The TIA/EIA-568 Standard

Developed jointly by the Telecommunications Industries Association and the Electronic

Industries Association, TIA/EIA-568 specifies complete electrical and physical
guidelines for industry-standard premise wiring systems. As specified by the TIA/EIA, a
fully functional premise wiring system is the result of multiple subsystems working
together as a single network.

Backbone Wiring encompasses all wiring between telecommunications closets,

equipment rooms, and entrance facilities, including all cables, mechanical cable
terminations, and intermediate and main cross-connects. Backbone wiring runs
between telecommunications closets, equipment rooms and entrance facilities on the
same floor, from floor to floor, and even between buildings.

Horizontal Wiring encompasses all cable from a work-area wallplate or network

connection to the telecommunications closet. The outlets, cable, and cross-connects in
the closet are all part of the horizontal wiring, which gets its name because the cable
typically runs horizontally above ceilings or along the floor.

The work area includes all cable components between a horizontal-wiring wallplate or
LAN outlet and end-user telecomm devices, such as telephones, data terminals,
computers, modems, etc. Work-area components can include connectors, cables,
adapters, terminators, and more.

The telecommunications (or wiring) closet is a room or cabinet that holds distribution
frames, cross-connects, and other hardware needed to connect horizontal wiring to
backbone wiring. Each building must have at least one wiring closet.

An equipment room houses building telecommunications systems such as PBXs,

servers, and the mechanical terminations of the telecomm wiring system. Considered
different than a wiring closet because of the complexity of the components it contains,
an equipment room nonetheless may take the place of a building's wiring closet or it
may be a separate entity.

Unlike the other five components of premise wiring systems, cabling administration
isn't a place. It's a thing—a process that includes all aspects of premise wiring related
to documenting and managing the system, testing the system, as well as the
architectural plans for the system.

Recommended media for backbone cabling

Unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable - Choose 4-pair, 100-ohm, solid-conductor UTP

cable for short- to medium-distance backbone cable in voice and data networks. Solid-
conductor cables are intended for stable runs and shouldn't be subject to repeated
flexing or twisting. We recommend Category 5 or the newly ratified Category 5e cable
for new UTP installations to avoid expensive rewiring in the future.
Shielded twisted-pair (STP) cable - Use 2-pair, 150-ohm shielded twisted-pair cable
for IBM® Token Ring networks. Type 1A STP cable is constructed of four solid copper
strands wrapped in a foil shield. Type 2A STP cable includes an extra 4-pair UTP
strand for phone circuits.

Fiber optic cable - Even though fiber is more expensive and requires more careful
handing than other cables, it's the preferred medium for backbone cable because it
offers maximum range, bandwidth, and flexibility. Compact and lightweight, fiber
provides high-speed transmission over a wide bandwidth. Fiber also carries data over
much farther distances than copper cable, and it's immune to EMI (electromagnetic
interference). Fiber backbone cable is also far less likely to require replacement.

Coaxial cable - Although recognized by the TIA/EIA as a suitable, economical choice

for backbone cable in small, Thin Ethernet (10BASE2) applications, our technical
experts don't recommend 50-ohm coaxial cable for new installations.

Recommended media for horizontal cabling

UTP - Low cost, 100-ohm UTP cable supports a range of applications up to 100 MHz,
making it a preferred medium for horizontal wiring. If you plan to install UTP, you must
decide which type (or category) of cable you'll need. Although Category 3 or 4 cable is
sufficient for most data and voice systems, Category 5 and Enhanced Category 5
(CAT5e) are highly recommended because they're certified to support any application
operating up to 100 MHz or higher.
CAT5e is an excellent choice for high-speed networks. If future upgrades will require
faster speeds, then installing CAT5e cable now could prevent the need for recabling in
the future.

