NETGEAR GS748TS - ProSafe 48 Port Gigabit Stackable Smart Switch, User Manual

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GS748T Software User Manual
C-4 Network Cabling
v2.0, April 2007
Using 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet over Category 5 Cable
When using the new 1000BASE-T standard, the limitations of cable installations and the steps
necessary to ensure optimum performance must be considered. The most important components in
your cabling system are patch panel connections, twists of the pairs at connector transition points,
the jacket around the twisted-pair cable, bundling of multiple pairs on horizontal runs and punch
down blocks. All of these factors affect the performance of 1000BASE-T technology if not
correctly implemented. The following sections are designed to act as a guide to correct cabling for
1000BASE-T.
Cabling
The 1000BASE-T product is designed to operate over Category 5 cabling. To further enhance the
operation, the cabling standards have been amended. The latest standard is Category 5e, which
defines a higher level of link performance than is available with Category 5 cable.
If installing new cable, we recommend using Category 5e cable, since it costs about the same as
Category 5 cable. If using the existing cable, be sure to have the cable plant tested by a
professional who can verify that it meets or exceeds either ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-A:1995 or ISO/
IEC 11801:1995 Category 5 specifications.
Figure C-3
Note: Flat “silver satin” telephone cable may have the same RJ-45 plug. However, using
telephone cable results in excessive collisions, causing the attached port to be
partitioned or disconnected from the network.