Data Cabling

Structured cabling is the design and installation of a cabling systems that will support multiple hardware uses systems and be suitable for today’s needs and those of the future. With a correctly installed system your requirements of today and of tomorrow will be catered for and whatever hardware you choose to add will be supported.

The general difference between Cat5e cabling and Cat6 cabling is in the transmission performance, and extension of the available bandwidth from 100 MHz for category 5e to 250 MHz for category 6. This includes better insertion loss, near end crosstalk (NEXT), return loss, and equal level far end crosstalk (ELFEXT). These improvements provide a higher signal to noise ratio, allowing higher reliability for current applications and higher data rates for future applications.

Industry predictions indicate that 80 to 90 percent of all new installations will be cabled with category 6. The fact that category 6 link and channel requirements are backward compatible to category 5e makes it very easy for customers to choose category 6 and supersede category 5e in their networks. Applications that worked over category 5e will work over category 6. Cat6A and above are also taking over specifications for new installations, especially in data centres and Audio Visual Installations

Cat 7 cable has increased performance and increased protection against outside interference. With a bandwidth of up to 600MHZ its increase in speed potential over Cat 5e / Cat 6 is considerable. Also each pair of wires (4 pairs) are individually shielded as well as an overall shielding for the cable itself. This provides a great protection from outside noise and interference. It’s especially useful in areas of high speed data transfer in large cable bundles and within the Audio Visual Industry.