Editing Category 5 cable (section)

== Characteristics ==
The use of [[balanced line]]s helps preserve a high [[signal-to-noise ratio]] despite interference from both external sources and crosstalk from other pairs.

{|class="wikitable"
|+Electrical characteristics for a commercially available Cat&nbsp;5e [[Unshielded twisted pair|UTP]] cable product
! Property !! [[Real versus nominal value|Nominal]] !! Tolerance
!width="50"|Unit
!ref
|-
| {{nowrap|[[Characteristic impedance]]}}, {{nowrap|1–100 [[MHz]]}} ||align="right"|100||± 15||{{nowrap|[[Ohm|Ω]]}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5">{{cite web|title=SuperCat OUTDOOR CAT&nbsp;5e U/UTP|url=http://communications.draka.com/sites/eu/Datasheets/SuperCat5_24_U_UTP_Install.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120316111058/http://communications.draka.com/sites/eu/Datasheets/SuperCat5_24_U_UTP_Install.pdf |archive-date=2012-03-16}}</ref>}}
|-
| {{nowrap|Characteristic [[Electrical impedance|impedance]]}} {{nowrap|@ 100 MHz}} ||align="right"|100||± 5||{{nowrap|Ω}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| [[Copper cable certification#DC Loop Resistance|DC loop resistance]] ||align="right"|≤ 0.188|| ||{{nowrap|Ω/m}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| [[Propagation speed]] relative to the [[speed of light]]||align="right"|0.64|| ||||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| [[Propagation delay]] ||align="right"|5.30|| ||{{nowrap|[[Nanosecond|ns]]/m}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}<!--draka + other src-->
|-
| [[Copper cable certification#Delay Skew|Delay skew]] {{nowrap|< 100 MHz}} ||align="right"|< 0.20|| ||{{nowrap|ns/m}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| [[Capacitance]] at {{nowrap|800 Hz}}||align="right"|52|| ||{{nowrap|[[Farad|pF]]/m}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| Max tensile load, during installation ||align="right"|100|| ||{{nowrap|[[Newton (unit)|N]]}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| Wire diameter (24 [[AWG]]; {{nowrap|0.205 mm<sup>2</sup>)}})||align="right"| {{nowrap|0.51}} || ||mm || {{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| Operating temperature ||align="right"|−55 to +60|| ||{{nowrap|°C}}||{{nowrap|<ref name="drakacom_cat5" />}}
|-
| {{nowrap|Maximum [[Direct current|DC]] operating voltage}}<br/>({{nowrap|[[Power over Ethernet#Standard implementation|PoE]] uses max 57 V}})<ref name="Table 33.11">IEEE 802.3at-2009 Table 33-11</ref> ||align="right"| 125 || ||{{nowrap|[[Volt|V]]}} || {{nowrap|<ref name="schrack-kabely">{{cite web |title=Copper Data Cables |url=http://www.schrack.cz/fileadmin/f/cz/INFORMACNI_TECHNOLOGIE/PIRELLI/PIRELLI__kabely_utp__ftp.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060625021938/http://www.schrack.cz/fileadmin/f/cz/INFORMACNI_TECHNOLOGIE/PIRELLI/PIRELLI__kabely_utp__ftp.pdf |archive-date=2006-06-25 |page=6}}</ref>}}
|}

=== Insulation ===
Outer insulation is typically [[polyvinyl chloride]] (PVC)<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://www.cablewholesale.com/pdf/uspec_ethernet_technical-article_cablewholesale.pdf
|title=Specialized Ethernet Cable
|date=August 2016
|publisher=CableWholesale
}}</ref> or [[low smoke zero halogen]] (LS0H).{{citation needed|date=August 2017}}

