Transmission Line

Twisted Pair Cabling Systems

Twisted Pair Parameters

Cable Category and Performance
Cabling Distance
Connector Performance
System Performance
Performance Testing

Twisted Pair Category and Transmission

Performance
Media
Type

Tested (up to)

Bandwidth

Typical
Utilization

100CAT 3

16 MHz

Voice

100CAT 5

100 MHz

100CAT 5e

100 MHz

100CAT 6

250 MHz

100CAT 7

600 MHz

150Shielded

300 MHz

2-pair
services
2/4-pair
services
2/4-pair
services
2/4-pair services,
shielded
2-pair services,
shielded

Transmission Parameters
DC Resistance & DC Resistance Unbalance
Capacitance & Capacitance Unbalance
Attenuation
Characteristic Impedance
Structural Return Loss
NEXT/FEXT/ELFEXT loss
Pair to Pair
Power Sum (CAT 5e & CAT 6)

Propagation Delay
Delay Skew (CAT 5e & CAT 6)

Horizontal Cabling Distance

6m

90 m

3m

Backbone Cabling Distance

800m
90m

HC/FD

MC/CD

300m
HC/FD

500m

IC/BD

Cross-connect jumpers/patch cables = 20m

Telecommunications equipment cables = 30m

Voice
Data

EP

Connecting Hardware

Attenuation
Return Loss
DC Resistance
NEXT/ FEXT/ELFEXT
Pair-Pair & Power Sum
Propagation Delay & Delay Skew
LCL

Cabling Practices Affecting Performance

Connector Termination Practices
Use proper category of cable and matching components
Category 5 = < 13mm (0.5) amount of untwist
Strip only enough cable jacket as necessary

Patch Cable and Connector Consistency

Use of pre-terminated patch cables

Cable Management Practices

Eliminate cable stress caused by tension & cinching
Keep cable bend radii no less than 4 times the cable
diameter
No more than 30 m or (2) 90 bends in a single conduit pull

Field Testing Parameters

Wire Map
Length
Propagation
Delay
Delay Skew

Attenuation
NEXT
PSNEXT

ACR
PSACR
FEXT
ELFEXT
PSELFEXT
Return Loss

Wire Map
Correct Pairs

Reversed Pair

Crossed Pairs

Split Pairs

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

1
2

3
6

3
6

3
6

3
6

3
6

3
6

3
6

3
6

5
4

5
4

5
4

5
4

5
4

5
4

5
4

5
4

7
8

7
8

7
8

7
8

7
8

7
8

7
8

7
8

Length
Maximum Link Length
90 meters
plus a maximum of 2 meters of test equipment
patch cords at each end

Maximum Channel Length

100 meters
including equipment cords and patch cords

Nominal Velocity of Propagation (NVP)

The speed at which a signal travels in a cable,
expressed as a percentage of the speed of light in
vacuum.

NVP =

speed at which pulse travels in cable

speed of light in vacuum

X 100%

Speed of light in vacuum is 300,000 km/s or 0.3 m/nsec

Length Calculation
Length = Prop_delay (nsec) x NVP x Speed_of_Light
Example:
measurement of Prop_delay: 435 nsec

NVP (%)Length (m)

65.9
86
70
91.4

Propagation Delay and Delay Skew

Pair 1
Pair 2

NIC

Pair 3

HUB

Pair 4

Frequency
1 MHz
2 MHz
10 MHz
100 MHz
200 MHz

Propagation Delay
Link
Channel
541 ns
580 ns
531 ns
569 ns
518 ns
555 ns
510 ns
548 ns
509 ns
547 ns

Delay Skew
Link
Channel
50 ns
45 ns
50 ns
45 ns
45 ns
50 ns
45 ns
50 ns
45 ns
50 ns

Traveling signals is like electrons

following a somewhat rocky path
Propagation delay
Electrons travel at approx.
constant speed
( 20 cm or 8 per ns,
1 ns = 0.000 000 0001 s
NVP * speed of light)

(max 555 ns
later ..)

Specifications
Effects of Delay Skew
T2

T1

Fastest

Pair 1

Pair 2

Pair 3

Pair 4

NIC

Slowest

HUB

Skew is the difference in propagation delay between the fastest and slowest pairs in a
cable.
Proposed requirement: <45 ns @ 100 MHz (Channel)

But every cable has at least 4

electronic highways
Delay Skew
The length of every electronic
road in a cable is slightly
different because of twist rates

(max 50 ns
differences ..)

Attenuation
Transmitted
Signal

dB loss

NIC

HUB
Attenuated
Signal

Calculated Link Attenuation is the sum of the attenuation of:

cable segment
all connecting hardware
10 m of patch cable for channel
4 m of patch cable for link

There are potholes in the road.

Attenuation
is represented by the
electrons that get stuck
Fewer
electrons
show up!

heat!

heat!

