Editing Twisted pair (section)

===Solid-core vs. stranded cable===
[[File:110-punch-block-IDC-0a.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[punch-down block]]]]

A solid-core cable uses one solid wire per conductor and in a four-pair cable, there would be a total of eight solid wires.<ref name="dcuse">{{cite web|title=Comparison between CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT7 Cables|url=http://discountcablesusa.com/ethernet-cables100.htm| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200602172021/http://discountcablesusa.com/ethernet-cables100.html| archive-date=2020-06-02| url-status=dead| access-date=2022-07-18}}</ref> [[Stranded wire|Stranded cable]] uses multiple wires wrapped around each other in each conductor and in a four-pair with seven strands per conductor cable, there would be a total of 56 wires (2 per pair × 4 pairs × 7 strands).<ref name="dcuse" />

Solid core cable is intended for permanently installed runs ([[Structured cabling#permanent link|permanent link]]). It is less flexible than stranded cable and is more prone to failure if repeatedly flexed due to [[work hardening]]. Stranded cable is used at [[patch panel]]s and for connections from wall ports to end devices ([[patch cord]] or drop cable), as it resists cracking of the conductors.

Connectors are designed differently for solid core than for stranded. Use of a connector with the wrong cable type can lead to unreliable cabling. Plugs designed for solid and stranded cores are readily available, and some vendors even offer plugs designed for use with both types. The [[punch-down block]]s on patch-panel and wall-port jacks are designed for use with solid core cable. These work via the [[Insulation-displacement connector|insulation-displacement method]], whereby the device pierces the sides of the insulation and "bites" into the copper conductor to form a connection. Punchdown blocks are used as patch panels or as break-out boxes, for twisted pair cable.