{|class="wikitable"
|+Example materials used as insulation in the cable<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.telkolink.com/downloads/UTP-STP_Cable.pdf |title=UTP-STP Cable |access-date=2016-08-18}}</ref>
!Acronym!!Material
|-
| PE    || [[Polyethylene]]
|-
| FP    || Foamed polyethylene
|-
| FEP   || [[Fluorinated ethylene propylene]]
|-
| FFEP  || Foamed fluorinated ethylene propylene
|-
| AD/PE || Air dielectric/polyethylene
|-
|LSZH or LS0H
|Low smoke, zero [[halogen]]
|-
|LSFZH or LSF0H
|Low smoke and fume, zero halogen
|}

=== Bending radius ===
Most Category&nbsp;5 cables can be bent at any radius exceeding approximately four times the outside diameter of the cable.<ref>{{cite web |title=Selecting coax and twisted-pair cable |publisher=Electronic Products |url=http://www2.electronicproducts.com/Selecting_coax_and_twisted-pair_cable-article-belden-nov2005-html.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090201021105/http://www2.electronicproducts.com/Selecting_coax_and_twisted-pair_cable-article-belden-nov2005-html.aspx |archive-date=2009-02-01 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.squidwire.com/cabling/category-5/ |title=Category 5 |access-date=2013-05-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601105100/http://www.squidwire.com/cabling/category-5/ |archive-date=2013-06-01 }}</ref>

=== Maximum cable segment length ===
The maximum length for a cable segment is {{convert|100|m|ft|sp=us}} per TIA/EIA 568-5-A.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Evolution of Copper Cabling Systems from Cat&nbsp;5 to Cat&nbsp;5e to Cat&nbsp;6 |url=http://www.gocsc.com/UserFiles/File/Panduit/Panduit098765.pdf |access-date=2013-05-12 |date=2004-02-27 |publisher=[[Panduit]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130314150935/https://www.gocsc.com/UserFiles/File/Panduit/Panduit098765.pdf |archive-date=2013-03-14 }}</ref> If longer runs are required, the use of active hardware such as a repeater or switch is necessary.<ref>{{cite web |title=UTP technology |access-date=2013-05-12 |date=2001 |publisher=[[Extron Electronics]] |url=http://www.extron.com/download/files/whitepaper/cat5-white.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511012602/http://www.extron.com/download/files/whitepaper/cat5-white.pdf |archive-date=2013-05-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=CAT&nbsp;5e Cable Wiring Schemes |publisher=B&B Electronics |url=http://bb-elec.com/tech_articles/NTRON_cat5e_cable_wiring_schemes.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005021505/http://www.bb-elec.com/tech_articles/NTRON_cat5e_cable_wiring_schemes.asp |archive-date=2012-10-05}}</ref> The specifications for 10BASE-T networking specify a 100-meter length between active devices.<ref>{{Cite document |title=IEEE Std 802.3-2008|publisher=Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers|year=2008|at=Table 13-1 }}</ref> This allows for 90 meters of solid-core permanent wiring, two connectors and two stranded patch cables of 5 meters, one at each end.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thenetworkencyclopedia.com/d2.asp?ref=883 |publisher=The Network Encyclopedia |title=Horizontal Cabling |access-date=2013-05-12}}</ref>

=== Conductors ===
Since 1995, solid-conductor [[unshielded twisted pair]] (UTP) cables for backbone cabling is required to be no thicker than 22 [[American Wire Gauge]] (AWG) and no thinner than 24 AWG, or 26 AWG for shorter-distance cabling. This standard has been retained with the 2009 revision of ANSI TIA/EIA 568.<ref name="ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-2001, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard">{{cite web |url=http://www.csd.uoc.gr/~hy435/material/TIA-EIA-568-B.2.pdf |title=ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-2001, Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling Standard |page=6 ¶4.3.2}}</ref>

Although cable assemblies containing four pairs are common, Category&nbsp;5 is not limited to four pairs. Backbone applications involve using up to {{nowrap|100 pairs}}.<ref>As noted in ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B-2 standard for backbone applications</ref>

=== Individual twist lengths ===
The distance per twist is commonly referred to as pitch. Each of the four pairs in a Cat&nbsp;5 cable has a differing pitch to minimize [[crosstalk]] between the pairs. The pitch of the twisted pairs is not specified in the standard.

