2 Pair Cat 5 Cable
Can anyone please explain the step by step method to connect a 2 pair cat 5 Ethernet cable to a RJ-45 connector. Kindly use simple language. I have attached an image of the cable for your reference.
Here is the image url - - http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/339/2paircat5.jpg
This question already has an answer here:
- Why do ethernet cables have 8 wires? 6 answers
Cat5 ethernet cables use only 2 pairs for Ethernet what are the other 2 pairs for ?
wazooxCat 5 Cable Wiring Diagram
Made with 2-Pair Category 5E rated cable and plugs, these cables are ready to be installed in your network. Since most 10Base-T and 100Base-T networks only use 2-pairs for data transmission, why pay for the other pairs to be terminated. Affordability and peace of mind are assured when choosing L-com's patch cables.
marked as duplicate by Iain, Dennis Kaarsemaker, kasperd, Community♦Dec 29 '16 at 11:05
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1 Answer
First, keep in mind that cat5 type of cables were designed for many uses, not only for 'ethernet over twisted pair', although it's the most popular application of those cables nowadays. As you can read on Wikipedia page about 'Category 5 cable' in 'Applications' section:
Cat 5 is also used to carry other signals such as telephony and video
But let's get back to ethernet. If you will use gigabit connection, then all 4 pairs will be used, as you can see in this article How Gigabit Ethernet Works. With fast ethernet connections only 2 pairs are being used, as you mentioned.
So one reason to put 4 pairs in cat5 cables is that they may wanted to future proof for gigabit ethernet, so introducing in the future something better than fast ethernet will not require you to change cables, and therefore the transistion to next generation ethernet will be easier.
The additional pairs in fast ethernet networks may also be used for PoE (Power over Ethernet), as you can read here:
Power over Ethernet or PoE describes any of several standardized or ad-hoc systems which pass electric power along with data on twisted pair Ethernet cabling. This allows a single cable to provide both data connection and electric power to devices such as wireless access points and IP cameras. wikipedia
Tools lacak no hp printer. That said, sometimes people who run small fast ethernet networks are using additional pairs to use them as 'second cable'. You just need to split cable into two on both ends (two pairs with ethernet connector, and other two pairs with other ethernet connector), and you have two fast ethernet connections using one cat 5 cable. You could actually buy a device like 'cat 5 cable splitter', that will allow you to do that easily. Because sometimes it's easier to split cable, than to introduce second cable when first one is for example well hidden in the floor, or wall.
2 Pair Cat 5 Cable Wiring
It makes sense, since you could also read on wikipedia about 'Category 5 cable' in 'Shared cable' section, that:
In some cases, multiple signals can be carried on a single cable
//EDIT: I found that similar question has been asked in the past on serverfault, and you could find interesting answers there to: Why do ethernet cables have 8 wires?
People are claiming there that additional pairs may also work as additional shielding. Also someone posted there example of 'shared cable' use, by mentioning that you could route telephone signal in regular cable and it will work without a splitter