Table of ContentsCrosstalk & FeedbackAsk DonnaReaders address cable-TV wiringMost of you who have followed this column or have heard me speak may remember my saying, "I don`t know everything about telecommunications, but I do have a good list of contacts who do or know where to send me to look."
A smoky issueI am often asked, "Can I use nonplenum-rated cable inside a plenum- rated innerduct?" My stock answer has always been, "Do not put anything into a plenum space that is not plenum-rated per the National Electrical Code (NEC)." This includes the contents of a plenum-rated optical-fiber raceway....And while we were all out cabling the world, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA--Quincy, MA) was busy changing the rules--or at least trying to.
EditorialDo we need more bandwidth?Sometimes it`s a good thing to examine your assumptions. That thought occurred to me recently as I was listening to still another presentation on getting more bandwidth out of the network. My question is: Do we really need all that bandwidth? If most enterprise networks today are successfully chugging along with 10-megabit-per-second Ethernet, why are companies putting in 100-megahertz "pipes," while cable and connector manufacturers strive to sell them 200- and 350-MHz systems, even before the
EndfaceWideBand networking gives cable manufacturers chance to performBill Slater is the business development manager for Southwire Cyber Technologies Inc., a division of Southwire Co. (Carrollton, GA).
Get OnlineRenaissance man thinks the cabling industrys just perfectFrom tip-and-ring to Telecommunications Industry Association engineering committees, industry veteran Dennis Mazaris has experienced just about every dimension of the voice- and data-cabling trade. This man, who began his career installing telephone systems, eventually founded his own cabling-installation firm, then later founded his consulting firm--PerfectSite. While he and his partner Tom Suder launched PerfectSite into a successful operation, Mazaris found time to develop and bring to market
Go to the sourceWith the continuous changes and innovations in the cabling industry, finding a source of complete news can be tough. Stay informed with Cabling News. How and where you get industry news is important because what you hear through the grapevine and on the street is most often not complete. Check it out at www.cable-install.com.
Web Site Spotlight: Salary surveyAs an adjunct to the Salary Survey that will appear in the September issue of Cabling Installation & Maintenance, we will publish the complete set of responses to our survey on our Web site. The listing will include respondents` title, years of experience, number of employees they supervise, education, and salary.
To The EditorLAN/voice cabling integral part of projectYour editorial in the June issue of Cabling Installation & Maintenance really struck home (see "Above average all the time," June 1999, page 7). The National Accounts Department at Henkels & McCoy Inc. manages national cable-installation projects for a wide range of customers, both commercial and government. We use our 21 regional offices that specialize in structured-cabling installations. Approximately 50% of our work is commercial roll-out work, doing small "cookie-cutter" installations at a
ContentsDesignRecabling of Lester B. Pearson Intl Airport far from plainInformation and control are of the utmost importance when moving millions of people and billions of dollars in airplanes and cargo. So it was no surprise when the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) began planning major changes to Lester B. Pearson International Airport, named after the former prime minister. The airport is Canada`s busiest and among the top 25 in the world, which is another reason communications was a top priority.
Patch panels get ready for bigger, faster networksAs the development of a Category 6 standard for copper-cabling systems progresses, all copper-based components, including cable and connecting hardware, undergo more rounds of research and development. Category 6 systems will have to perform to 250 megahertz, with positive attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio (ACR) to at least 200 MHz. This leap in bandwidth is causing a lot of work for the electronics engineers who develop system components, as they don`t merely strive to provide the anticipated requ
Extending fiber-optic cabling to the work area and deskDeployment of fiber-optic technology in premises applications is not new. What is new is that optical fiber now has begun to serve all premises applications that require high bandwidth and fast data transmission, rather than being relegated to the backbone or used in horizontal cabling only in limited circumstances.
Surviving a standards meetingI have noticed recently that attendance continues to increase at each standards meeting I attend. First-time participants in these meetings are usually easy to identify. They`re the ones with the deer-in-the-headlights look, sitting quietly and seldom speaking. I know what it feels like, because I--just like everybody else--was once a first-timer. In fact, I still feel like a first-timer in many respects.
New developments in cabling diagnosticsInstallers familiar with testing legacy Category 5 links have grown to expect plenty of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) margin between the pass/fail line and a typically performing link. The quality of cable and connecting hardware, as well as installation skill, has increased to a point where it is unusual to see a Category 5 NEXT failure.
Expect to be shocked without surge protectionSnap, crackle, pop!" Sounds like a famous breakfast cereal, but it`s quite possible your network equipment could experience a similar phenomenon if it is not armed with surge-protection devices. Whether it is a bolt of lightning, a falling tree, or squirrel who attempts to walk the power-line tight rope, a power surge is more than likely the outcome, and data-communications and telecommunications equipment are highly susceptible.
How does your salary measure up?From Alaska to Florida, 1998 was a good year for those who design, integrate, or install telecommunications networks.
Products & ServicesIndustry SpotlightIQ finalists namedOur screening panel has narrowed down the field, and 32 finalists remain in the 1999 Readers` Choice IQ Awards contest. In September, we`ll put the finalists on our Web site so you can check them out for yourself and determine which ones you think are most deserving of recognition. Also, watch for the finalists and your ballot in the September issue of Cabling Product News.
