Cat 5 cable is short for Category 5 cable and is sometimes simply referred to as Cat5. It is used primarily for network and telephone wiring. It is basically unshielded wiring that is made up of four pairs of 24-guage twisted copper pairs or high signal integrity cable type. Its purpose is to cancel out electromagnetic interference from external sources. Certified Cat5 wiring will have “Cat-5” printed on the shielding. Shielding is a process that that blocks the penetration of electromagnetic fields from entering an enclosed space. Cat5 has been superseded by Cat5e which is used for Ethernet and other computer networks. It can be used to carry voice signals, token ring and ATM over short distances.
The sheath of Cat5 generally is bright blue but can also be one of many bright colors. Inside the sheathing the twisted pairs are surrounded in plastic that is generally orange, blue or green with brown wires twisted around the mates that are generally white and striped with some solid color. Twisted pairs of wiring inside a Cat5 cable help to reduce interference. These wires should stay twisted except for about ½ inch at the termination point. Cat5 can be bought right off of a spool cut to any desired length or can be obtained already pre-cut to standard lengths.
Cat 5 cable supports data speeds of at least 100 mbps and can be extended to 300 feet. It can be used for many purposes, not just for networks and telephone wiring. Cat5e, the enhanced version of Cat5, supports 1000 mbps and can be extended to 1150 feet. The Cat5 has two conductor forms – stranded and solid. The stranded form is very flexible and doesn’t break easily when bent. It works well in insulation piercing connecting. The solid form is cheaper and works well in installation displacement connectors but no so well in insulation piercing connectors. For example, building wiring inside a wall that connects a wall socket to a central panel is solid core. On the other hand, a cable that is movable and plugs into the wall socket at one end and into a computer on the other end is stranded.
The sheath of Cat5 generally is bright blue but can also be one of many bright colors. Inside the sheathing the twisted pairs are surrounded in plastic that is generally orange, blue or green with brown wires twisted around the mates that are generally white and striped with some solid color. Twisted pairs of wiring inside a Cat5 cable help to reduce interference. These wires should stay twisted except for about ½ inch at the termination point. Cat5 can be bought right off of a spool cut to any desired length or can be obtained already pre-cut to standard lengths.
Cat 5 cable supports data speeds of at least 100 mbps and can be extended to 300 feet. It can be used for many purposes, not just for networks and telephone wiring. Cat5e, the enhanced version of Cat5, supports 1000 mbps and can be extended to 1150 feet. The Cat5 has two conductor forms – stranded and solid. The stranded form is very flexible and doesn’t break easily when bent. It works well in insulation piercing connecting. The solid form is cheaper and works well in installation displacement connectors but no so well in insulation piercing connectors. For example, building wiring inside a wall that connects a wall socket to a central panel is solid core. On the other hand, a cable that is movable and plugs into the wall socket at one end and into a computer on the other end is stranded.