Before we talk about Hubbell s range of Copper connectivity products we first need to understand the difference between the various categories of copper products! Quite simply put the category of a copper cable system is determined by the bandwidth or signal level the system is able to transmit. The system itself consists of the parts and pieces used to carry the data signal things like the cable, patch cords, data jacks, etc. The category is typically symbolized by Cat as a short form rather than always writing out category. You will see both Cat and category used in product literature etc. Cat 5e max bandwidth of 300MHz Cat 5E the E indicates this is a premium or higher grade product than Category 5e. Max bandwidth is 400MHz Cat 6 max bandwidth of 500MHz Cat 6E max bandwidth of 550MHz ( E stands for enhanced ) Cat 6A max bandwidth of 625MHz There are a couple of key things to keep in mind when it comes to the category of the copper system. First, you CAN mix products. For example a customer could use Cat 5e jacks with Cat 6A cable the system would simply only be able to handle a max bandwidth of 300MHz since that is the rating of the weakest component the Cat 5e jacks. Second, the category has no impact on what can be connected to the network. For example a computer does not require a specific category to operate. Computers will run on any category system the only thing that is affected is the speed at which the computer(s) can transmit data along the network. Last but definitely NOT least the bandwidth range of the products may vary slightly between manufacturer s. The bandwidth ranges listed above are based on Hubbell Premise Wiring products. What is it about the products that allows one to transmit higher bandwidths than another? Construction. If you look at a Cat 5e product compared to a Cat 6A product the biggest difference you ll notice is in the construction. In data jacks the copper traces will be heavier, and in premise cable or patch cords the individual conductors within the cable will be a larger gauge in Cat 6A cable than in Cat 5e cable. Larger traces and larger conductors present less resistance to the flow of electricity, and therefore allow more electrical current to flow and this current is what carries the data being transmitted along the system.
Over time network needs change. Today a company may only have 10 employees with computers, but 10 years from now that same company may have grown to the point that they have 100 employees with computers all of whom need to access the internet etc. If the original network infrastructure (cable, data jacks etc) was built to address the needs of the 10 employees it most likely will not be able to support the company s growth. Over the years the company may have to upgrade their network several times and this costs money. They have to have someone remove all the existing cabling etc and replace it, along with all the data jacks etc that are being utilized in the network system. Replacing the system several times over the course of 10 years will get very expensive. Each upgrade requires new cable, new data jacks, and a lot of labour to remove the old system and install a new one! Many new installations are being built as future proofed networks. Future proofing basically means the installation is built with future needs in mind i.e. more users on the network, or the need for higher transmission speeds down the road. By future proofing the installation the customer will pay a little more for materials up front, but will save money down the road as they will not have to replace their existing network as their needs change!
Now that we ve explained the difference in the various categories of copper products lets start t to look at the products themselves. We re going to look at the products in the order they would appear in a copper system starting at the point of use (where the user plugs in to the network). Data jacks are basically the receptacle of a data network. The jack is where the computer or telephone is connected to the network. Jacks provide a female connection which reduces the risk of accidental damage to the connection points. All of Hubbell s data jacks can be wired to either T568A or T568B configurations (T568A is the standard in the US, T568B is the standard in Canada). If you look at a Hubbell data jack you will notice that it shows the proper connections for BOTH T568A and T568B. All the user needs to do is determine which connection type they want to use, and then match the coloured wires to the appropriate point on the jack s punch down terminals. (T568A can be used in Canada provided BOTH ends of the cable are terminated using the T568A wiring system). Hubbell s line of data jacks includes products for all the various categories (we don t offer Cat 5e and Cat 5E just 5E since it can be used for both systems) as well as shielded jacks for installations where RFI noise may be an issue. Note: telephone connections use a slightly different jack than computer connections but both connections can use the same type of cable.
Patch cords are basically extensions cords except they have a male plug on both ends whereas an extension cord has a male plug on one end and a female connector on the other. Patch Cords are used to connect equipment to the network. They are connected between a computer and data jack. You will also find patch cords used to make connections between patch panels or between patch panels and computer servers within a network rack or cabinet. Patch cords are offered in a variety of colours because in many systems a specific colour will be used to identify something within the network. For example blue may be used to identify all the cables connected to a primary server, and red to indicate cables connected to a back up server within the network. Patch cords come in a variety of standard lengths but are also available in custom lengths should a customer need something specific for their installation. Hubbell offers a variety of patch cords specific to the category of the installation i.e. Cat 5e, Cat 6 etc. We also have shielded patch cords for installations where RFI noise may be present and could cause corruption of data being transmitted along the network.
Patch cords are a great way to make connections over limited distances. In almost every network there exists a need to run cable over long distances. In these situations patch cords are not the best solution. This is where Hubbell Premise cable comes in! As with our data jacks and patch cords, Hubbell cable is offered in all the standard categories Cat 5e, Cat 5E, Cat 6, Cat 6E, and Cat 6A. There are two styles of cable based on the type of outer jacket the cable has plenum cable and riser cable. Which one is required is determined by WHERE the cable is running. Plenum cable is typically run inside of air handling spaces (aka air plenums hence the name) and is used when cables are run on the same floor of a building (i.e. all cables are being run on the third floor). Plenum cable carries an FT6 fire rating. Riser cable as the name implies is used when cables are run between floors of a building. Riser cable is typically installed in elevator shafts or special cable shafts which are put in the building to simply installation of vertical runs of cable. Riser cable carries an FT4 fire rating (which is a higher rating than FT6) and is intended to help prevent the spread of fire from one storey to the next in a multi storey building. Hubbell Premise Cable comes in 2 types of packaging boxes (aka Reelex) or wooden spools. Which one the customer needs is basically a matter of preference. Some customers find the spools easier to work with, others find the boxes easier to work with so we offer both!
Patch panels are used to house the data jacks, which in turn deliver the data signals to the network. Patch panels are installed in racks, network cabinets, and server cabinets to provide a clean, organized connection point for the cable system. They are offered in a variety of styles which include standard panels and angled face panels (allow more jacks to be installed in a small space). Hubbell also offers both loaded panels (come with jacks already installed and 110 style punch down terminals on the back) or unloaded (which use the HXJ style data jacks). Both the loaded and unloaded panels are offered in Cat 5E, Cat 6, Cat 6E, and Cat 6A configurations and we also have a selection of shielded patch panels for installations where RFI noise is a concern.
When it comes to terminating the cable at the jack Hubbell offers customers 2 options. Our standard TPD110 punch down tool works on ALL 110 style wire terminals and allows the user to punch down 1 wire at a time (to terminate an HXJ data jack you have to punch down 8 wires). We also offer the TX4P (aka 1-Punch) tool. This tool is specifically designed for use with Hubbell s HXJ series jacks and punches ALL 8 wires at once, greatly reducing installation time! We also have a special holder which makes it easier (and safer) to hold the jack steady while punching down the wires. It keeps everything stable while ensuring the installer doesn t accidentally jab themselves in the hand should they slip while trying to punch down the wires. As for terminating cables on the patch panel customers can use the TPD110 punch tool, or they can use the TX4PP the 1-Punch tool with a different head for terminating standard 110 terminals.