STP - This 150-ohm twisted-pair wire is usually installed as a hybrid system. Called
Type 2A, hybrid cable consists of one 150-ohm STP data cable and one 100-ohm UTP
Category 3 voice cable, both in the same sheath. This type of cable is generally used
for Token Ring applications. But thanks to its extended bandwidth, STP can also be
used for broadband video applications up to 300 MHz or for 155-Mbps ATM. TIA/EIA
TSB-53 defines STP's extended specifications.

Fiber optic - Because of its increased bandwidth capabilities and the availability of
work-area outlet connectibility, fiber optic cable is becoming a popular choice for
horizontal connections. The TIA/EIA-568A standard recognizes two fiber types: 9/125
µm for single-mode applications and 62.5/125 µm for multimode applications. Optical
signal wavelengths of 1310/1550 nm for single-mode fiber and 850/1300 nm for
multimode fiber are commonly used to transmit data. For testing, an 850-nm signal is
recommended for multimode; 1300-nm for single-mode.

Coaxial cable - As with backbone cable, coax isn't recommended for horizontal wiring,
because the entire system could collapse if one cable is disrupted.
The work area outlet

The work area encompasses all cabling from wall outlets to end-user devices such as
terminals, workstations, telephones, etc. It includes the wallplate itself, connectors,
even the adapters that link cabling to the wall outlet. Work areas are designed to
tolerate frequent moves, but they still need careful management. T568-A is generally
used for analog voice applications requiring two lines. T568-B is more commonly used
for data applications. Take care to ensure that all terminating hardware has the same
Category and pinning specification as your cable, because mixing the two standards
may result in crossed pairs that can bring down your network. Also be careful to follow
standard procedures when installing work area outlets. For example, because of patch-
cord length limits, power cables and outlet locations must be properly separated.
Ensure the proper amount of twists in each cable, observe bend-radius limits, be
careful not to bundle cables too tightly, etc.

The telecommunications closet

This is the service point housing all equipment associated with telecomm wiring
systems. Its primary function is to serve as a termination point for the horizontal
cabling system, but all transmission media terminates in this area. The closet houses
cross-connects and all associated electronic equipment, backbone and horizontal
cabling, and associated pathways for the cable. Most auxiliary equipment is also
usually housed in this area, including security systems, key-entry systems, file servers,
etc. Depending on the size of the service area, the TIA/EIA-569 standard recommends
at least one telecommunications closet per floor. Specific closet sizes are also
recommended, based on service-area size. This ensures sufficient space for all
connecting hardware, as well as enough room for service personnel to function without
causing undue system disruptions. Adequate climate controls, lighting, and power
supplies are also specified. Figure 2 below shows the sample layout of a typical
telecommunications closet.

The equipment room

The equipment room houses all the telecommunications systems and mechanical
terminations of a premise-wiring system. It's considered separate from the
telecommunications closet based on the complexity of the equipment it houses (such
as PBXs, computing equipment, switches, etc.); however, all functions of an equipment
room may be incorporated in a wiring closet.

Types of Conductors

Copper cables have two types of conductors: solid or stranded. Solid-conductor cables
are less expensive, have better conductivity, and are easier to terminate than stranded
cables.
Additionally, solid-conductor cable is ideal for both backbone and horizontal wiring.
Despite these advantages, however, solid-copper cable is comparatively inflexible, and
breakage is likely if it's repeatedly bent or twisted. That's why most twisted-pair cables
today are made with stranded conductors—smaller-gauge wires twisted together to
form a single conductor.

Stranded cable has two main advantages over solid-conductor cable: flexibility and
durability. It's flexible enough to bend back and forth, so it's much easier to work with,
and it's far more resistant to damage from minor scratches or nicks that may occur
during cable stripping. Because the conductor wires are twisted, very little surface area
is exposed to damage. In comparison, one small scratch or nick on a solid-conductor
cable may be enough to ruin it, because far greater surface area is exposed to
damage from cutting or crushing forces.

