NETWORKING

Network: It consists of two or more computers that communicates

and share their resources.
Three types of network are:
1.

LAN: A LAN connects network devices over a relatively short

distance. A networked office building, school, or home usually
contains a single LAN, though sometimes one building will
contain few small LANs, and occasionally a LAN will span a group
of nearby buildings. In IP networking, one can conceive of a LAN
as a single IP subnet.
LAN are typically owned, controlled and managed by a single
person or organization. They also use certain specific
connectivity technologies, primarily Ethernet and Token ring.

2.

WAN: As the term implies wide area network spans a large

physical distance. A WAN like the internet spans most of the
world .WAN is geographically dispersed collection of LANs. A
network device is called a router connects LAN and WAN. In IP
networking, router maintains both a LAN address and a WAN
address.
WAN differs from LAN in most of the ways. Like the internet, most
WAN are not owned by one organization but rather exist under
collective or distributed ownership and management. WANs use
technology like ATM, frame relay X.25 for connectivity.

3.

MAN: It implies Metropolitan area network. It is used to

encompass larger areas, usually that of entire city.

Advantages of network:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Resource sharing
Management is easy
Cost reduction
Fast communication

Disadvantage of network:
1. Server dependent sometimes. If server fails whole data smashes.
2. As size of network increases, it becomes complex to handle it.

OSI Layers

Open System Interconnection is the name for the set of standards for
communicating among computers. The primary purpose of OSI
standards is to serve the structural guideline for exchanging
information between computers, workstations and networks.

ISO
layer
Name
Layer7_

&

Function

Layer 6_

User networking applications and interfacing to the

network.
Encoding language used in transmission.

Layer 5

Job management tracking.

Layer 4

Data tracking as it moves through a network.

Layer 3

Network addressing and packet transmission on the

network.
Frame networking for transmitting data across a
physical communication link.
Transmission method used to propagate bits through a
network.

Application
Presentation
Session
Transport
Network
Layer 2-

Data link
Layer 1-

Physical

Hardware required for networks:

1.

Routers: A router is a physical device that joins multiple wired

or wireless networks together. Technically a wired or wireless

router is a Layer 3 gateway, meaning that it connects network
(as gateway do).And it operates at the network layer of OSI
model.
Home networks often use an Internet Protocol (IP) wired or wireless
router, IP being the most common OSI network Layer Protocol. An IP
router such as DSL or cable modern broadband router joins the home
local area network to the wide area network of the Internet.

2.

Hub: A Hub is a small, simple and inexpensive network device

that joins multiple computers together.

Hub operates as a Layer 2 of the OSI model. To join a group of
computers with Ethernet Hub, one connects an Ethernet cable (that is
RJ-45 connector attached) into the Hub, and then connects the other
end of the each cable to computer interface card (NIC).

3. Network Gateway: A network gateway is an interconnecting

system, a system that joins two networks together. A network can be
implemented completely in software, completely in hardware, or as a
combination of two. Depending on their implementation, network
gateways can operate at any level of the OSI model from application
protocols to level signaling.
Because network gateway by definition appears at the edge of the
network, related functionality like firewalling tends to be installed on
the network gateway.

4.

Switches: A network switch is a small device that joins

multiple computers together at a low level network protocol layer

.Technically, network switches operate at a Layer 2(Data link
layer) of the OSI model.
Network switches look nearly identical to hubs, but a switch generally
contains more intelligence (and a slightly higher price tag) than a
hub. Unlike hubs, network switches are capable of inspecting the data
packets as they are received, determining the source and destination
device of the packet, and forwarding the packet appropriately, thereby
conserving the network bandwidth.

5.

Network

repeaters: Network repeaters regenerate

incoming signals. On physical media like Ethernet, data
transmissions can only span a limited distance before the quality
of the signal degrades. Repeaters attempt to preserve the signal
integrity and extend the distance over which data can safely
travel.
The actual network devices that serve as repeaters are usually referred
to by another name. Active Hubs, for example, are sometimes called
Multiport repeaters but usually these are simply referred to as hubs.
Not all hubs are repeaters, though, so-called passive hubs retransmit
signals but do not regenerate them, and thus they do not perform the
service of the repeater. High-level devices in the OSI model, like
switches and routers, generally not incorporate the functions of the
repeater. Technically a repeater is a physical layer device.
Network topologies
In networking, the term topology refers to the layout of the connected
devices on a network. This article introduces the standard topologies of
the computer networking.
One can think topology as a networks shape. This shape does not
necessarily correspond to the actual physical layout of the device on

the network. For example, the computers on the home LAN may be
arranged in a circle, but it would be highly unlikely to find an actual
ring topology there.