Link Attenuation
Link Attenuation

Specification

Freq. (MHz)
1.00
4.00
8.00
10.00
16.00
20.00
25.00
31.25
62.50
100.00
125.00
155.52
175.00
200.00
250.00

Cat 5
TSB 67
Oct-95

2.1
4.0
5.7
6.3
8.2
9.2
10.3
11.5
16.7
21.6
------

Class D
Class D
Cat 5E
Cat 6
Class E
ISO/IEC
ISO/IEC
TIA/EIA
TIA/EIA
ISO/IEC
11801:
JTC1
4195-A
Draft 3
JTC1
1995(E) SC25 WG3 25-Aug-98 18-Aug-98 SC25 WG3
PDAM 3
(Tokyo 92A)
2.5
4.8
-7.5
9.4
10.5
-13.1
18.4
23.2
------

2.1
4.1
6.1
7.8
8.7
11
16
20.6

2.1
4.0
5.7
6.3
8.2
9.2
10.3
11.5
16.7
21.6
------

2.1
3.9
5.5
6.2
7.8
8.8
9.9
11.1
16
20.7
---30.4
--

1.9
3.5
-5.6
7.1
7.9
-10
14.4
18.5
20.9
23.6
25.2
27.1
30.7

On top of that: the road is not level

and electrons fly off!

Crosstalk!!

A level problem in the electronic road will cause some electrons to

fall on an adjacent road

NEXT
Transmitted
Signal
tx

rx

NIC

HUB
tx

rx
Coupled
Noise

Testing of NEXT shall be performed at both ends

All pair combinations shall be measured

Near End Crosstalk (NEXT)

Near End Crosstalk is by the electrons that return back

to the beginning

Link NEXT
Link NEXT
Cat 5
TSB 67
Specification Oct-95

Freq. (MHz)
1.00
4.00
8.00
10.00
16.00
20.00
25.00
31.25
62.50
100.00
125.00
155.52
175.00
200.00
250.00

60
51.8
47.1
45.5
42.3
40.7
39.1
37.6
32.7
29.3
------

Class D
Class D
Cat 5E
Cat 6
Class E
ISO/IEC
ISO/IEC
TIA/EIA
TIA/EIA
ISO/IEC
11801:
JTC1
4195-A
Draft 3
JTC1
1995(E) SC25 WG3 25-Aug-98 18-Aug-98 SC25 WG3
(Tokyo 92A)
54.0
45.0
-39.0
36.0
35.0
-32.0
27.0
24.0
------

61.2
51.8
-45.5
42.3
40.7
-37.6
32.7
29.3
------

64.2
54.8
50.0
48.5
45.2
43.7
42.1
40.6
35.7
32.3
------

73.5
64.1
59.4
57.8
54.6
53.1
51.5
50
45.2
41.9
---36.9
--

72.7
63
-56.6
53.2
51.6
-48.4
43.4
39.9
38.3
36.7
35.8
34.8
33.1

FEXT
Transmitted
Signal

Attenuated
Signal

tx

rx

NIC

HUB
tx

rx
Coupled
Noise

Testing of FEXT shall be performed at both ends

All pair combinations shall be measured

Far end crosstalk (FEXT)

Far End Crosstalk is by the electrons that continue

to the far end

Return Loss
rx

-12dBm tx

-14dBm

Typically attenuation caused by characteristics

inherent in the cable, such as:
impedance mismatches
kinks in the cable
poor construction

Specifications
Effects of Return Loss
Reflected Signals
Transmitted Signals

Attenuated Signals
Pair 1

Pair 2

Pair 3

Pair 4

NIC

Impedance mismatch
or variation

HUB

A measure of the reflected transmit energy caused by impedance mismatches

in the cabling systems
Especially important in applications that use full duplex transmission schemes

There are also bumps and dips

in the road: return loss

A bump or dip
causes
some electrons
to go back

Link Return Loss

Link Return Loss
Cat 5
TSB 67
Specification Oct-95

Freq. (MHz)
1.00
4.00
8.00
10.00
16.00
20.00
25.00
31.25
62.50
100.00
125.00
155.52
175.00
200.00
250.00

----------------

Class D
ISO/IEC
11801:
1995(E)

18.0
18.0
18.0
15.0
15.0
15.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
10.0
------

Class D
Cat 5E
Cat 6
Class E
ISO/IEC
TIA/EIA
TIA/EIA
ISO/IEC
JTC1
4195-A
Draft 3
JTC1
SC25 WG3 25-Aug-98 18-Aug-98 SC25 WG3
(Orlando 39A)
(Orlando 39A)
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
16.3
15.6
13.5
12.1
------

17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
17.0
16.3
15.6
13.5
12.1
------

19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
18.3
17.6
15.5
14.1
13.4
12.8
12.4
12
11.3

19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
19.0
18.3
17.6
15.5
14.1
13.4
12.8
12.4
12
11.3

Some electrons may fly into the air and

eventually land on earth!

Electromagnetic
Interference (EMI)!!

Electrons in the air may be picked up by your radio or TV antenna

and cause interference!

Signal-to-noise ratios (3)

There are three quantities which affect
signal-to-noise ratio (SNR):
Attenuation to Crosstalk Ratio (ACR).
Equal Level Far End Crosstalk
(ELFEXT).
Return Loss.

