Ethernet installation is crucial but some technical terms are mandatory to understand before going to buy or deploy twisted pair cables — The Importance of Outer Jacket (Plenum) in Cat5e Plenum Copper Cable. This title reveals all the important information about the internal and outer matters of the ethernet cable.
The external jacket of the Cat5e plenum cable comes in multiple colors so that it is easy for you to manage your cabling infrastructure. The color does not depict that the cable speed will deteriorate, has a slow speed, or the cable is shielded. The color code of the Cat5e plenum only predicts that the cable can be used for different purposes differently to mark your bulk networking infrastructure.
So, let’s dive a bit deeper into the technology hole of Ethernet cable where you will learn some valuable information about the cat5e and its outer part. I suggest you go through this blog for a better understanding.
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Plenum Vs Non Plenum
Plenum vs non-plenum (Riser) are the two properties of the cable jackets. By knowing the right cable type you can easily know the installation location and can secure the cable lifespan. But before starting the debate, first, know which type of jacket you need for installation.
Plenum is often denoted as CMP, PLM, and PL according to the manufacturers. The Plenum is a high FR-PVC jacket with chemical properties of FEP (Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene). Cat5e Plenum 1000ft cable is best to use for residential and commercial setups to maintain signal integrity.
Cat5e features and speed specs are not made for high-speed servers but are limited to 1000 Mbps speed over shorter lengths. At longer runs, the Cat5e Plenum only caters to 100 Mbps. Similarly, the same is the case with the outer jackets’ Plenum vs non plenum jackets.
Let me divide both jackets separately to avoid confusion in these two cable jackets. Here is a brief difference between Cat5e Plenum Cable and Non Plenum (Riser).
| Properties | Plenum | Riser (Non-Plenum) |
| Chemical Composition | FEP rated Fluorinated Ethylene Propylene | Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) |
| Usage | Horizontal and Vertical Shafts | Vertical Shafts only |
| Installation Location | Ventilation ducts, HVAC systems, drop ceilings, and attics | Inside walls, data centers, and vertical shafts within the building |
| Smoke Emission Properties | Non-toxic smoke emission | Less toxic smoke emission |
| UV resistant | Possess UV-resistant properties | Not available |
| Water Resistant | N/A | N/A |
The above details about the plenum and riser illustrate the key differences. There is some information regarding the cat5e plenum copper cable that is necessary for you to understand like Speed, Bandwidth, Diameter of the conductor, the ideal length of the cable, connector type, and the wiring standards of the cable.
Cat5e Plenum Cable — In-Depth
Cat5e cable 1000ft comes in an easy-to-pull box for convenient and untangled installation but before you start installing the cable. Learn about the Cat5e Plenum 1000ft cable — simply cut open the cable outer jacket with the help of a cutter. Inside the jacket, there are 8 separate conductor wires with different color codes.
- Green
- White-Green
- Orange
- White-Orange
- Blue
- White-Blue
- Brown
- White-Brown
These are known as the codes for wiring standards – T568A or T568B respectively for the termination process. The Cat5e plenum 1000ft cable is the only cable to be installed with the distance limited to 100 meters. There is a simple reason: when extending the length the cable becomes more susceptible to crosstalk and attacking points for the EMI or RFI.
In UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) Cat5e Plenum 1000ft cable the only armor that could stabilize data integrity is with the help of twisted pairs as there is no additional insulation layer.
The rest is the same, the twisted pair of each conductor has 4-5 twists per inch throughout the cable’s length to overcome the outer stray signals. There is a simple reason: when extending the length the cable becomes more susceptible to crosstalk and attacking points for.
Speed of The Cat5e Plenum Copper Cable
Cat5e Cable 1000ft has marked its presence as the first twisted pair (Ethernet) to support gigabit speed (1000 Mbps). Two main lengths will alter the speed of the cable, Longer (328ft) and shorter (164ft). First thing first, the internal conductor of the cable is 24 AWG (0.52 mm) in diameter. The most recommended size for PoE or other ethernet applications. The cable has the highest bandwidth of 350 MHz to support the fastest data transmission.
The Cat5e Plenum cable has two-speed limitations at 328ft, the cable supports 100 Mbps speed, and at 164ft the cable can support 1000 Mbps speed (1 Gbps). There are some recommendations that you should follow before connecting Cat5e Plenum Cable to your server.
- Check the server speed if it demands gigabit Cat5e plenum is for you.
- Future speed upgrade
- Temporary installation needs.
- Need to run High-density applications like PoE (Power over Ethernet)
- Official needs to transfer heavy data
- Video conferencing
The cat5e ethernet cable with pure copper conductor can be suitable for various Fast Ethernet Applications like
- 10BASE-T (Ethernet)
- 100BASE-T (Fast Ethernet)
- 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet)
- Audio and video streaming
- IoT devices
- PoE up to 15.4 watts
The value of Cat5e plenum cable is quite high but you can buy this cable in an affordable price range. The need for gigabit speed can be accommodated with this cable. With its multiple color range, the cable is more reasonable to use for cable management.
Importance of Copper Conductor
Cat5e Plenum Copper Cable Here copper is of much importance. To give you the best clear shot let’s compare the Copper with CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminum). The main focus of this comparison is to show you the maximum benefits of both conductors and why Copper is premium.
| Traits | Copper | CCA (Copper-Clad Aluminum) |
| Composition | Pure Copper Conductor | 30% Copper and 70% Aluminum |
| Heat Dissipation | Better heat dissipation when the conductor becomes overheated due to high resolution or bulk data. | Low heat dissipation, could lead to slow speed or frequent data transmission errors |
| PoE Capacity | Can support PoE/+/++ according to the speed and bandwidth of the cable | Not suitable for PoE applications, |
| Longer runs | The copper can be used for longer runs of signal transmission | Avoid using CCA over longer runs as the conductor is only for shorter runs |
| Shorter runs | Mostly deliver fast data transmission over shorter distances like Cat5e plenum copper cable | Best for short installations or distances |
| Electrical Resistance | Low Electrical resistance and thus transfer data with maximum potential | High electrical resistance that could lead to overheating of the conductor |
The above debate about the Plenum Vs Non-Plenum regarding the Cat5e Plenum 1000ft cable comes to an end. So when you need plenum or installation within the buildings horizontal spaces are the best to install the plenum-rated cables — Cat5e Plenum Copper.
On the other hand, there is a non-plenum jacket riser that is only destined for vertical spaces of the buildings. Both cables are indoor-rated and the consumer is advised to avoid installing outdoors.
In The Bottom Line
Cat5e Plenum Cable is a cost-effective cable with copper and a highly fire-resistant plenum (CMP) jacket. The cable is perfect for residential and commercial applications. The cat5e plenum 1000ft cable is backward-compatible as it uses an RJ45 connector.
When you need to buy ethernet cables at a lower price you must explore the different platforms for online or physical buying. Remember if you are searching for a cost-effective material do not compromise on the quality of the cable that Cat5e Plenum has.