=== Environmental ratings ===
<!-- An improvement would be a more detailed description on these certifications. -->
{{split|Twisted pair|date=June 2023|section=section|reason=Applies not only Cat 5, but to all communication cabling}}
{| class="wikitable"
|+ United States and Canada fire certifications<ref name="belden_com-22Technical_Information">{{cite web |url=http://www.belden.com/pdfs/03Belden_Master_Catalog/22Technical%2520Information_Glossary/22Technical_Information.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061020190937/http://www.belden.com/pdfs/03Belden_Master_Catalog/22Technical%20Information_Glossary/22Technical_Information.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2006-10-20 |title=Technical Information |page=22.20 |publisher=[[Belden (electronics company)|Belden]] }}</ref>
|-
! Class !! Phrase !! Description !! Standards
|-
| LSZH || Communications low-smoke zero halogen || || NES‑711, NES‑713, MIL‑C‑24643, UL&nbsp;1685
|-
| CMP || Communications plenum || Insulated with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) and polyethylene (PE) and jacketed with low-smoke polyvinyl chloride (PVC), due to better flame test ratings. || [[Canadian Standards Association|CSA]]&nbsp;FT6<ref name="CSA Flame Test">{{cite web |url=http://www.pacificcabling.com/Information/Information_other/flame_test_ratings.htm |title=CSA Flame Test Ratings |access-date=2013-05-12}}</ref> or [[National Fire Protection Association|NFPA]]&nbsp;262 ([[Underwriters Laboratories|UL]]&nbsp;910)
|-
| CMR || Communications riser || Insulated with high-density polyolefin and jacketed with low-smoke polyvinyl chloride (PVC). ||
[[Underwriters Laboratories|UL]]&nbsp;1666
|-
| CMG || Communications general purpose || || CSA&nbsp;FT4
|-
| CM || Communications || Insulated with high-density polyolefin, but not jacketed with PVC and therefore is the lowest of the three in flame resistance. || UL&nbsp;1685 (UL&nbsp;1581, Sec. 1160) Vertical-Tray
|-
| CMX || Communications residential || || UL&nbsp;1581, Sec. 1080 {{no wrap|(VW-1)}}
|-
| CMH || || || CSA&nbsp;FT1
|}

Some cables are ''UV-rated'' or ''UV-stable'' meaning they can be exposed to outdoor [[UV]] radiation without significant degradation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=CIBSE |date=2000 |title=Understanding Building Integrated Photovoltaics - CIBSE TM25 - 5.8 Legislation. The Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE). |url=https://app.knovel.com/hotlink/pdf/id:kt00U1HQK1/understanding-building/detailed-t-legislation |access-date=2022-03-29 |website=app.knovel.com}}</ref><!-- Any document stating the UV [nm] spectrum, intensity [Watt/meter<sup>2</sup>], exposure time [hours] would be useful, rather than just the loose term "UV-rated". -->

Plenum-rated cables are slower to burn and produce less smoke than cables using a mantle of materials like PVC. Plenum-rated cables may be installed in [[plenum space]]s where PVC is not allowed.<ref name="sawaal_ibibo_com-what-are-the-differences-between-pvc-riser-and-plenum-rated-cables-154825">{{cite web|title=What are the differences between PVC, riser and plenum-rated cables? |url=http://sawaal.ibibo.com/computers-and-technology/oldest-answers/what-are-the-differences-between-pvc-riser-and-plenum-rated-cables-154825.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713001358/http://sawaal.ibibo.com/computers-and-technology/oldest-answers/what-are-the-differences-between-pvc-riser-and-plenum-rated-cables-154825.html |archive-date=2011-07-13 |url-status=dead}}{{self-published source|date=April 2018}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=April 2018}}

Shielded cables ([[Foiled twisted pair#Cable shielding|FTP or STP]]) are useful for environments where proximity to [[Radio frequency|RF equipment]] may introduce [[electromagnetic interference]], and can also be used where [[eavesdropping]] likelihood should be minimized.<!-- Data on typical interference emission and sensitivity would be beneficial. Measure unit or three? -->