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Ethernet Cables

Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet Cables

The different Ethernet cable types are:

10BaseT - UTP cable with RJ-45 connectors; uses Category 3, 4, or 5 cable
10BaseFL - fiber-optic cable with ST connectors; cable can be singlemode or multimode
10Base2 - thin coax cable with RG-58 BNC connectors; also known as thinnet or cheapnet
10Base5 - thick coax cable with vampire connectors; also known as thicknet

UTP (unshielded twisted pair) and coax are both copper cables. The UTP cable for 10BaseT must be Category 3, 4, or 5 cable.

The different Fast Ethernet cable types are:

100BaseTX - Category 5 UTP cable with RJ-45 connectors
100BaseT4 - Category 3 UTP cable with RJ-45 connectors
100BaseFX - fiber-optic cable, either multimode or singlemode, with SC connectors; however,                         ST and MIC connectors are allowed

Fast Ethernet is also known as 100BaseT. Note that 100BaseT does not refer to any particular cable type. This is confusing because, with regular Ethernet, 10BaseT refers to UTP cabling! With Fast Ethernet, UTP cabling is either 100BaseTX or 100BaseT4.  Cisco offers no 100BaseT4 solutions.

The different Gigabit Ethernet cable types are:

1000BaseSX -  62.5mm or 50mm multimode fiber-optic cable with SC connectors
1000BaseLX - fiber-optic cable with SC connectors; can be singlemode or multimode
1000BaseTX - Category 5 UTP cable with RJ-45 connectors
1000BaseCX - balanced 150-ohm copper cable with DB-9 connectors, (HSSDC standard                           connectors in the future)

 

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Last Modified on January 11, 1999

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