ETHERNET CABLE SPECIFICATIONS
10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Cable and Connector
Specifications
The physical characteristics of the 10BASE-T /100BASE-TX cable and
connectors must meet or exceed IEEE 802.3/802.3u specifications.
10BASE-T CABLE SPECIFICATIONS
Category 3 wire or better is required; category 5 wire (See 100BASE-TX)
is recommended. Either shielded twisted pair (STP) or unshielded
twisted pair (UTP) can be used. DO NOT USE FLAT OR SILVER SATIN
WIRE.
Category 3:
Gauge
24 to 22 AWG
Attenuation
28 dB/1000’ @ 10 MHz
Impedance 100
Ω
±10% @ 10 MHz
Maximum Cable Distance:
100 meters (330 feet)
100BASE-TX CABLE SPECIFICATIONS
Category 5 wire or better is required. Either shielded twisted pair (STP)
or unshielded twisted pair (UTP) can be used. DO NOT USE FLAT OR
SILVER SATIN WIRE.
Category 5:
Gauge
24 to 22 AWG
Attenuation
20 dB/1000’ @ 10 MHz
Impedance 100
Ω
±10% @ 10 MHz
Maximum Cable Distance:
100 meters (330 feet)
10BASE-T/100BASE-TX CONNECTOR CHARACTERISTICS:
The two active pairs in a 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX network are pins 1 & 2 and
pins 3 & 6. Use only dedicated wire pairs (such as blue/white & white/blue,
orange/white & white/orange) for the active pins. 10BASE-T /100BASE-TX cable
for unlike devices (such as hub to terminal device) must be configured as
straight through; 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX cable for like devices (such as hub to
hub or terminal device to terminal device) must be configured as crossover.
Transition Networks’
Pocket Switch
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Transition Networks’ Pocket Switches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
The Evolving Ethernet Network . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Increasing Bandwidth by Segmenting 10BASE-T Collision
Domain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Doubling Bandwidth by Installing Full-Duplex . . . . . . . . . . .7
Increasing Bandwidth Ten-fold by Installing 100BASE-TX . . .9
Increasing Network Distance by Installing 100BASE-FX . . . .11
2 SITE CONSIDERATIONS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3 INSTALLATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Unpacking the Transition Networks’ Pocket Switch . . . . . . .14
Installing on Flat, Stable Surface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Setting DIP Switch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
Installing Network Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
The 5-Segment Rule (10BASE-T) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
The 512-Bit Rule (100BASE-TX/100BASE-FX) . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
Straight-Through/Crossover Rule (10BASE-T/100BASE-TX) . . .19
Connecting Twisted-Pair Copper Cable to RJ-45 Connectors
(10BASE-T/100BASE-TX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
Connecting Fiber Cable to TX/RX Connectors (100BASE-FX) . .21
Powering Transition Networks’ Pocket Switch . . . . . . . . . . .22
4 OPERATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5 MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Fault Isolation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
Technical Support Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
WARRANTY STATEMENT
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
ETHERNET CABLE SPECIFICATIONS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
TRANSITION NETWORKS’ POCKET SWITCH
SPECIFICATIONS
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
i
27
Twisted
Pair #1
Twisted
Pair #2
Crossover Cable
Connectors for like devices
1
2
3
6
1
2
3
6
1
2
3
6
Twisted
Pair #1
Twisted
Pair #2
Straight Through Cable
Connectors for unlike devices
1
2
3
6
