Services

Voice Cabling - Cat 3

Choosing the Right Cable

When discussing voice cable, different applications and cable grades can come into play. With the advent of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) the future of telephone cabling may change dramatically. But the fact of the matter is, we are still seeing over 90% of companies wiring for voice the same way it's been done for the last 20 years: using voice grade wire and standard RJ11 jacks at the user end. In the wiring closet, the terminations of choice are still 66 blocks, 110 style terminal blocks (developed by AT&T), Bix blocks and Krone fields.

Cat 3 Solution Still Has Longevity
These configurations give companies, and the majority of phone vendors, all the flexibility they need at a very reasonable cost. When voice cable is being installed in conjunction with your network cabling, the labor cost is greatly reduced. When voice and data cables originate from the same closet (and when the data cable is purchased from ACT), Action Communication Technology, Inc. charges what equates to just $20.00 labor per voice cable for installation. The cost of Category 3 cable, whether plenum rated or non-plenum, is very reasonable in relation to Category 5, and the jacks, usually 6 conductor USOC, are inexpensive. We generally split the 4 pair voice cable at the user end, and install 2 RJ11 jacks. This is possible because the large majority of phone systems on the market today require only 1 pair of wires, some others require 2 pairs. This gives our customers the option and flexibility to install any combination of phones, modems and analog lines at any location.

Cat 3 & Cat 5 Dual-Purpose Jacks
For some customers we will install multiple Category 5 or 5E cables to each user. Their intention is to use one or more of these cables for their telephones and/or modems. Obviously this configuration lends itself to great flexibility, because if they need a third or fourth network connection the network cable is already in place, but at a lesser cost. Each cable is Category 5 rated and needs a separate CAT 5 jack at the user end and a separate port on a rated patch panel in the wiring closet, all more costly than the Category 3 alternative. Unless the individual company has many heavy network users (those with more than 2 networked computers on their desk) we usually recommend the Category 3 solution.

Data Cabling

Cat 5, Cat 6 Cable

Today, your network cabling system carries the lifeblood of your organization - information. The installation, material, quality of cable and testing procedures are all much more critical in data wiring than in voice. The main reason for this is that networks today are designed to carry large amounts of information at incredible speeds. To accomplish this over unshielded twisted pair cable (UTP), many different criteria must be met.

Who sets the criteria and standards for network cabling? Well, the three major players are The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE - commonly called I-triple-E ) who work on developing new protocols, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), and the Telecommunications Industry Association / Electronic Industry Alliance (TIA/EIA) who issue the standards and testing procedures.

Suffice it to say that these people have been busy over the past 12 years - as we've seen network speeds increase from 10 million bits of information per second, over Category 3 wire, back in 1991 to 1 billion bits (called Gigabit Ethernet) today. With bandwidth increasing and reliance on the network at an all time high, getting information to where it needs to be is becoming more challenging than ever. Ask any IT Manager what their most common network problem is and you will most likely hear them rant about cabling issues. In fact, cabling problems, which account for over 50% of network problems, cost companies millions annually. The most common problems are:

1. · Low attenuation
2. · Poor NEXT (near-end crosstalk)
3. · Poor ACR (attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio)
4. · Poor delay skew (data arrives at different times)
5. · Impedance
6. · Poor return loss (also known as "echo")
7. · Poor ELFEXT (equal-level far-end crosstalk) numbers for cable, connecting hardware and channel
8. · Splices in cable
9. · Mis-labeled cables

All of these problems can be avoided if the cabling is installed and tested properly. The cable must be installed following strict and specific guidelines and the testing must be done using the right equipment calibrated for the latest standards (called certification). ACT provides this with each cabling installation.

Twisted Pair Cabling

Unshielded Twisted Pair

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) has been designed for use in voice applications and local area networks. Because of the comparatively low cost this cable is widely used and is available in several different performance categories (Categories 3, 4, 5 and 6). Over 99% of our copper installations are UTP versus shielded twisted pair (STP), which is rarely used.

Electromagnetic interference is present in all types of cabling to some degree. There are two basic types of electromagnetic interference (EMI) that cable engineers worry about-electromagnetic emissions and electromagnetic immunity. Emissions refer to energy that is radiated by the cable, and immunity is the ability of the cable to reject outside signals. In local area networks (LANs), failure to properly manage EMI can have an adverse effect on the integrity of the signal being transmitted.

