Cat5/5E Cable Overview:

Short for Category 5, Cat5 cable is network cabling that consists of four twisted pairs of copper wire terminated by RJ45 connectors. Cat 5 cabling supports frequencies up to 100 MHz and speeds up to 1000 Mbps. It can be used for ATM, token ring, 1000Base-T, 100Base-T, and 10Base-T networking. Cat 5e cable runs should be limited to a maximum length of 328 feet (100 meters)

Currently Cat5e has replaced Cat5 as the industry standard for data cabling communication and is rated up to 350 Mhz. Computers hooked up to a LAN are connected using Cat 5e cables, so if you're on a LAN, most likely the cable running out of the back of your PC is Category 5.

Cat5e cable is known as a twisted pair cable and comes in either solid or stranded types. Solid CAT5e cable supports long cable runs and is designed for fixed cabling situations like homes, offices, and buildings. Stranded CAT 5 cable is more pliable and better suited for shorter-distances. Stranded CAT5 cable is commonly used for patch cables or crossover cables.

Cat 5 is based on the EIA/TIA 568 Commercial Building Telecommunications Wiring Standard developed by the Electronics Industries Association as requested by the Computer Communications Industry Association in 1985.

Cat5e Plenum A type of inside cable intended for use in plenums. While plenums are convenient places to run cables, they also are conducive to the spreading of fires within buildings, as they are primarily intended to support air flow. Therefore, the National Electrical Code (NEC) specifies that the insulation on plenum cables must be fire retardant, low-smoke and low-toxicity.

Cat5e Outdoor Cable Some cables are "UV rated" meaning they can be exposed to outdoor UV radiation without significant destruction. The materials used for the mantle are usually PVC. Any cable which contains air spaces can breathe in moisture, especially if the cable runs between indoor and outdoor spaces. Warm moist air can cause condensation inside the colder parts of the cable outdoors. It may be necessary to take precautions such as sealing the ends of the cables. Some cables are suitable for "direct burial", but this usually requires that the cable is gel filled in order to hinder moisture migration into the cable.

Cat5e Shielded Cables (FTP/STP) are useful for environments where proximity to power cables, RF equipment, or high power equipment may introduce crosstalk, and can also be used where interference with radio receivers or where eavesdropping likelihood should be minimized.

How to make a Category 5 / CAT5e Patch Cable

We Have received many requests from our customers for information on how to make a Category 5 / CAT5e cable. So below we will discuss the basic instructions for creating your own CAT5 patch cable. We hope you find the instructions informative

• Strip the cables Jacket back one full inch.
• Untwist the wires back to within 1/8" of the jacket.
• Arrange the wires in the order in which you want to crimp them. You can choose from either the 568-A or 568-B wiring methods, however the 568-B is the most commonly used.
• Grasp the wires firmly, between your thumb and forefinger, flatten them, and even wiggle them a bit, to take out the curliness, (concentrate your efforts on the bottom 1/2") the wires must lay flat and together, aligned as close as possible.
• While holding the wires firmly, cut off the wires 1/2" from the cables jacket (Cut the wires with some sharp wire strippers or even high quality scissors, avoid wire cutters that flatten the ends of the wires insulating material, this makes stuffing the wires very difficult.)
• Stuff the wires into the connector, making sure the wires stay lined up. Push moderately hard to assure that all of the wires have reached the end of the connector. Be sure that the cable jacket goes into the back of the connector by about 3/16".
• Place the connector into a crimp tool, and squeeze hard so that the handle reaches its full swing.
• Repeat the process on the other end. For a straight through cable, use the same wiring.
• Use a cable tester to test for proper continuity

How to wire a CAT5E (EIA 568-B*) Cable.

How to wire a CAT5E (EIA 568-A*) Cable.

The only real difference between 568A and 568B is that the White/Orange-Orange/White and White/Green-Green/White pairs are swapped.

How to wire a "Crossover" Cable. (EIA 568-B*)

USOC crossover cables are like this: