Ethernet Cable Categories:
| Standard | Speed | Cable | Max Distance |
|---|
| 100BASE-TX | 100 Mbps | Cat5 | 100m |
| 1000BASE-T | 1 Gbps | Cat5e/6 | 100m |
| 10GBASE-T | 10 Gbps | Cat6a/7 | 100m |
Fiber Optic Standards:
| Standard | Speed | Fiber Type | Max Distance |
|---|
| 1000BASE-SX | 1 Gbps | Multimode | 550m |
| 1000BASE-LX | 1 Gbps | Single-mode | 5km |
| 10GBASE-SR | 10 Gbps | Multimode | 400m |
| 10GBASE-LR | 10 Gbps | Single-mode | 10km |
Fiber Types:
| Type | Core Size | Light Source | Distance | Cost | Memory Aid |
|---|
| Single-mode | 8-10 µm | Laser | Long (km) | Higher | Single = Small core, Long distance |
| Multimode | 50-62.5 µm | LED | Short (m) | Lower | Multi = Multiple paths, shorter |
Copper Cabling Types:
| Type | Shielding | Use Case |
|---|
| UTP | None | Standard LAN installations |
| STP | Foil/braid shield | High-interference environments (factory floors) |
| Coaxial | Braided shield | Cable TV, legacy networks |
| DAC (Twinax) | Direct attach copper | Short datacenter connections (<10m) |
Fiber vs. copper: Fiber carries light, so it is immune to EMI and supports far higher bandwidth over far longer distances. The trade-offs: fiber is generally more expensive to install, splicing and termination need special tools and skill, and the glass is fragile—bending it tighter than its minimum bend radius breaks it or causes signal loss.
RJ-45 wiring (TIA-568): T568A and T568B differ only by swapping the orange and green pairs. In T568B, pins 1-2 are orange-white/orange and pins 3 and 6 are green-white/green; on 10/100 Mbps Ethernet, pins 1-2 transmit and pins 3 and 6 receive.
Plenum vs. Non-plenum: Plenum-rated cables have fire-resistant jackets required in air handling spaces (HVAC plenums). They produce less toxic smoke when burned. Code requires them above drop ceilings and in air ducts.
