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All about network cables

Structure, types and application

Network cables connect the components in computer networks. They are commonly known from home networks as the cable between the computer and the network socket.

More complex networks, such as the infrastructure in a large building, can be compared to the rail network of a railway company, for example. All rooms (the cities) can be reached via a cable permanently laid in the walls (the railway network). This is where "installation cables for installation" are used.

In this context, the difference between the aforementioned installation cable and the raw patch cable is briefly explained.
  • Laying cables have rigid cores and are used for installation (in walls).
  • Patch cable raw material has flexible cores and is used to assemble the cable ends with the required or desired connector.
All routes converge at the patch panel (the marshalling yard). There they are connected to each other as required via patch cables (the switches). This type of structured cabling, also known as universal building cabling (UGV), is based on a generally applicable structure that is standardised as European standard EN 50173-1. It distinguishes between three areas:
  • The primary area concerns the cabling between different buildings on a site and is also known as the campus backbone.
  • The secondary area deals with the cabling of different floors within a building (campus building).
  • The tertiary area covers cabling within a floor and is also known as the floor area or horizontal cabling.

Patch cables in various lengths and colours ensure the best possible overview, even with complex setups.

Cable types


The cable type, the processed material and the processing itself play an important role in the quality of the data transmission of a network cable. You can find detailed information on the subject of cable quality here.

Twistet-Pair

The twisted pair cable is the most commonly used variant for a network infrastructure. Thanks to twisted-pair copper conductors, these cables are particularly well protected against interference from external electrostatic interference. A well-known example of this is the interference in audio signals caused by ringing or locating mobile phones.

Crossover Cable

Crossover cables are special twisted-pair cables in which the transmit and receive lines are assembled in a crossed configuration. This allows two computers or even two network switches to be connected directly to each other.

Coaxial cable

Today, coaxial cables are only used in old networks. They are no longer used in modern systems.

Fibre optic cable

FO cables (fibre optic cables), commonly known as "fibre optic cables", transmit information in the form of light. They work without resistance and are resistant to corrosion and external interference.

Der Kabelaufbau

  1. Outer insulation 
  2. Braided shielding 
  3. Foil shielding 
  4. Foil shielding of the conductor pairs 
  5. Conductor insulation 
  6. Conductor core

Shielding


Cable shielding protects the data stream from external interference. At the same time, they make it more difficult for third parties to secretly eavesdrop on the network. As a rule of thumb, the more shielding and the tighter the braiding, the less interference will affect the signal transmission. How network cables are shielded is indicated by their designation. It follows the XX/YZZ scheme. Here, "XX" stands for the overall shielding of the conductor bundle, "Y" for the shielding of the wire pairs and "ZZ" for the cable type. If one pair is shielded at a time, this is also referred to as PiMf (pair in metal foil). The current version of EN50173-1 designates these cables as FTP.

SF/FTP

Screened + Foiled / Foiled Twisted Pair (conductor bundle braided and foil shielded, wire pairs foil shielded)

S/FTP 

Screened / Foiled Twisted Pair (conductor bundle braided shielded, wire pairs foil shielded)

F/FTP 

Foiled / Foiled Twisted Pair (conductor bundle foil-shielded, wire pairs foil-shielded)

U/FTP 

Foiled twisted pair (unshielded conductor bundle, foil-shielded wire pairs)

SF/UTP 

Screened + Foiled / Unshielded Twisted Pair (conductor bundle braided and foil shielded, wire pairs unshielded)

S/UTP

Screened / Unshielded Twisted Pair (conductor bundle braided shielded, wire pairs unshielded)

F/UTP 

Foiled / unshielded twisted pair (conductor bundle foil-shielded, wire pairs unshielded)

U/UTP 

Unshielded twisted pair (conductor bundle and wire pairs unshielded)

Connector types


A basic distinction is made between RJ45 and BNC plugs. In the course of the standardisation of network technology, the RJ45 has become the established connector. BNC plugs are only occasionally used in technically obsolete networks with coaxial cable.

Network cable by InLine


The InLine® range offers you a wide selection of different network cables, both as pre-assembled products (with connectors) and raw patch cables (unassembled, without connectors). Below you will find a small selection of high-quality patch cables. You can find further versions in our other product categories.
InLine® Patch Cable S/FTP PiMF Cat.6 250MHz PVC copper
Item no.: 2091310798

InLine® Patch Cable SF/UTP Cat.5e
Item no.: 2987097061

InLine® Patch cable, S/FTP (PiMf), Cat.6A, halogen-free
Item no.: 1861280280

InLine® Patch cable, S/FTP (PiMf), Cat.8.1, 2000MHz, halogen-free, copper
Item no.: 2026321098

InLine® Patch cable slim, Cat.6A, S/FTP, TPE (LSZH) flexible, PoE
Item no.: 3143495702

General information
Cable types
The cable structure
Shielding
Connector types
Network cable by InLine
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