Patch Panels and Cables
If you are using patch panels, make sure that they meet the 100BASE-TX requirements. NETGEAR recommends Category 5 UTP cable for all patch cables and work area cables to ensure that your UTP patch cable rating meets or exceeds the distribution cable rating.
To wire patch panels, you need two Category 5 UTP cables with an RJ-45 plug at each end, as shown in Figure C-3.
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Figure C-3. Category 5 UTP Cable with Male RJ-45 Plug at Each End
Note: Flat “silver satin” telephone cable may have the same RJ-45 plug. However, using telephone cable results in excessive collisions, causing the attached port to be partitioned or disconnected from the network.
Using 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet over Category 5 Cable
Overview
When using the new 1000BASE-T standard, the limitations of cable installations and the steps necessary to ensure optimum performance must be considered. The most important components in your cabling system are patch panel connections, twists of the pairs at connector transition points, the jacket around the twisted-pair cable, bundling of multiple pairs on horizontal runs and punch down blocks. All of these factors affect the performance of 1000BASE-T technology if not correctly implemented. The follow- ing sections are designed to act as a guide to correct cabling for 1000BASE-T.