Network topologies are classified into the following basic types:

1.

Bus: Bus networks use a common backbone to connect all

devices. A single cable, the backbone functions as shared

communication medium, those devices attach or tap into with
the interface connector. A device wanting to communicate with
another device see, but only the intended recipient actually
accepts and processed the message.
Ethernet bus topologies are easy to install and do not require much
cabling compare to alternatives.

2.

Ring: In a ring network, an easy device has exactly two

neighbors for communication purposes. All messages travel
through ring in a same direction (effectively either clockwise or
counterclockwise). A failure in any cable or devices breaks the
loop and can take down the entire network.

3.

Star: Many home networks use star topology. A star network

4.

Tree: Tree topologies integrate star topologies together onto a

5.

Mesh: Mesh technologies involve the concept of the routes.

features the central connection point called the Hub that may
be an actual hub or switch. Device is typically connected to the
hub with Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Ethernet. Compared to
the bus topology, a star network generally requires more cable,
but a failure in a star network cable will only take down one
computers network access and not the entire LAN. (If the hub
fails, the entire network also fails).

bus. In its simplest form, only hub devices connect directly to the
tree bus and each hub functions as the rot of the tree of the
devices. This bus/star hybrid approach supports future
expandability of the network much better then the bus or star
alone.

Unlike each of the previous topologies message sent on the

mesh network an take any of the several possible paths from
source to destination. (Recall that in a ring, although two cables
paths exist, messages can travel in one direction). Some WANs,
like the Internet employ mesh routing.

Complex topologies can be built as hybrids of two or more of the basic

topologies.
Topologies remain an important part of the network design theory. You
can probably build a home or small business network without
understanding the difference between a bus and a star design, but
understanding the concepts behind these gives you a deeper
understanding of important elements like hubs, broadcasts, port and
routes.
In DMRC, hybrid topology of star and ring connection is used.

LAN Protocols
1.

Ethernet It uses CSMA/CD (Carrier Sense Multiple Access/

Collision Detection). This is the system where each computer
listens to the cable before sending anything to the network. If the
network is clear, it will transmit otherwise it will not transmit.

Sometimes collision occurs then randomly data is called by

system. The delay caused due to these collisions occurs is very
small and does not cause effect on the transmission. Ethernet
uses star, bus and tree topologies. Data is transferred through
coaxial cables and fiber cables. Speed of data transfer is 10/100
Mbps.
Ethernet with gigabytes speed of data transfer ( GB-Ethernet) is
used for backbone and critical server interconnection. It can use either
fiber cable or copper cable (CAT5, CAT7, Twisted pair) for data transfer.
2.

Token Ring It is used to pass information in a ring. A single

token is passed through a network sequentially. It requires either
twisted pair or fiber optics for data transfer. Speed of data
transfer is 4-16 Mbps.

3.

FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) It is a

network protocol which is primarily connects two or more LAN
connections. FDDI uses dual ring physical topology. The major
advantage of FDDI is speed. It can transfer terabits of
information.

4.

ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Module) It can

transfer 155 bits or higher. ATM works by transferring data in
small packets. ATM applies star topology and can be connected
through optical fiber or twisted fiber. It is used by internet service
providers to utilize high speed access of the internet for their
customers.

Network Operating System (NOS)

NOS is software which co-ordinates multiple computers across the
network. The NOS acts as director to keep the network running
smoothly.
The major two types of NOS are:
1. Peer to peer- This operating system allows users to share
resources and files located on these computers and to access shared
resources found on the other computers. They dont have file server or
central management source. They are assigned for small networks.
They are also called work groups. They are easy to implement, have
low cost and are easy to configure. Its disadvantage of that there is no
security and no central control is there.

2. Client-Server-It allows the network to centralize functions and

applications in one or more dedicated servers. The server becomes the
heart of the system providing access to resource and providing
security. The client shares the resources available on the server. It
provides the mechanism to integrate all components of network and
allows multiple uses to simultaneously share the same resources
irrespective of physical location. It gives security, centralization,
management and data can be accessed across multiple platforms
remotely. The disadvantage of the system is that there is dependency
on the central server and cost is high.

