1000BaseT on CAT-5?

w^rl0rd

How does 1000BaseT use CAT-5 cabling? I thought CAT-5 had a max. bandwidth of 100Mbps.

RussS

You can wire Cat5 for gigabit traffic, but it is not rated as such.

w^rl0rd

So, how do you do this? How else do you wire Cat- 5 UTP?
(802.3ab)

jlambert

instead of only using 2pairs you use 4. This is called Cat5e cable.

RussS

Snap

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JDMurray

jlambert wrote:

instead of only using 2pairs you use 4. This is called Cat5e cable.

Not quite. CAT5 and CAT5e (enhanced) are the same thing, except CAT5e has a more defined product specification (ANSI/TIA/EIA 568A-5). CAT5e has many operational characteristics that are standardized by 568A-5 that were never defined by plain CAT 5 (PS-NEXT, ELF-NEXT, PS-ELFNEXT, delay skew, etc.).

CAT5 and CAT5e look alike and are wired exactly the same. In fact, most of the CAT5 cable made today conforms to the 568A-5 standard, although it is not rated as such. CAT5e is also completely backward compatible with current CAT5 equipment.

You might consider CAT6 cable if your lines are to remain installed for many years. You don't want to install cable that'll just have to be upgraded in 18-36 months when newer, higher bandwidth standards are released.

RussS

Only Cat5e around here so it is a moot point.

jlambert

802.3ab
Specifies 1000BaseT Gigabit Ethernet over Cat 5e UTP cabling.
- Utilizes all four pairs of cable wires for transmission.
- Maximum segment length is 100 meters.

So how i'm i wrong? i said it uses all pairs and is called Cat5e.