Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring, Third Edition David Barnett David Groth Jim McBee San Francisco • London Associate Publisher: Joel Fugazzotto Acquisitions Editor: Maureen Adams Developmental Editor: Brianne Hope Agatep Production Editor: Erica Yee Technical Editor: Toby Skandier Copy Editor: Sally Engelfried Compositor: Happenstance Type-O-Rama Color Insert Compositor: Judy Fung, Sybex, Inc Proofreaders: Laurie O’Connell, Nancy Riddiough Indexer: Ted Laux Book Designer: Maureen Forys, Happenstance Type-O-Rama Cover Designer/Illustrator: Richard Miller, Calyx Design Copyright © 2004 SYBEX Inc., 1151 Marina Village Parkway, Alameda, CA 94501 World rights reserved No part of this publication may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or reproduced in any way, including but not limited to photocopy, photograph, magnetic, or other record, without the prior agreement and written permission of the publisher An earlier version of this book was published under the title Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring © 2000 SYBEX Inc, Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring, Second Edition © 2001 SYBEX Inc Second edition copyright © 2001, First edition copyright © 2000 SYBEX Inc Library of Congress Card Number: 2003115682 ISBN: 0-7821-4331-8 SYBEX and the SYBEX logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of SYBEX Inc in the United States and/or other countries TRADEMARKS: SYBEX has attempted throughout this book to distinguish proprietary trademarks from descriptive terms by following the capitalization style used by the manufacturer Manufactured in the United States of America 10 For Jordan and Cameron —D.B For my wife, my daughter, my family, and my friends —D.G This book is dedicated to my family (Mom, Dad, sisters, cousins, and aunts) Over a distance of thousands of miles and many years, you still influence my actions every day We are all products of our environment; mine was great! —J.M Acknowledgments originally got involved with this book by assisting Jim McBee with the initial writing of the first edition Sybex subsequently asked me to revise the book for both the second and third editions I’m grateful to Jim and everyone at Sybex for providing me with this opportunity Thanks to all I Much of my cable knowledge was accumulated under the supervision of Dr James S Tyler, and I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge his significant contribution to my experience Also, I would like to thank Jeanie Baer, RCDD, for her help and advice over the years and for keeping me up to date on what’s happening in the TIA Standards’ workgroups Ron Hayes, practitioner of the black art of transmission engineering, deserves thanks and credit for suffering me as his occasional sorcerer’s apprentice I would like to thank Rob Jewson, RCDD, friend and business partner, for his advice and assistance —David Barnett This book has been a long time in the making First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge my co-author, Jim McBee, for his excellent work on this project He should be proud of his efforts, and it shows in the quality of this book Also, we would like to acknowledge the other behind-the-scenes people that helped to make this book, starting with Dan Whiting of Border States Electric Supply in Fargo, ND, for all the reference material and pictures he and his company provided His expertise was invaluable in the making of this book Thanks, Dan! We would also like to thank photographer Steve Sillers for taking many of the pictures throughout this book This book would not exist without Sybex Acquisitions Editor Maureen Adams Thanks for bringing Jim and me together and for managing this project Additionally, I would like to thank Developmental Editor Brianne Hope Agatep, Editor Sally Engelfried for editing this book, and Production Editor Erica Yee for managing its production Also, I would like to recognize the rest of the Sybex staff for all their hard work on this book, including (but not limited to) Judy Fung for her work on the color insert; the proofreaders, Laurie O’Connell and Nancy Riddiough; the indexer Ted Laux; and the electronic publishing specialists at Happenstance Type-O-Rama, who spent time and effort making the book look good Finally, I would like to recognize my wife, daughter, family, and friends, without whom I couldn’t any of this and for whom I this —David Groth Acknowledgments v At the Spring 1999 Networld+InterOp, David Groth, Maureen Adams from Sybex, and I talked about the need for a book about network cabling that was targeted toward IT professionals and people just starting out with cabling The first edition was a resounding success, and now you hold a brand-new third edition in your hands! Special thanks also goes to Janice Boothe, RCDD (and her awesome