SONET
The Synchronous Optical Network standard for the optical fiber
networks was developed in the mid 1980s.It remains in widespread use
today. In a nutshell, SONET allows multiple technologies and vendor
products to interpolate by defining standard physical network
interfaces.

Applications
SONET was originally designed for the public telephone network. In the
early 1980s the forced breakup of AT& T in the United States created
numerous regional telephone companies, and these companies quickly
encountered difficulties in networking with each other. Fiber optic
cabling already prevailed for the long distance voice transmissions, but
the existing networks proved unnecessarily expensive to build and
difficult to extend for so long haul data and/or video traffic.
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) successfully devised
SONET as the new standard for these applications. Like Ethernet,
SONET provides a Layer 1 or interface layer technology (also referred
physical layer in OSI model) .As such, SONET acts as carrier of multiple
higher-level application protocols. For example Internet Protocol (IP)
packets can be configured to flow over SONET.

Technology
SONET commonly transmits data at speeds between 155 megabits per
second (Mbps) and 2.5gigabits per second (Gbps). To build these high
bandwidth data streams, SONET multiplexes together channels having
bandwidth as low as 64 kilobits per second (Kbps) into data frames
sent at fixed intervals.
Compared to Ethernet cabling that spans distance up to 100 meters
(328 feet) SONET fiber typically runs much further. Even short links
cover dozens of Kilometers.

Ethernet Cabling and Connectors

1. Twisted Pair Cabling
Twisted pair cables are so named because pairs of wires are twisted
around one another. Each pair consists of two insulated copper wires
twisted together. The wire pairs are twisted because it helps reduce
crosstalk and noise susceptibility. High quality twisted pair cables have
about 1 to 3 twists per inch. For best results, the twist rate should vary
significantly between pairs in a cable.
Twisted pair cables are used with the following Ethernet physical
layers: 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, 100Base-T2, 100Base-T4, and 1000BaseT. The following sections describe the various types of twisted pair
cabling.

a) Unshielded Twisted Pair Cabling (UTP)

As the name implies, "unshielded twisted pair" (UTP) cabling is twisted

pair cabling that contains no shielding. For networking applications, the
term UTP generally refers to the 100 ohm, Category 3, 4, & 5 cables
specified in the TIA/EIA 568-A standard. Category 5e, 6, & 7 standards
have also been proposed to support higher speed transmission. UTP
cabling most commonly includes 4 pairs of wires enclosed in a
common sheath. 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, and 100Base-T2 use only 2 of
the twisted pairs, while 100Base-T4 and 1000Base-T require all 4
twisted pairs.
The following is a summary of the UTP cable Categories:

Category 1 & Category 2 - Not suitable for use with

Ethernet.

Category 3 - Unshielded twisted pair with 100 ohm

impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmission
at frequencies up to 16 MHz. Defined by the TIA/EIA 568-A
specification. May be used with 10Base-T, 100Base-T4, and
100Base-T2.
Category 4 - Unshielded twisted pair with 100 ohm
impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmission
at frequencies up to 20 MHz. Defined by the TIA/EIA 568-A
specification. May be used with 10Base-T, 100Base-T4, and
100Base-T2.
Category 5 - Unshielded twisted pair with 100 ohm
impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmission
at frequencies up to 100 MHz. Defined by the TIA/EIA 568-A
specification. May be used with 10Base-T, 100Base-T4, 100BaseT2, and 100Base-TX. May support 1000Base-T, but cable should
be tested to make sure it meets 100Base-T specifications.
Category 5e - Category 5e (or "Enhanced Cat 5") is a new
standard that will specify transmission performance that exceeds
Cat 5. Like Cat 5, it consists of unshielded twisted pair with 100
ohm impedance and electrical characteristics supporting
transmission at frequencies up to 100 MHz. However, it has
improved specifications for NEXT (Near End Cross Talk),
PSELFEXT (Power Sum Equal Level Far End Cross Talk), and
Attenuation. To be defined in an update to the TIA/EIA 568-A
standard. Targeted for 1000Base-T, but also supports 10Base-T,
100Base-T4, 100Base-T2, and 100BaseTX.
Category 6 - Category 6 is a proposed standard that aims to
support transmission at frequencies up to 250 MHz over 100 ohm
twisted pair.
Category 7 - Category 7 is a proposed standard that aims to
support transmission at frequencies up to 600 MHz over 100 ohm
twisted pair.

