This FAQ may be posted to any USENET newsgroup, on-line service,
or BBS as long as it is posted in its entirety and includes this
copyright statement.
C A B L I N G F A Q,
by Peter Macaulay
Version 950305
This is a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for the
comp.dcom.cabling newsgroup. Topics covered include the
types of cables (fiber, coax, copper, unshielded twisted
pair-UTP, shielded twisted pair), installation techniques,
standards as well as fire and building safety codes.
Prepared and maintained by Peter Macaulay (pmac@fox.nstn.ca)
Constructive comments/updates are welcomed.
0.1 Recent Updates
The most recent changes are on the top of this list for easier
identification of the new stuff (push down stack). Format of
the version is year, month, day.
950305 - added rtfm.mit.edu approval, cable testing
950124 - added bending radius specs, ISDN cabling
950110 - added headers required for rtfm.mit posting
- expanded references with much help from Evan Gamblin
0.2 Copyright
Copyright (c) 1995 by Peter Macaulay, all rights reserved.
0.3 Disclaimer
This article is provided as is without any express or implied
warranties. While every effort has been taken to ensure the
accuracy of the information contained in this article, the
author and contributors assume no responsibility for errors
or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the
information contained herein.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A GUIDELINE ONLY -- SEEK PROFESSIONAL ADVICE,
CHECK LOCAL BUILDING CODES AND APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
0.4 Acknowledgments
bhughes@vanbc.wimsey.com (Bill Hughes)
egamblin@ott.hookup.net (Evan Gamblin)
jlundgre@kn.PacBell.COM (John Lundgren)
mikeb@iaccess.za (Mike Barker)
koeman@tc.fluke.COM (Henriecus Koeman)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
0.1 Recent Updates
0.2 Copyright
0.3 Disclaimer
0.4 Acknowledgments
1.0 Cable Types
2.0 Cable Ratings
3.0 National Electrical Code (NEC)
4.0 Not Used (Blank)
5.0 Specific Cable Classifications
6.0 Cable Conductors
7.0 Vendor Specific Suggestions
8.0 Cabling Standards
9.0 Standard EIA/TIA 568
10.0 Birds and Bees (Plugs vs. Jacks)
11.0 Standard Networking Configurations
12.0 Ethernet 10Base-T Cabling
13.0 Category Specifications
14.0 Sources for the EIA/TIA 568 Standards Documents
15.0 Cable Test Equipment
16.0 Cable Testers for Category 5
17.0 Typical Wiring Layout
18.0 How Far Away Should Cable be Installed from an EMI Source
19.0 What is the Minimum Bending Radius for a Cable?
20.0 Fiber Optic Cable
21.0 ISDN Cabling
22.0 Testing Unshielded Twisted Pair Cables
23.0 - 29.0 Not Used (Blank)
30.0 Sources of Additional Information
---------------------------
Subject: 1.0 Cable Types
Communications Cable: primarily for telephone cable
Class 2 Cable: signaling cable primarily for data communications
Riser: vertical shaft used to route cable between floors
Plenum: Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning (HVAC) air return
area -- mostly drop ceilings. Also below raised floors
(where the underfloor area is used for ventilation).
------------------------------
Subject: 2.0 Cable Ratings
(Or What Are Those Codes Printed On My Cables?)
In the Hollywood movie _Towering Infernio_ (starring O.J.Simpson)
a fire spread from floor to floor using the building cables. This
will not happen again (we hope) since everyone is using fire rated
cables! These are important specifications if you are responsible
for defining a cable installation.
If interfloor penetrations are properly _firestopped_, the
cables can burn, but the fire will not pass the firestopping.
UL-910, FT-4 and FT-6 say nothing about the type or volume of toxic
combustion products produced. All they cover is performance on a
flamespread test.
THIS DOCUMENT IS A GUIDELINE ONLY -- SEEK PROFESSIONAL
ADVICE, CHECK LOCAL BUILDING CODES AND APPLICABLE STANDARDS.
The US National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) revises the
National Electrical Code (NEC) every 3 years. The NEC defines
classifications of cable as per UL tests.
The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) defines Premise Communication
Cord (PCC) standards for physical wire tests. These are printed
on the cable as CSA-PCC-FT6.
FT4 = Flame Test 4 is described in CSA C22.2 0.3-1992
FT6 = Flame Test 6 is described in NFPA 262-1985 and ULC S102.4
Physical Wire Tests C22.2 214-M-1990. These CSA documents can
be ordered from the CSA. See sources below.
<<<Any comments on standards from other parts of the world?>>>
------------------------------
Subject: 3.0 National Electrical Code (NEC)
1993 National Electrical Code
Article 725, Class 2
725-38(b)1 CL2X Class 2 cable, limited use
725-38(b)1 CL2 Class 2 cable
725-38(b)2 CL2R Class 2 riser cable
725-38(b)3 CL2P Class 2 plenum cable
Article 800
800-3(b)1 CMX Communications cable limited use
800-3(b)1 CM Communications cable
800-3(b)2 CMR Communications riser cable
800-3(b)3 CMP Communications plenum cable
OFNP (Optical Fiber Nonconductive Plenum)
OFNR (Optical Fiber Nonconductive Riser)
------------------------------
Subject: 4.0 Not Used (Blank)
------------------------------
Subject: 5.0 Specific Cable Classifications
CMS, CL2X (Restricted Cable) must be enclosed in conduit,
up to 10 feet exposed; must pass UL 1581 VW-1 test
CM, CL2 (General Purpose Cable) for use in areas other
than risers or plenums; must pass UL 1581 vertical tray test
CMR, CL2R (Riser Cable) for cable in vertical shafts;
must pass UL test method 1666
CMP, CL2P (Plenum Cable) for use in plenum areas (air ducts);
must pass UL 910 test for smoke and flame spread
------------------------------
Subject: 6.0 Cable Conductors
Cable conductor gauge is specified as AWG (American Wire Gauge).
A higher number is a smaller diameter. Telephone cable used indoors
is typically 24 or 26 AWG, whereas household electrical wiring is
typically 12 or 14 AWG.
------------------------------
Subject: 7.0 Vendor Specific Suggestions
AMP NETCONNECT Open Cabling System
HP SiteWire
AT&T PDS
DEC MMJ
IBM STP (Type 1, Type 2, etc)
Northern Telcom IBDN
------------------------------
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