www.wiring.com Web site) and Mike Holt for their knowledge of codes Paul Lucas, RCDD, of Paul’s Cabling tolerated my nonstop questions and provided many great stories and experiences Kudos to Matt Bridges for his assistance with components Jeff Deckman gave his vital insight and input to the Request for Proposal (RFP) chapter; his cooperative approach to working with vendors will help many people successfully deploy telecommunications infrastructures Charles Perkins drew from his years of field experience to help with the case studies Others who reviewed portions of the book and provided feedback include Maureen McFerrin, Randy Williams, RD Clyde, John Poehler, and David Trachsel Jeff Bloom and the folks at Computer Training Academy (where I teach Windows NT, TCP/IP, and Exchange courses) are always outstandingly patient when I take on a project like this Finally, the consummate professionals at Sybex always leave me in awe of their skills, patience, and insight —Jim McBee Contents at a Glance Introduction Part I Part II Part III xxv Technology and Components Chapter 1: Introduction to Data Cabling Chapter 2: Cabling Specifications and Standards Chapter 3: Choosing the Correct Cabling 115 Chapter 4: Cable System and Infrastructure Constraints 151 Chapter 5: Cabling System Components 177 Chapter 6: Tools of the Trade 203 61 Network Media and Connectors Chapter 7: Copper Cable Media 237 Chapter 8: Wall Plates 279 Chapter 9: Connectors 299 Chapter 10: Fiber-Optic Media 325 Chapter 11: Unbounded (Wireless) Media 349 Cabling Design and Installation Chapter 12: Cabling-System Design and Installation 375 Chapter 13: Cable-Connector Installation 411 Chapter 14: Cable-System Testing and Troubleshooting 445 Chapter 15: Creating a Request for Proposal (RFP) 481 Chapter 16: Cabling @ Work: Experience from the Field 509 Glossary 527 Part IV Appendices Appendix A: Cabling Resources 607 Appendix B: Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) Certification 615 Appendix C: Home Cabling: Wiring Your Home for Now and the Future 623 Appendix D: Overview of IEEE 1394 and USB Networking 631 Appendix E: The Electronics Technicians Association, International (ETA) Certifications 639 Index 659 Contents Introduction Part I Chapter xxv Technology and Components Introduction to Data Cabling The Golden Rules of Data Cabling The Importance of Reliable Cabling The Cost of Poor Cabling Is the Cabling to Blame? You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: The Legacy of Proprietary Cabling Systems Proprietary Cabling Is a Thing of the Past Cabling and the Need for Speed Types of Communications Media Cable Design Plenum Riser General Purpose Limited Use Cable Jackets Wire Insulation Twists Solid Conductors versus Stranded Conductors Data Communications 101 Bandwidth, Frequency, and Data Rate What a Difference a dB Makes! Speed Bumps: What Slows Down Your Data Hindrances to High-Speed Data Transfer Attenuation (Loss of Signal) Noise (Signal Interference) Near-End Crosstalk (NEXT) 5 6 11 22 24 26 27 27 27 30 34 36 38 38 42 46 47 48 50 52 Contents Chapter Chapter ix Far End Crosstalk (FEXT) Equal-Level Far-End Crosstalk (ELFEXT) Pair-to-Pair Crosstalk Power-Sum Crosstalk External Interference Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio (ACR) Propagation Delay Delay Skew The Future of Cabling Performance 53 53 54 54 56 57 58 58 59 Cabling Specifications and Standards 61 Structured Cabling and Standardization Standards and Specifying Organizations ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B Cabling Standard ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B Purpose and Scope Subsystems of a Structured Cabling System Media and Connecting Hardware Performance ANSI/TIA/EIA-569-A ANSI/TIA/EIA-607 ANSI/TIA/EIA-570-A Other TIA/EIA Standards and Bulletins ISO/IEC 11801 Classification of Applications and Links Anixter Cable Performance Levels Program Anixter Levels: Looking Forward What About Components? Other Cabling Technologies The IBM Cabling System Avaya SYSTIMAX SCS Cabling System Digital Equipment Corporation DECconnect NORDX/CDT Integrated Building Distribution System 62 64 73 75 76 92 95 102 103 104 105 106 106 108 108 109 109 112 112 113 Choosing the Correct Cabling 115 Topologies Star Topology Bus Topology Ring Topology 116 117 118 119 x Contents Chapter Chapter UTP, Optical Fiber, and Future-Proofing Network Architectures Ethernet Token Ring Fiber Distributed Data Interface (FDDI) Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) 100VG-AnyLAN Network-Connectivity Devices Repeaters Hubs Bridges Switches Routers 120 121 121 133 136 137 139 140 140 141 144 147 147 Cable System and Infrastructure Constraints 151 Where Do Codes Come From? The United States Federal Communications Commission The National Fire Protection Association Underwriters