Specifications

Appendix D: Cabling Guidelines | 37
D. Cabling Guidelines
This appendix provides specifications for cables used with a NETGEAR Smart
Switch.
Fast Ethernet Cable Guidelines
Fast Ethernet uses UTP cable, as specified in the IEEE 802.3u standard for
100BASE-TX.The specification requires Category 5 UTP cable consisting of either
two-pair or four-pair twisted insulated copper conductors bound in a single plastic
sheath. Category 5 cable is certified up to 100 MHz bandwidth. 100BASE-TX
operation uses one pair of wires for transmission and the other pair for receiving and
for collision detection.
When installing Category 5 UTP cabling, use the following guidelines to ensure that
your cables perform to the following specifications:
Certification
Make sure that your Category 5 UTP cable has completed the Underwriters’
Laboratories (UL) or Electronic Testing Laboratories (ETL) certification process.
Termination method
To minimize cross-talk noise, maintain the twist ratio of the cable up to the point of
termination; untwist at any RJ-45 plug or patch panel should not exceed 0.5 inch (1.5
cm).
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