Signal-to-noise ratio #1: ACR

Attenuation to Crosstalk Ratio (ACR)
Applicable to 2-wire pair LAN
applications (10BASE-T, 100BASETX).
Each wire pair carries signal in one
direction only.

Characteristics
Effects of ACR
NIC
NIC

Coupled NEXT Noise

HUB
Hub

Transmitter

Receiver

Receiver

Transmitter

Attenuated
Signal

Transmitted
Signal

ACR
Attenuated Signal

NEXT Noise

ACR = the traditional SNR

Desired signal = attenuated signal from other end.
Noise = NEXT + external noise (ignore external noise).
External
noise
Signal
Transmit
Output
Workstation

Receive
Input
NEXT
Signal

Receive
Input

LAN
equipment
Transmit
Output

(For LAN systems with two wire pairs carrying signals

in one direction each.)

You need more signal (blue,pink) than

NEXT (black) electrons!
Signal
(from remote to local)
Transmit
Output
Workstation

Receive
Input
NEXT
(local)

NEXT
(remote)

Receive
Input

LAN
equipment
Transmit
Output

Signal
(from local to remote)

Look here and here!

Signal-to-noise ratio (ELFEXT)

Equal Level Far End Crosstalk
(ELFEXT).
Applicable to applications where 2 or
more signals travel in the same
direction at the same time (1000BASET).

Another S/N = ELFEXT

Desired signal = attenuated signal from other end.
Noise = FEXT + external noise (ignore external noise).
External
noise
Signal
Transmit
Output
Workstation

FEXT
Signal

Transmit
Output

Receive
Input

LAN
equipment
Receive
Input

(For LAN systems with two or more wire pairs carrying

signals in the same direction at the same time.)

You need more signal (blue,pink) than

FEXT (black) electrons!
Signal
(from local to remote)
Transmit
Output
Workstation
Transmit
Output

FEXT
FEXT

Receive
Input

LAN
equipment
Receive
Input

Signal
(also from local to remote)

Look here!

Yet another S/N = Return Loss

Desired signal = attenuated signal from other end.
Noise = reflected signal in own wire pair
hybrid

hybrid
Signal

Transmit
Output
Workstation

Receive
Input

Transmit
Output
Return loss
(bump in
electronic road)

LAN
equipment
Receive
Input

(For LAN systems with a wire pair carrying signals in both

directions at the same time.)

Yet another S/N = Return Loss

Desired signal = attenuated signal from other end.
Noise = reflected signal from own end
hybrid

hybrid
Signal

Signal

Transmit
Output

Transmit
Output

Workstation

LAN
equipment

Receive
Input

Return loss signal (bump in

electronic road)

Receive
Input

(For LAN systems with a wire pair carrying signals in both

directions at the same time.)

Power Sum Performance

Pair-to-pair:
Single disturber
Single receiver

Power sum:
Multiple disturbers
Single receiver

Power sum performance is the sum of the pair-to-pair

performance of the component or system.
Power sum NEXT performance should meet or exceed the
existing TIA pair-to-pair NEXT requirements.

What is power sum NEXT and

power sum ELFEXT?
Both are computed values from measured pair to pair
NEXT or ELFEXT results:

Power Sum NEXT computed from three

pair-to-pair NEXT results
Power Sum ELFEXT is computed from three
pair-to-pair ELFEXT results

Often required when more than 2 wire pairs

are transmitting signals in the same direction
(1 Gbps Ethernet).

When are power sum NEXT and power

sum ELFEXT needed?
Often required when more than 2 wire pairs
are transmitting signals in the same direction
(1 Gbps Ethernet).
Significant if 25-pair cables are used (split up
in six 4-pair links).
May also be used to reflect crosstalk between
separate 4-pair cables in a cable bundle.

PS ELFEXT
Near End
x

NIC

Far End

HUB

PS ELFEXT = -10log(10-x1/10 + 10-x2/10 + 10-x3/10) dB

Link PS ELFEXT
Link Power Sum ELFEXT
Cat 5
TSB 67
Specification Oct-95

Freq. (MHz)
1.00
4.00
8.00
10.00
16.00
20.00
25.00
31.25
62.50
100.00
125.00
155.52
175.00
200.00
250.00

----------------

Class D
Class D
Cat 5E
Cat 6
Class E
ISO/IEC
ISO/IEC
TIA/EIA
TIA/EIA
ISO/IEC
11801:
JTC1
4195-A
Draft 3
JTC1
1995(E) SC25 WG3 25-Aug-98 18-Aug-98 SC25 WG3
(Tokyo 78A)
(Tokyo 92A)
----------------

57.0
45.0
-37.0
32.9
31.0
-27.1
21.1
17.0
------

57.0
45.0
38.9
37.0
32.9
31.0
29.0
27.1
21.1
17.0
------

62.2
50.2
44.1
42.2
38.1
36.2
34.2
32.2
26.3
22.2
---16.2
--

61.2
49.1
-41.2
37.1
35.1
-31.3
25.2
21.2
19.2
17.3
16.3
15.1
13.2