b) Screened Twisted Pair (ScTP)

Screened Twisted Pair (ScTP) is 4-pair 100 ohm UTP, with a single foil or
braided screen surrounding all four pairs in order to minimize EMI
radiation and susceptibility to outside noise. Screened twisted pair is
also called Foil Twisted Pair (FTP), or Screened UTP (ScUTP). ScTP can
be thought of as a shielded version of the Category 3, 4, & 5 UTP
cables. It may be used in Ethernet applications in the same manner as
the equivalent Category of UTP cabling.

c) Shielded Twisted Pair Cabling (STP)

Although screened twisted pair (ScTP) is technically a form of shielded
twisted pair, the term "shielded twisted pair" (STP) most often refers to
the 150 ohm twisted pair cabling defined by the IBM Cabling System
specifications for use with Token-Ring networks. The twisted pairs in
150 ohm STP are individually wrapped in a foil shield and enclosed in
an overall outer braided wire shield. The shielding is designed to
minimize EMI radiation and susceptibility to crosstalk. 150 ohm STP is
not generally intended for use with Ethernet. However, the Ethernet
standard does describe how it can be adapted for use with 10Base-T,
100Base-TX, and 100Base-T2 Ethernet by installing special impedance
matching transformers, or "baluns", that convert the 100 ohm
impedance of the Ethernet transceivers to the 150 ohm impedance of
the STP cable. These baluns are available from companies such as
AMP, IBM, and Cambridge Connectors.
The various versions of 150 ohm STP cable are identified by a "Type"
number. The original IBM Cabling System specifications defined STP
cable Types 1, 2, 6, 8, & 9 for support of Token-Ring frequencies up to
16 MHz. Later, an enhanced IBM Cabling System defined STP-A cable
Types 1A, 2A, 6A, & 9A for support of FDDI frequencies up to 100 MHz.
The "A" suffix denotes the enhanced IBM Cabling System. Type 1 is the
heavy black cable that is most commonly associated with the IBM
Cabling System. It contains only 2 twisted pairs as compared to UTP
and ScTP which typically contain 4 twisted pairs. Note that 100Base-T4
and 1000Base-T cannot be adapted to use STP because they require a
cable with 4 twisted pairs.

2.

Coaxial Cabling

Coaxial cable is a type of communication transmission cable in which a

solid center conductor is surrounded by an insulating spacer which in
turn is surrounded by a tubular outer conductor (usually a braid, foil or

both). The entire assembly is then covered with an insulating and

protective outer layer. Coaxial cables have a wide bandwidth and are
capable of carrying many data, voice, and video conversations
simultaneously.
The following sections describe the various types of coaxial cabling
used with Ethernet.

a)

Thicknet

Thicknet is the 50-ohm "thick" (10mm) coaxial cable used with

Ethernet 10Base5 networks. 10Base5 is the original Ethernet system
that supports a 10 Mb/s transmission rate over a 500 meter maximum
supported segment length.
Thick Ethernet coaxial cabling includes a "mark" every 2.5 meters to
indicate proper placement of the 10Base5 transceivers (or MAUs) used
to connect stations to the network. Transceivers may be placed at any
multiple of 2.5-meter intervals. This minimizes signal reflections that
may degrade the transmission quality of the cable segment. The outer
jacket of Thick Ethernet cables is typically a bright color (often yellow)
with black bands at 2.5-meter intervals to mark valid transceiver
placement points.
10Base5 transceivers are attached through a clamp that makes
physical and electrical contact with the cable. They are also called
"transceiver taps" because they are connected through a process
known as "tapping" that drills a hole in the cable to allow electrical
contact to be made. The transceivers are called "non-intrusive" taps
because the connection can be made on an active network without
disrupting traffic flow.
The standard allows a 10Base5 coaxial cable segment to be up to 500
meters in length. Up to 100 transceivers may be connected to a single
segment at any multiple of 2.5 meters apart. A 10Base5 segment may
consist of a single continuous section of cable, or be assembled from
multiple cable sections that are attached end to end. If multiple cable
sections are used, it can result in "impedance mismatches" that are
caused by slight differences in the impedance of each cable section.
When excessive, these mismatches can cause signal reflections that
result in bit errors and discarded frames. Segments with multiple
sections are often built with cable that comes from a single spool. This
ensures each section of the cable segment will have consistent
impedance since it was built by one manufacturer, at one time, using
the same equipment. Cable segments can be joined at any point along