Shielding

Twisted-pair cable shields are metallic covers (usually copper or aluminum) that
surround insulated conductors. They're constructed of foil, wire strands, or braided
metal. Our techs recommend using shielded cable to protect data transmissions from
external EMI, which can cause signal distortion or interference. The quality of a shield
depends on its surface- transfer impedance (STI), which indicates its ability to reduce
EMI—especially at high frequencies. The greater the reduction factor and the less
external voltage that's picked up inside the cable, the better the shield. There are
several types of cable shields.

Solid metal tubes provide proper shielding at all frequencies, which makes them the
best of all. Unfortunately, their rigid construction severely limits cable flexibility, so
they're used only in very special applications—industrial environments where EMI,
chemicals, and cable crushing pose frequent threats.

Braided shields are made from very thin 40-32 AWG copper wire. The wire is woven
into a braid with one flat ribbon of wires winding clockwise around the cable core and a
second ribbon running counterclockwise. The result is a stronger, more flexible cable.
This type of shield best defends against lower-frequency interference (less than 10
MHz), such as that generated by AC electricity, AM radio signals, and CB radios.

Note that a shield with a single braid can't provide 100% protection because of gaps in
the weave, expecially since these gaps may expand the conductors, leaving them bent
and flexed. Braided-shield cables offer 75-85% coverage and provide adequate
protection for most lower-frequency applications. Cables subject to higher-frequency
interference require 85-95% shielding, which can be achieved using double-braided
shields that offer up to 99% protection. Other types of shielding include spiral wire
shields, foil shields, and hybrid shields, all of which provide varying degrees of
shielding for different kinds of applications.
Insulation and Jackets

Cable insulation serves three purposes. First, it prevents contact (or short circuits)
between conductors. Second, it prevents contact between conductors and the external
environment. Third, it controls heat dissipation.

Insulation in most cable consists of one or more types of plastics, which have a high
resistance to the flow of electric current.

A cable jacket is the outer covering that surrounds a cable's core, shields, and
insulation. Its purpose is to protect these components from mechanical damage,
chemicals, moisture, and exposure to harmful environmental conditions. Most jackets
are made of extrudable plastics that are heated and forced through a die to form a
continuous coating around the cable. Such jackets are rated for use according to the
ambient temperature of the environment in which they'll be installed. For example,
cables designed for use in plenums—a building's air ducts—have jackets specially
designed to tolerate high temperatures.
 Ethernet Cables

Comparison between CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT7 Cables

In the context of the 100-ohm UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) type of cable used for
Ethernet wiring the only categories of interest are Cat3, Cat4, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and
Cat7. CATx is an abbreviation for the category number that defines the performance of
building telecommunications cabling as outlined by the Electronic Industries Association
(EIA) standards. Some specifications for these categories are shown further down.

Up until the late 1980s thick or thin coaxial cable was typically used for 10-Mbps
Ethernet networks, but around that time, UTP cabling became more commonly used
because it was easier to install and less expensive. UTP CAT3 and CAT4 were used for
a quite limited time since the emergence of 100Base-TX networks meant a quick shift to
CAT5. By the year 2000, moves to gigabit (1000Base-TX) Ethernet LANs created a
need for another specification, CAT5e. CAT5e is now being superseded by CAT6 cable
and there is a developing standard for CAT7.

Specifications for Cat3, Cat4, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat7 Cables
Category

Type

Spectral
B/W

Length

LAN
Applicatio
ns

Notes

Cat3

UTP

16 MHz

100m

10Base-
T, 4Mbps

Now
mainly for
telephone
cables

Cat4

UTP

20 MHz

100m

16Mbps

Rarely
seen
It might seem that CAT5 and CAT5e are the same. Pretty much they are, the CAT5e
specification simply included some additional limits over the CAT5 specification. The
reality is that most CAT5 cable is in fact CAT5e cable just not certified as such. Here is a
comparison of those extra specifications.
CAT5, CAT5e, and CAT6 UTP Solid Cable Specifications Comparison

Category 5

Category 5e

Category 6

Frequency

100 MHz

100 MHz

250 MHz

Attenuation (Min. at 100 MHz)

22 dB

22 dB

19.8 dB

Characteristic Impedance

100 ohms ± 15%

100 ohms ± 15%

100 ohms ± 15%

NEXT (Min. at 100 MHz)

32.3 dB
If you're cabling a mission critical system or you want your network to be future proof,
go for the CAT6 cables (and patch panels and connectors), but for the average home or
small office network CAT5 or CAT5e will be just fine.

