Copper Cable Standards | CompTIA Network+ N10-007 | 2.1c

In this video you will learn about various copper cable & termination standards.

Copper Cable Standards

RG-6 & RG-59 Coaxial

Coaxial cabling is the oldest type of network cabling; its data wires are surrounded by a wire mesh for insulation.  Prior to the advent of fiber optics, the fastest internet service available to home and business customers was cable internet.  Cable internet is a form of broadband internet access which uses the same RG-6 coaxial cable as a cable television, but adds a device called a cable modem to convert the signal for use by computers and home/business networks. RG-6 has a 75-ohm resistance, uses an 18-gauge center conductor, is available in quad-shielded versions, & can carry signals up to 1.5GHz, making it much better for HDTV signals.

RG-59 is used in older cable TV or satellite TV installations as well as in CCTV security installations; 75-ohm resistance.  RG-59 uses a 22-gauge center conductor and a single outer shield.  It is designed for signals up to 50MHz.

Copper Termination Standards

T568B (EIA-568B) and T568A (EIA-568A) Standards

The wiring standard for all types of Ethernet UTP cables is known as T568B (EIA-568B).  This type of cable is also known as a straight-through cable which is most commonly used to connect a host to a client, such as the RJ-45 wire connected from a PC to a home router (dissimilar devices). The wire order, from left to right when looking at the top of the connector is:

• Pin 1:  orange/white stripe
• Pin 2:  orange
• Pin 3:  green/white stripe
• Pin 4:  blue
• Pin 5:  blue/white stripe
• Pin 6:  green
• Pin 7:  brown/white stripe
• Pin 8:  brown

The T568A (EIA-568A) standard swaps the positions of the orange and green wires used in T568B.  This type of cable is also known as a crossover cable which are most commonly used to connect two hosts directly, such as a PC directly connecting to another PC, or a switch connecting to another switch (similar devices). The wire order, from left to right when looking at the top of the connector is:

1. Pin 1:  green/white stripe
2. Pin 2:  green
3. Pin 3:  orange/white stripe
4. Pin 4:  blue
5. Pin 5:  blue/white stripe
6. Pin 6:  orange
7. Pin 7:  brown/white stripe
8. Pin 8:  brown

You can create a crossover cable by building one end to the T568B standard and the other end to the T568A standard.