In an unshielded cable, careful design of the cable and the associated electronic equipment results in a "balance" of the currents in the two conductors of a pair. That is, the currents in the two conductors are equal in magnitude but flowing in opposite directions. Proper installation and termination of the cable is also critical to maintaining this balance.

In a balanced system, there is very little radiation of EMI since the external field from one conductor is effectively canceled by the external field from the other conductor of the pair. Generally, the more twists per foot of cable, the better the cable is electrically balanced. Category 5 cable has more twists per foot than Category 3 or 4 cables and, therefore, offers better protection from EMI problems.

Fiber Optic Cabling

Your New York Fiber Specialist

Fiber Optic cabling provides a far greater bandwidth than copper and is typically used for backbone connection between localized networking equipment and is increasingly becoming the preferred choice for high quality and reliable analog and digital communications. ESC has installed fiber optic cabling for several school districts in and around New York, NY

Although its higher cost can be prohibitive for desktop applications, fiber optic cabling provides a high security link, with immunity from electromagnetic interference (EMI). It is also the solution for inter-building links and other connections beyond the maximum 90m for Category 5e copper cabling.

Fiber Optic Cable Design & Installation

ESC carries out the design, installation, testing & maintenance of Fiber Optic systems including Fusion Splicing & Termination of multimode & single mode fiber cables, both internal & external work including repair work.

All types of fiber optic cabling systems are offered including:

1. · Multimode 62.5/125 (OM1) Datacomms
2. · Multimode 50/125 (OM2) Video & Datacomms Systems
3. · Multimode 50/125 (OM3) Gigabit Ethernet an 10 Gig Ethernet for up to 300m
4. · Single mode 8/125 (OS1) Gigabit Ethernet and 10 Gig Ethernet for up to 2km.
5. · All cables are internal/external grade.

Fiber Optic Termination & Testing

Our Fiber Optic termination and testing service is offered to corporate end users as well as other communication providers who prefer to use our skilled services rather than invest in expensive test equipment and costly engineer training. Both methods of termination are offered either direct termination or fusion splicing of pre-manufactured pigtail assemblies.

Coax Cabling

Coaxial cables carry a nominal impedance of between 35 and 185 ohms. The three most common coax cables are 50 ohms (most widely used in thin-net Ethernet), 75 ohms (the cable your most likely using at home for your TV or cable modem) and 93 ohms, which is rarely used.

Coax cable can support much higher bandwidths than unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable. The most efficient transfer of energy, over coax, occurs when all parts of the system have the same impedance. For example, a transmitter, interconnecting cable, and receiver should all have matching impedance. This need for impedance matching is especially critical at higher frequencies, where the consequences of mismatches are more severe.

Knowing how to install and terminate coax cable properly is critical to achieving impedance matching. Knowledge and selection of the best available materials greatly increases efficiency.

The most common type of coax, called Flexible Coax, is a flexible cable, which uses a braided shield of extremely fine wires. This braid helps to make the coax flexible, but at a cost: energy or RF (radio frequency) signals leak through the small gaps in the braid. To combat this attenuation (energy loss), manufacturers have added several layers of braid and placed thin foil between the layers. This provides better coverage for greater shielding effectiveness. We normally use a quad shield (two layers of braid, two of foil) for 75-ohm applications.

Even though coax makes up a small percentage of our total installations, it is still a critical piece of the infrastructure puzzle for our customers. Coax has been the medium of choice for high fidelity audio, television, satellite and broadband communications.

Wireless Network Cabling

Outdoor Optical Wireless Link

Optical wireless links are fast becoming the communications solution between two locations where a clear line of sight, up to a distance in excess of 1.24 (2km) miles exists. In such cases, they offer extensive cost savings over leased lines. They also offer the ideal solution where fixed cabling may not be possible. They offer better security than other wireless link options like Radio or Microwave and require no special license for installation and use.

Their ease of set up makes them cost effective not just for permanent links but also for temporary installations.

Laser Based Free Space Optical Wireless Links

Laser Based Free Space Optical Wireless Links are robust and maintenance free (requiring only an occasional clean of the glass window on the head) and offer speeds in excess of 1Gbps. They are also capable of duplex voice and data links and high quality analogue video transmission.

