BASE-T or 100BASE-TX. Cabling plants being used to carry
1000BASE-T networking must comply with the IEEE 802.3ab standards. In particular, the cabling
must pass tests for Attenuation, Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT), and Far-End Crosstalk (FEXT).
Additionally, unlike the cables for 100BASE-TX, the 1000BASE-T cables must pass tests for
Equal-Level Far-End Crosstalk (ELFEXT) and Return Loss.
When testing your cabling, be sure to include the patch cables that connect the switch and other
end devices to the patch panels on your site. The patch cables are frequently overlooked when
testing cable and they must also comply with the cabling standards.
Note on 10GBASE-T Cable Requirements:
The Category 6 networking cables that work for 1000BASE-T connections may work for
10GBASE-T, as long as the distance is less than 55m and the cable installation has been tested
for compliance to IEEE requirements. But, for the most robust connections, you should use
cabling that complies with the Category 6A or Category 7 specifications, as described in the
TIA-568-C (ANSI/TIA-568-C.2) and ISO/IEC 11801 standards.
10GBASE-T is a sophisticated technology that relies upon high quality cable installations. It is
sensitive to Alien Near End Crosstalk (ANEXT) which can arrive upon the cable due to cables
placed in close proximity to the data cables. It is recommended that cable dressing be done
carefully and in compliance with recommendations in the TIA TSB-155A.
Like 1000BASE-T, 10GBASE-T requires testing of all the crosstalk and return loss parameters
described above, and also ANEXT.
In addition to ANEXT, 10GBASE-T is more sensitive to external electrical noise in the environment.
It is recommended that radio transmitters and other sources of high frequency continuous wave
radio frequency be kept away from LAN cables.
When testing your cabling, be sure to include the patch cables that connect the switch and other
end devices to the patch panels on your site. The patch cables are frequently overlooked when
testing cable and they must also comply with the cabling standards. For 10GBASE-T, Category
6 patch cables are sensitive to movement once link has been established, and could cause link
to drop if moved. Therefore HPE recommends using Category 6A patch cables, or using cable
management options to tie down (dress) the Category 6 patch cables so they cannot move.
Cabling and Technology Specifications
29