their length and are not restricted to 2.5 meter intervals like
transceivers.
10Base5 coaxial cable segments are built using "N-type" connectors.
Each end of a segment must have an N-type coaxial connector with Ntype 50-ohm terminators installed. Two sections of a segment are
interconnected using two N-type coaxial connectors that are mated
together through an N-type barrel connector. Long 10Base5 segments
typically have one or more barrel connectors to allow the segment to
be split for purposes of problem isolation. For safety reasons, the
standard specifies that a cable segment should be connected to earth
ground at one and only one point. This may be done at the terminator
at the end of the cable, or at a barrel connector where two segments
are joined.

b)

Thinnet

Thinnet is the 50-ohm "thin" (5mm) coaxial cable used with Ethernet
10Base2 networks. 10Base2, also known as "Thin Ethernet", or
"cheapernet", supports a 10 Mb/s transmission rate over a 185 meter
maximum supported segment length.
The Thinnet cable used by 10Base2 has the advantages of being
cheaper, lighter, more flexible, and easier to install than the Thicknet
cable used by 10Base5. However the thin cable has the disadvantage
that its transmission characteristics are not as good. It supports only a
185 meter maximum segment length (vs. 500 meters for 10Base5) and
a maximum of 30 stations per cable segment (vs. 100 for 10Base5).
10Base2 transceivers (MAUs) are connected to the Thinnet cable
segment through a "BNC Tee" connector, and not through "tapping" as
with 10Base5. As the name implies, the BNC Tee connector is shaped
like the letter "T". The horizontal part of the "T" includes female
connectors that mate with the male BNC coaxial connectors on each
end of the attaching cable sections. The vertical part of the "T"
includes a male BNC connector that either plugs directly into the
Ethernet network interface card (NIC) in the computer station, or to an
external thin Ethernet transceiver that is then attached to the NIC
through a standard AUI cable. If stations are removed from the
network, the "T" connector is removed and replaced with a "BNC
Barrel" connector that provides a straight through connection.
Each end of a 10Base2 coaxial segment must be terminated with a
BNC 50-ohm terminator. For safety reasons, a ground wire should
connect the segment to earth ground at one point, typically at the
terminator on the end of the segment.

The 10Base2 standard states that the coaxial cable types known as
RG58A/U and RG58C/U can meet the cable specifications in the
standard. However the specifications for these cable designations are
not precise and the construction of RG58A/U and RG58C/U cables may
vary from one manufacturer to another. To make sure you are getting
the right cable, you should specifically request cable that is guaranteed
to meet the IEEE 10Base2 thin Ethernet specifications.

c)

CATV

CATV cabling is the 75 ohm coaxial cabling commonly known for its use
in transmission of Cable TV signals, but is also used with Ethernet
10Broad36 networks. CATV stands for "community antenna television".
CATV cabling is used for "broadband" transmission as opposed to the
"baseband" transmission used by all other Ethernet physical layers. A
broadband cabling system supports transmission of multiple services
over a single cable by dividing the bandwidth into separate
frequencies, with each frequency assigned to a different service. This
technique is used in cable TV transmission systems to transmit
multiple channels over a single cable. Each channel uses a different
frequency range. This capability can allow 10Broad36 share a single
cable with other services such as video.

d)

Twinax

Twinax, or twinaxial, is a type of communication transmission cable

consisting of two center conductors surrounded by an insulating spacer
who in turn is surrounded by a tubular outer conductor (usually a braid,
foil or both). The entire assembly is then covered with an insulating
and protective outer layer. Twinax is constructed much like coaxial
cable, except it has two center conductors instead of one. However, it
is similar to twisted pair cabling in that it uses differential, or
"balanced", transmission. 150-ohm twinax is specified as a "short haul"
cable that can be used with the 1000Base-CX media system. Although
twinax has better transmission characteristics than twisted pair media,
it supports segment lengths of only 25 meters for 1000Base-CX due to
the very high 1.25 Gbaud signal transmission rate.

3.

