| Category |
Maximum
Bandwidth |
Application |
Specifications |
Comments |
| 6 |
250 MHz |
1000 Base T |
|
|
| 5e |
100 MHz |
Same as CAT 5 plus
1000 Base T |
TIA/EIA 568-A-5 |
Developed specifically for
channel support of Gigabit
ETHERNETTM
|
| 5 |
100 MHz |
1000 Base T 100 Mbps
TPDDI (ANSI X 319.5)
155 Mbps ATM
|
TIA/EIA 568-A (CAT 5)
NEMA (Extended Frequency) ANSI/ICEA
|
Characterized by tightly
twisted pairs to reduce
crosstalk loss. Plenum
versions are expensive
due to demanding
transmission requirements
combined with challanging
flame/smoke resistance.
Some manufacturers are
offering a CMX rated
CAT 5 for residences.
|
| 4 |
20 MHz |
10 Mbps Ethernet
(IEEE 802.3) 16 Mbps
Token Ring (IEEE 802.5)
|
TIA/EIA 568-A (CAT 4)
NEMA (Extended Distance) ANSI/ICEA S-90-661
|
Almost non-existant. So
similar to CAT 5 that it is
not economical. CAT 5
provides five times the
bandwidth for about the
same cost.
|
| 3 |
16 MHz |
10 Mbps Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) |
TIA/EIA 568-A (CAT 3)
NEMA (Extended Distance)
ANSI/ICEA S-90-661
|
Widely used for vioce,
especially digital voice,
installations in commercial
sites. Market trend is to
abandon CAT 3 in favor
of installing CAT 5 for both
data and voice.
|
| 2 |
4MHz |
IBM Type 3 1.544 Mbps T1
1 Base 5 (IEEE 802.3)
4 Mpbs Token Ring (IEEE 802.5)
|
IBM Type 3
ANSI/ICEA S-90-661
ANSI/ICEA S-80-576
|
Requirements based on
the IBM cabling systems.
Referred to as low-speed
data cable.
|
| 1 |
1MHz |
Baseband Communications.
RS 232
RS 422
ISDN Basic Rate
|
ANSI/ICEA S-80-576
ANSI/ICEA S-90-661
|
Conductorized (quad)
station wire fits this
category. Suitible for low
data rate device
communications over
short distances. Not
suitable for data
transmission.
|