Crossover Cables vs Straight Through Cables

Ethernet patch cables can be wired in three different ways, the two main ways are
called straight through and crossover. The third type is called rolled and has only
specialized applications.

Generally speaking, straight through cables are used to patch between different types of
equipment; for example, PCs to a hub.

Conversely, crossover cables are generally used to patch between similar types of
equipment; a PC to another PC for example.

Some modern hubs don't care if you use crossover cables or straight through cables,
they work out what you're using and configure themselves accordingly.

As stated at the outset, the actual difference is in the wiring. Inside the UTP patch cable
there are 8 physical wires although the network only uses 4 of them (the other 4 are
simply wasted). The 8 wires are arranged in what's known as pairs and one pair is used
to send information whilst the other pair is used to receive information.

On a PC, the pair on pins 1 and 2 of the connector send information, whilst the pair on
pins 3 and 6 receive the information. To make PCs talk to each we therefore need to
connect the send pair of one PC to the receive pair of the other PC (and vice-a-versa).
That means we need a crossover cable. If we used a straight through cable the both be
listening on the one pair - and hearing nothing, and sending on the one pair - achieving
nothing.

Electrically, the straight through and crossover cables look like the diagram below: The
most common cable is the straight through cable. In a home or small office network you
might only have one crossover cable used - perhaps from the cable or DSL modem to
the distribution hub. How do you tell what sort of cable you have in your hand? You can
tell by looking at the connectors, identifying the wiring from its colors, and comparing the
ends. See the next question on color codes.

Color Codes

The standards say that Ethernet connectors should be cabled with specific colors on
specific pins. There are two standard layouts - if a cable has the same layout on both
ends it's a straight through cable. If a cable has one layout on one end and the other
layout on the other end then it's a crossover cable. Whilst not universal, the color codes
shown below are generally used on professional cables.

If a cable has 568A color wiring on both ends then it's a straight through cable.

If a cable has 568B color wiring on both ends then it's also a straight through
cable.

If a cable has 568A color wiring on one end and 568B color coded wiring on the
other end, then it's a crossover cable.

In fact, while the colors are standardized and usually followed, that's not the important
part. What's more important is that one "pair" (wires that are twisted together inside the
cable sheath) is used for the transmit side and another pair for the receive side. If pairs
aren't used then it's likely your cable will not work. Pairs are identified by the colors. The
orange wire and the orange with white stripe (or sometimes white with orange stripe)
wire are a pair. The brown wire and the brown with white stripe wire are a pair. Etc.
Network Cables vs Patch Cables

A short lead with connectors on either end which is flexible and is used to plug one
piece of equipment directly into another is generally referred to as a patch cable. To
make them flexible, patch leads are generally made with stranded wire.
Cables with solid core wires are more often used in permanent wiring and terminate on
wall sockets and may be sometimes referred to as network cables. These cables aren't
so flexible (and will break is repeatedly flexed).

Solid Core Cables vs Stranded Cables

Solid conductor uses 1 solid wire per conductor, so in a 4 pair (8 conductor) roll, there
would be a total of 8 solid wires. Stranded conductor uses multiple wires wrapped
around each other in each conductor, so in a 4 pair (8 conductor) 7 strand roll, there
would be a total of 56 wires.

Source : http://discountcablesusa.com/premise_wiring.html#backbone-wiring