Indoor Wireless Local Area Networks

In buildings where fixed cabling is not an option, for example a listed building, there exists an option to create a networking infrastructure based purely upon wireless technology or a mixture of both wired and wireless.

Action Communication can design and install the complete wireless networking cabling infrastructure for both 11Mbps (IEEE802.11b) and 54Mbps (IEEE802.11g) wireless networks.

Server Room Installation

Servers are the brains of most corporations. The rooms and racks that house these servers are a critical part of a company's cabling infrastructure. Since servers, racks and the required cabling usually account for a large part of an IT manager's budget, they must be assured that this environment is built correctly.

In many cases, servers are located separately from a company's wiring closet. In such instances tie cables, either copper or fiber, must be installed to provide connectivity between the network equipment, which provides the pipe to the end user, and the company's servers, which store the important information. We then label and test all connections.

Cable Testing Certification

Testing and Certification are the most important steps in any cable installation. Because today’s Fast Ethernet transmission speeds "push the envelope" of any cabling system, it is critical that all components be thoroughly tested. Plugging the network equipment together and verifying that it "works" is not enough. Certification is especially important to prevent expensive upgrades to your cabling system when upgrading to faster networking technologies in the future.

Cable Certification Reports

Category 5 and Category 6 certification requires special test equipment called scanners. Every cable and connector that we install is scanned and a printed report is provided verifying compliance to the Category 5 and Category 6 standards. Accept no less in your network cabling installations.

Action Communication Technology provides cable installation, testing and certification services. Our cabling systems are installed to meet Category 5 and Category 6 performance standards. These standards insure that your network cabling can accommodate the bandwidth requirements of today's100Mbps Fast Ethernet as well as tomorrow's faster technologies.

All components of the cabling system that we install including the cable, modular connectors and patch panels are rated for Category 5 and Category 6 performance. Installation of these components is performed in accordance with the recognized standard TIA 568-A (Telecommunications Industry Association

Category 3 Cable
Category 3 cable, commonly known as Cat 3, is an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable designed to reliably carry data up to 10 Mbit/s, with a possible bandwidth of 16 MHz’s It is part of a family of copper cabling standards defined jointly by the Electronic Industries Alliance and the Telecommunications Industry Association. Category 3 was a popular cabling format among computer network administrators in the early 1990s, but fell out of popularity in favor of the very similar, but higher performing, Cat 5 standard. Now that Cat 5 is obsolete, most new structured cable installations are built with Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable. Cat 3 is currently still in use in two-line telephone systems, although Cat 5 or higher could do the same work and allow transition to VOIP.

Note that unlike Cat 1,2,4, and 5 cables, Cat 3 is still recognized by TIA/EIA-568-B, its defining standard.

Category 3 saw some extra longevity due to the 100baseT4 standard which achieved speeds of 100 Mbit/s by using all 4 pairs of wires. This allowed businesses that were already wired for Cat 3 to keep their current wiring but still upgrade to 100 Mbit/s.

Other categories of network cables

1. · Cat 1: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously used for POTS telephone communications, ISDN and doorbell wiring.
2. · Cat 2: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously was frequently used on 4Mbit/s token ring networks.
3. · Cat 3: Current cable standard, used for data networks utilizing frequencies up to 16 MHz’s Popular for 10 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.
4. · Cat 4: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 20 MHz, and was frequently used on 16Mbit/s token ring networks.
5. · Cat 6: Defined by the ANSI TIA/EIA 568B-2.1. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz, more than double category 5 and 5e.
6. · Cat 6a: Operates at frequencies up to 500MHz and provides up to 10Gbit/s
7. · Cat 7: Draft standard, proposed to include four individually-shielded pairs (ScTP) inside an overall shield. Designed for transmission at frequencies up to 650 MHz’s

Category 5 Cable

Category 5 cable, commonly known as Cat 5, is an unshielded twisted pair cable type designed for high signal integrity. With the 2001 introduction of the TIA/EIA-568-B standard, the category 5 cabling specification was made obsolete and superseded by the category 5e specification.

