FAQ's
What is the difference
between ST, SC, LC, MTRJ and Fibre connectors?
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The ST connector
The ST connector, which uses a bayonet locking system, is the most common connector. |
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The SC connector
The SC connector features a moulded body and a push-pull locking system. |
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The LC connector
The LC connector, a small-form factor connector, features a ceramic ferrule and looks like a mini SC connector. |
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The MTRJ connector
The MTRJ connector, a small form RJ style connector, features a moulded body and uses cleave-and-leave splicing. |
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The FC connector
The FC connector is a threaded connector used in high-vibration environments. |
What is the difference between 62.5/125 and 50/125 micron
fibres?
The fundamental difference between the two is bandwidth, 50 micron being nearly three times the bandwidth of 62.5. At 850nm it is rated at 500 MHz/km verses 160 MHz/km. The 850nm wavelength is becoming more important as lasers are being developed and used more frequently as light sources for networks.
What is the difference between Singlemode and Multimode
fibre?
Multimode fibre: has a bigger core (almost always 62.5 microns - a micron is one one millionth of a meter - but sometimes 50 microns) and is used with LED sources at wavelengths of 850 and 1300 nm for short distance, lower speed networks like LANs.
Singlemode fibre: has a much smaller core, only about 9 microns, and is used for telephony and CATV with laser sources at 1300 and 1550 nm. It can go very long distances at very high speeds.
What is the difference between stranded and solid cable?
Solid cable is best used to punch down on to patch panels, modules and outlets when installing.
Stranded cable is used to patch between patch panels.
What is the difference between Cat3 and Cat 5 Telco cables?
Cat3 is used for voice.
Cat5 is used for data.
What does UTP mean?
Unshielded twisted pair cable.
When should I use STP patch cable?
STP should be used in any environment were interference could be a problem i.e. mains cables, noisy machinery and equipment.
Can you tell me the difference between Cat5, 5E & Cat 6?
Cat 5e and Cat 6 are now here as ratified standards. Cat5 and Cat5e systems both have bandwidth capabilities of 100Mhz. However additional parameters are tested on Cat5e systems to ensure they can support transmissions up to Gigabit Ethernet using all four pairs of the cable. Traditionally network systems, with few notable exceptions, have been carried on only two of the available pairs.
Cat6 systems have a bandwidth of 200Mhz (characteristics are defined to 250Mhz). The improved performance of a Cat6 system could support Gigabit Ethernet transmission using only 2 pairs of the cable. This is likely to may make Gigabit interfaces cheaper when running on Cat6 systems although the cost of Gigabit Ethernet interfaces to run on Cat5e has already reduced considerably.
The other consideration is that within the lifetime of the cabling system faster technologies may develop which require the higher bandwidth of Cat6.
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