Laboratories Codes and the Law The National Electrical Code NEC Chapter General Requirements NEC Chapter Wiring and Protection NEC Chapter Wiring Methods and Materials NEC Chapter Special Occupancy NEC Chapter Special Conditions NEC Chapter Communications Systems Knowing and Following the Codes 152 152 153 155 157 159 159 160 164 166 166 169 176 Cabling System Components 177 The Cable Horizontal and Backbone Cables Modular Patch Cables Pick the Right Cable for the Job Wall Plates and Connectors Cabling Pathways 178 178 180 180 181 183 This Cable Connector and Tool Identification Guide will allow you to view connectors and tools in living color Many items in the data-communications industry are color-coded; for example, orange is used to designate fiber optic cable Some of the products shown in the following pages are: • Connectors • Fiber optic test scope • Cables • Cable tester • Mount box • Punch-down block • Wall plates • Fiber patch panel • Jacks • Telephone installation • Face plates • Fiber optic breakout box • Cable strippers • Wiring closet • Connectorizing kits • Tractor-mounted unspooler FIBER OPTIC PATCH CABLE with MT-RJ connectors FIBER OPTIC PATCH CABLE with ST connectors A SIX-FIBER MULTIMODE FIBER OPTIC CABLE Notice Kevlar threads (yellow) at top ARMORED FIBER OPTIC CABLE A 25-PAIR UTP CABLE This cable is often used for telephone applications TYPE TOKEN RING CABLE Notice the shielding and unique connector TWIN-AXIAL CABLE SILVER SATIN CABLE with an RJ-45 connector MODULAR JACK THAT UTILIZES EITHER 568A OR 568B PINOUT CONFIGURATIONS 3M HOTMELT™ ST FIBER OPTIC CONNECTOR TWIN-AXIAL CABLE TO RJ-11 BALUN RACEWAY AND SURFACE MOUNT BOX MODULAR WALL PLATE with RJ-45, coaxial video, RCA, S-Video, and fiber optic connectors CABLE WITH BOTH 110 AND RJ-45 ENDS (Photo courtesy of The Siemon Company) RJ-45 CRIMP-ON CONNECTOR (Photo courtesy of The Siemon Company) SURFACE-MOUNT, MODULAR MULTIMEDIA BOX EXAMPLE OF A SURFACE-MOUNT BISCUIT JACK FIXED-DESIGN, DUPLEX, RJ-45 WALL PLATE THAT USES 110 PUNCH-DOWNS MODULAR FURNITURE WITH FOUR ANGLED JACKS (one with a dust cover) MODULAR FURNITURE FACEPLATES both low profile (foreground) and normal (background) FIXED DESIGN WALL PLATES A Token Ring B RJ-11 C Dual cable TV (coax) B A WALL PLATES A Modular position with three RJ-45 jacks B Modular with six RJ-45 jacks C Fixed design with single RJ-45 jack D A 6-port wall plate filled with various types of multimedia jacks E A 4-port metal wall plate F A 4-port wall plate filled with RJ-45 jacks G A 6-port wall plate filled with various types of RJ-45 jacks A C C B D E F G 6A FIBER OPTIC WALL PLATE SURROUND ADD-ON SIX-GANG, MODULAR FURNITURE WALL PLATE WITH ANGLED JACKS DUAL SC CONNECTOR FIBER PATCH PANEL TELEPHONE WALL PLATE WITH MODULAR JACK HEAVILY SHIELDED 110-TO-RJ-45 PUNCH-DOWN BLOCK A 110-TO-RJ-45 PUNCH-DOWN (Photo courtesy of The Siemon Company) SIDE VIEW OF A 110 PUNCH-DOWN BLOCK 66-BLOCK WITH A 50-PAIR CABLE CONNECTOR SIDE VIEW OF A 210 PUNCH-DOWN BLOCK Note pairs are separated from each other CABLE MANAGEMENT D-RINGS FIBER OPTIC BREAKOUT BOX SAMPLE TELEPHONE INSTALLATION Notice the 66- blocks, biscuit jacks, PBX, cable management rings, and 50-pair cable connections (Photo courtesy of Computer Training Academy) EXAMPLE OF A WIRING CLOSET WITH RACK-MOUNTED PATCH PANELS (Photo courtesy of Computer Training Academy) RACK WITH COLOR-CODED PATCH CORDS (Photo courtesy of The Siemon Company) 50-PAIR UTP TELEPHONE CABLES TERMINATED TO THE BACK OF A 110-TORJ-45 RACK-MOUNT PATCH PANEL (Photo courtesy of Computer Training Academy) THE BACK OF A 110-TO-RJ-45 RACKMOUNTED PATCH PANEL (Photo courtesy of Computer Training Academy) MODULAR JACK PUNCHDOWN AID ("PUCK") ANGLED PICK PROBE SIMPLE CABLE JACKET STRIPPER CABLE STRIPPER WITH BOTH UTP AND COAX DIES FIBER OPTIC TEST SCOPE SIMPLE CABLE TESTER TRACTOR-MOUNTED UNSPOOLER for optical raceway used for outdoor installations FIBER OPTIC CONNECTORIZING KIT Kevlar shears Fiber scribing pen Fiber strippers Piano wire Polishing pad Polishing puck Goggles 3M HOTMELT CONNECTORIZING KIT Hotmelt™ oven Kevlar shears Scribe Water bottle Termination test scope No-nick fiber stripper Measuring calipers Connector cooling stand Polising puck and pad ... permission of the publisher An earlier version of this book was published under the title Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring © 2000 SYBEX Inc, Cabling: The Complete Guide to Network Wiring, ... to Data Cabling The Golden Rules of Data Cabling The Importance of Reliable Cabling The Cost of Poor Cabling Is the Cabling to Blame? You’ve Come a Long Way, Baby: The Legacy of Proprietary Cabling. .. 6: Tools of the Trade Chapter Introduction to Data Cabling • The Golden Rules of Data Cabling • The Importance of Reliable Cabling • The Legacy of Proprietary Cabling Systems • Cabling and the