Fiber Optic Cabling

Fiber optic cabling is a technology where electrical signals are

converted into optical signals, transmitted through a thin glass fiber,
and re-converted into electrical signals. It is used as transmission
medium for the following Ethernet media systems: FOIRL, 10Base-FL,
10Base-FB, 10Base-FP, 100Base-FX, 1000Base-LX, and 1000Base-SX.
Fiber optic cabling is constructed of three concentric layers: The "core"
is the central region of an optical fiber through which light is
transmitted. The "cladding" is the material in the middle layer. It has a
lower index of refraction than the core which serves to confine the light
to the core. An outer "protective layer", or "buffer", serves to protect
the core and cladding from damage.
The following sections describe the two primary types of fiber optic
cabling: "multi-mode fiber" and "single-mode fiber".

a)

Multi-Mode Fiber (MMF)

Multi-mode fiber allows many "modes", or paths, of light to propagate

down the fiber optic path. The relatively large core of a multi-mode
fiber allows good coupling from inexpensive LEDs light sources, and
the use of inexpensive couplers and connectors. Multi-mode fiber
typically has a core diameter of 50 to 100 microns.
Two types of multi-mode fiber exist with a refractive index that may be
"graded" or "stepped". With graded index fiber the index of refraction
of the core is lower toward the outside of the core and progressively
increases toward the center of the core, thereby reducing modal
dispersion of the signal. With stepped index fiber the core is of uniform
refractive index with a sharp decrease in the index of refraction at the
core-cladding interface. Stepped index multi-mode fibers generally
have lower bandwidths than graded index multi-mode fibers.
The most popular fiber for networking is the 62.5/125 micron multimode fiber. These numbers mean that the core diameter is 62.5
microns and the cladding is 125 microns. Other common sizes are
50/125 and 100/140.
The primary advantage of multi-mode fiber over twisted pair cabling is
that it supports longer segment lengths. Multi-mode fiber can support
segment lengths as long as 2000 meters for 10 and 100 Mbps
Ethernet, and 550 meters for 1 Gbps Ethernet.

b)

Single-Mode Fiber (SMF)

Single-mode fiber has a core diameter that is so small (on the order of
10 microns) that only a single mode of light is propagated. This
eliminates the main limitation to bandwidth, modal dispersion.
However, the small core of a single-mode fiber makes coupling light
into the fiber more difficult, and thus expensive lasers must be used as
light sources. The main limitation to the bandwidth of a single-mode
fiber is material (chromatic) dispersion. Laser sources must also be
used to attain high bandwidth, because LEDs emit a large range of
frequencies, and thus material dispersion becomes significant.
Single-mode fiber is capable of supporting much longer segment
lengths than multi-mode fiber. Segment lengths of 5000 meters and
beyond are supported at all Ethernet data rates through 1 Gbps.
However, single-mode fiber has the disadvantage of being significantly
more expensive to deploy than multi-mode fiber.

4.

Ethernet Connectors
a)

RJ-45

An "RJ-45" connector is used on Ethernet twisted pair links. This

includes the 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, 100Base-T4, 100Base-T2, and
1000Base-T physical layer types. An RJ-45 connector has 8-pins, and
may also be referred to as an "8-pin Modular Connector". A male RJ-45
"plug" is mounted on each end of the twisted pair cable. A female RJ-45
"jack" or "receptacle" is integrated into the Ethernet hub or NIC.

b)

AUI (Attachment Interface Unit)

c)

MII (Media Independent Interface)

Definition
CAT5 is an Ethernet cable standard defined by Electronics Industries
Association and Telecommunication Industry Association (commonly
known as EIA/TIA). CAT5 is a 5th generation of twisted pair Ethernet
cabling and most popular of all twisted pair cables in use today.
CAT5 cable contains four pair of copper wires. CAT5 support Fast
Etherneta (100 Mbps) and comparable alternatives such as ATM as
with all other types of twisted pair EIA/TIA cabling. CAT5 cable runs are
limited to a maximum recommended run rate of 100m (328 feet).

Although CAT5 cable usually contains four pair of copper wire, fast
Ethernet communications only utilize two pairs and are backward
compatible with ordinarily CAT5.
Twisted pair cables like CAT5 comes in two main varieties, solenoid and
stranded.
Solid CAT5 cable supports longer runs and works best in the fixed
wiring configurations like office buildings. Standard CAT5 cable, on the
other hand, is more reliable and better suited for shorter distance,
movable cabling such as on the fly patch cabling.
Though newer cable technologies like CAT6 and CAT7 are being
developed, CAT5 cable remains the popular choice, because it is the
both affordable and plenty fast enough for todays LAN.