NETGEAR FE116 manual Cable Guidelines for Fast Ethernet

LAN workstations. If your network is migrating from 10 to 100 Mbps, you can switch and route data from 10 Mbps to 100 Mbps without protocol translation and its associated delays. Fast Ethernet is based on the proven CSMA/CD Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol.

The most popular cabling scheme in an Ethernet network today is star-wired topology, where the hub is in a central wiring closet and individual cables run out to each tabletop device. This topology is the same topology used by Fast Ethernet, although the maximum allowable network diameter is smaller because of the increase in packet speed.

Cable Guidelines for Fast Ethernet

Fast Ethernet uses UTP cable, as specified in the IEEE 802.3u standard for 100BASE-T. The specification recommends Category 5 UTP cable consisting of either 2-pair or 4-pair twisted insulated copper conductors bound in a single plastic sheath. Category 5 cable is certified up to 100 MHz bandwidth. 100BASE-TX operation uses one pair of wires for transmission and the other pair for receiving.

When installing Category 5 UTP cabling, use the following guidelines to ensure that your cables perform to the following specifications:

•Certification

Make sure that your Category 5 UTP cable has completed the Underwriters Laboratories (UL) or Electronic Testing Laboratories (ETL) certification process.

•Termination method

To minimize crosstalk noise, maintain the twist ratio of the cable up to the point of termination; untwist at any RJ-45 connector or patch panel should not exceed 0.5 inch (1.5 cm).

Cable Lengths for Fast Ethernet

Category 5 distributed cable that meets ANSI/EIA/TIA-568-A building wiring standards can be a maximum of 328 feet (100 m) in length, divided as follows:

•20 feet (6 m) between the hub and the patch panel (if used)

•295 feet (90 m) from the wiring closet to the wall outlet

•10 feet (3 m) from the wall outlet to the desktop device

The patch panel and other connecting hardware must meet the requirements for 100 Mbps operation (Category 5). Workmanship quality is a must. Only 0.5 inch (1.5 cm) of untwist in the wire pair is allowed at any termination point.

M-FE116NA-1 QCARD