The original specification for category 5 cable was defined in ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-A, with clarification in TSB-95. These documents specified performance characteristics and test requirements for frequencies of up to 100 MHz’s Category 5 cable included four twisted pairs in a single cable jacket. It was most commonly used for 100Mbit/s networks, such as 100BASE-TX Ethernet, although IEEE 802.3ab defined standards for 1000BASE-T - gigabit Ethernet over category 5 cable. Cat 5 cable typically had three twists per inch of each twisted pair of 24 gauge copper wires within the cable. The twisting of the cable reduces electrical interference and crosstalk. Another important characteristic is that the wires are insulated with a plastic (FEP) that has low dispersion, that is, the dielectric constant of the plastic does not depend greatly on frequency. Special attention also has to be paid to minimizing impedance mismatches at connection points.

Cat 5 cables were often used in structured cabling for computer networks such as Fast Ethernet, although they were also used to carry many other signals such as basic voice services, token ring, and ATM (at up to 155 Mbit/s, over short distances).

Usage and wiring methods

Cat 5e cable is an enhanced version of Cat 5 that adds specifications for far-end crosstalk. Although 1000BASE-T was designed for use with Cat 5 cable, the tighter specifications associated with Cat 5e cable and connectors make it an excellent choice for use with 1000BASE-T. Despite the stricter performance specifications, Cat 5e cable does not enable longer cable distances for Ethernet networks: horizontal cables are still limited to a maximum of 90 m in length. Cat 5e cable performance characteristics and test methods are defined in TIA/EIA-568-B.2-2001.

Generally solid core cable is used for connecting between the wall socket and the socket in the patch panel whilst stranded cable is used for the patch leads between hub/switch and patch panel socket and between wall port and computer. Cable types, connector types and cabling topologies are defined by TIA/EIA-568-B. RJ-45 electrical connectors were nearly always used for connecting category 5 cable.

Other categories of network cables

1. · Cat 1: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously used for POTS telephone communications, ISDN and doorbell wiring.
2. · Cat 2: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously was frequently used on 4Mbit/s token ring networks.
3. · Cat 3: Current cable standard, used for data networks utilizing frequencies up to 16 MHz’s Popular for 10 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.
4. · Cat 4: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 20 MHz, and was frequently used on 16Mbit/s token ring networks.
5. · Cat 6: Defined by the ANSI TIA/EIA 568B-2.1. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz, more than double category 5 and 5e.
6. · Cat 6a: Operates at frequencies up to 500MHz and provides up to 10Gbit/s
7. · Cat 7: Draft standard, proposed to include four individually-shielded pairs (ScTP) inside an overall shield. Designed for transmission at frequencies up to 650 MHz’s

Category 6 Cable

Cat 6-Category - 6, (ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1) is a cable standard for Gigabit Ethernet and other network protocols that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards. Cat-6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. The cable standard is suitable for 10BASE-T / 100BASE-TX and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) connections. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz’s

The cable contains four twisted copper wire pairs, just like earlier copper cable standards. While Cat 6 is sometimes made with 23 gauge wire, this is not a requirement; the ANSI/TIA-568-B.2-1 specification states the cable may be made with 22 to 24 gauge wire, so long as the cable meets the specified testing standards. When used as a patch cable, Cat-6 is normally terminated in RJ-45 electrical connectors. If components of the various cable standards are intermixed, the performance of the signal path will be limited to that of the lowest category. As with all cables defined by TIA/EIA-568-B, the maximum allowed length of a Cat-6 horizontal cable is 90 m. A complete channel (horizontal cable plus cords on either end) is allowed to be up to 100 m in length, depending upon the ratio of cord length: horizontal cable length.

1. · Cat 1: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously used for POTS telephone communications, ISDN and doorbell wiring.
2. · Cat 2: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Previously was frequently used on 4Mbit/s token ring networks.
3. · Cat 3: Current cable standard, used for data networks utilizing frequencies up to 16 MHz’s Popular for 10 Mbit/s Ethernet networks.
4. · Cat 4: Currently unrecognized by TIA/EIA. Provided performance of up to 20 MHz, and was frequently used on 16Mbit/s token ring networks.
5. · Cat 6: Defined by the ANSI TIA/EIA 568B-2.1. It provides performance of up to 250 MHz, more than double category 5 and 5e.
6. · Cat 6a: Operates at frequencies up to 500MHz and provides up to 10Gbit/s
7. · Cat 7: Draft standard, proposed to include four individually-shielded pairs (ScTP) inside an overall shield. Designed for transmission at frequencies up to 650 MHz’s