Graybar and Intertek announce testing partnershipGraybar (St. Louis, MO), one of the nation`s largest voice and data distributors, and Intertek Testing Services (ITS--Cortland, NY), an independent testing organization, have announced a partnership which, according to Dennis DeSousa, Graybar vice president of communications and data marketing, "will help solve many of the network problems caused by the cabling system."
Cabling markets direction, drivers, dynamics to be analyzed at seminarFor the second straight year, executives in the cabling industry will get a view of the marketplace from the perspectives of analysts and researchers who concentrate on it. The Structured Cabling Marketplace (SCM) seminar, now in its second year, will be held Monday, Oct. 25, at the Sumner Suites hotel in Atlanta.
New ProductsTest-equipment catalogThe 1999 test-equipment catalog, Test Solutions for Worldwide Communications, for the telecommunications and data-communications sector is available in English, German, and Spanish. It includes the entire product line resulting from the recent merger of Wavetek and Wandel & Goltermann GmbH & Co.
Avionic cleaning kitThe 1-X Center Avionic Cleaning Kit is designed for military-specification connectors used in the space, military, and avionics industries. A double-ended cleaning rod cleans both the recessed ferrule endface and the endface and side of the exposed ferrule. Two inserts and 100 cleaning rods are included in the kit.
Identification and labeling product catalogA full-color 212-page catalog features the company`s line of pan-code identification and labeling solutions. New products included in the catalog are the Pan-Quik ls3e handheld dot-matrix printer, the ptr3 thermal-transfer printer, Safety-Ease marker and tag software, ink-jet labels, thermal-transfer labels, and quality-assurance, inspection, and industrial labels.
Double-door modular electronic cabinetsDouble-door modular electronic cabinets require half the door space of traditional cabinets for full-cabinet access. The double doors have a two-point latching mechanism and are available in heights from 49 inches on 19- and 24-inch-wide panel openings. They can be ordered grilled with or without filters.
Rotary cable strippersThe Model RCS-20 (pictured) rotary cable stripper is suitable for cable with outer diameters from 44 to approximately 25 millimeters. The incision depth can be regulated with a turn of a knurled screw. The cable jacket can be cut either lengthwise or in a spiral form. The Model RCS-10 is used for a cable with outer diameters from 8 to about 35 mm. Replacement blades are available for both versions.
Adhesive-selection guideThe epo-tek Optical/Fiber-Optic Adhesive Selection Guide provides comprehensive data as well as application notes for several of the company`s optical/fiber- optic formulations. The adhesives are used for diverse applications, including fiber-optic connections, repairs, and modifications to preinstalled fiber-optic cable runs.
Router/firewallsThe soho2000 series of router/firewalls connects multiple computers together and to the Internet with total security. The device offers four Ethernet RJ-45 ports for direct connection of up to four computers to the unit. By using crossover cables, each port can be uplinked to additional hubs or switches to support more users on the network. The soho2000 is available in eight versions with varying features, including expanded user licenses, configurable or nonconfigurable firewall, hacker attack
Fiber-optic test kitsThe Model T1000 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) test kits can be configured for all variations of GbE specification for operation of optical fiber. The Model T1000-SX tests for loss with a 1000Base-SX system that uses an 850-nanometer vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and multimode fiber. The Model T1000-SLX tests both 1000Base-SX and 1000Base-LX systems and includes both an 850-nm VCSEL source and a 1300-nm singlemode-pigtailed source used in multimode and singlemode GbE networks. Both kits
Modular jacksThe CompressorJack stacked modular jack delivers high-port densities and saves enclosure space for high-performance devices such as network hubs, switches, and concentrators. The Category 5-compliant multiport jack provides two stacked rows of RJ-45 jacks, but requires no more height above the board than most single-row harmonica jacks. The design horizontally offsets the top and bottom rows of jacks, reducing the total height of the connector to 0.879 inch. Mid-plane PC board placement further
Premier ProductsSelf-cooling cabinetThe Kool-IT cabinet is designed to solve the problem of overheated networking equipment in equipment rooms and data centers by optimizing a mixture of room air and direct- vented cooling. The cabinet includes a digital thermometer with setpoint and alarm so that users can select the temperature at which the self-cooling will begin. Six fans mounted to the cabinet`s top begin operating when the inside of the cabinet reaches the specified temperature and continue operating until the temperature dr
Toolless jackThe netconnect toolless jack provides an alternative termination method to the traditional 110-style punchdown. A hinged stuffer cap gives cabling installers the opportunity simply to lace and dress the wire pairs to termination. Installers then snap the stuffer cap onto the jack terminals. A pair of pliers is the only tool necessary.
Vertical cable-support systemThe Vertical CableCat provides support to vertical-backbone cable and doubles as an installation tool by making cable-pulling jobs easier from the bottom floor up. Its design includes a locking mechanism that opens during the pull and re-engages when the cable is released.
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Issue 9
September 1999
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