Black Box CAT5E manual 2 of, Overview, Shielded vs. unshielded cable, Stranded vs. solid conductor

FEATURES

•The cost-effective alternative to fiber optic cabling in high-noise environments.

•Foil shielding protects signals from EMI/RFI.

•Reliable performance in extreme climate conditions.

•Support 100-MHz or 155-Mbps high- speed communications.

•Snagless boots.

•Choose from stranded or solid conductors.

•PVC and plenum-safe jacketing available.

OVERVIEW

If you have a high-noise environment and running fiber optic cable is not cost-effective, the CAT5e Shielded Twisted- Pair (STP) Patch Cables are your practical alternative for runs up to 150 feet and beyond.

What is noise? It is the common term for electromagnetic interference (EMI) or radio-frequency interference (RFI).

It’s generated by motors, fluorescent lights, air conditioners, and office appliances.

EMI and RFI play havoc with ordinary, unshielded copper cables. But the BLACK BOX® CAT5e STP Patch Cables are built for harsh environments. In fact, they perform reliably in temperatures as hot as 176°F (80°C) or as cold as -4°F (-20°C).

These cables are built with protective foil shielding and support 100-MHz or 155-Mbps high-speed communications.

The patch cables are terminated with the T568B wiring pattern and have slide-back, snagless, molded gray boots. They are ideal for applications with TIA/EIA 568-A Category 5e and ISO/IEC 11801 standards.

Choose from two versions, either with stranded conductors and a PVC jacket (EVNSL72GY) or with solid conductors and a jacket safe for plenum installation (EVNSL73GY).

The EVNSL72GY cables are available in lengths from 3 feet (0.9 m) to 20 feet (6 m), and custom lengths are also available. The EVNSL73GY cables are available in lengths from 25 feet (7.6 m) to 150 feet (45.7 m).

Technically Speaking

Shielded vs. unshielded cable.

The environment determines whether cable should be shielded or unshielded. Quiet office environments, busy retail establishments, and industrial workshops all require different levels of shielding.

Shielding is the sheath surrounding and protecting the wires of the cable from electromagnetic leakage and inter- ference (EMI). This activity is commonly referred to as noise. Sources of EMI in the workplace include elevator motors, fluorescent lights, generators, air conditioners, and photocopiers.

To protect your data from high EMI, choose a shielded cable. Foil is the most basic cable shield, but a copper-braid shield provides more protection.

Use a foil-shielded cable in busy office or retail environments. For industrial environments, you might want to choose a copper-braid shield. For quiet office environments, choose unshielded cable.

Stranded vs. solid conductor.

Stranded cable is for use in shorter runs between network interface cards (NICs) and wallplates, or between concen- trators and patch panels, hubs, and other rackmounted equip- ment. Stranded-conductor cable is much more flexible than solid-core cable. However, attenuation is higher in stranded- conductor cable, so the total length of stranded cable in your system should be kept to a minimum to reduce signal degradation.

Solid cable is for use in runs between two wiring closets or from the wiring closet to a wallplate. Solid-conductor cable shouldn’t be bent, flexed, or twisted repeatedly. It’s designed for both backbone and horizontal cable runs. Its attenuation is lower than that of stranded-conductor cable.

For more information on how to choose the right cable for your application, call our FREE Tech Support at 724-746-5500, 24 hours a day!

7/12/2007	724-746-5500	blackbox.com
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