Connectors and Other Information

The cable exists in both stranded and solid conductor
forms. The stranded form is more flexible and withstands
more bending without breaking and is suited for reliable
connections with insulation piercing connectors, but
makes unreliable connections in insulation-displacement
connectors. The solid form is less expensive and makes
reliable connections into insulation displacement
connectors, but makes unreliable connections in
insulation piercing connectors. Taking these things into
account, building wiring (for example, the wiring inside
the wall that connects a wall socket to a central patch
panel) is solid core, while patch cables (for example,
the movable cable that plugs into the wall socket on one
end and a computer on the other) are stranded. Outer
insulation is typically PVC or LSOH.Cable types, connector types and cabling topologies are
defined by TIA/EIA-568-B. Nearly always, 8P8C modular
connectors, often incorrectly referred to as "RJ-45",
are used for connecting category 5 cable.The cable is terminated in either the T568A scheme or
the T568B scheme. It doesn't make any difference which
is used as they are both straight through (pin 1 to 1,
pin 2 to 2, etc); however mixed cable types should not
be connected in series as the impedance per pair differs
slightly and could cause signal degradation. The article
Ethernet over twisted pair describes how the cable is
used for Ethernet, including special "cross over"
cables.