---
title: Twisted Pair Cable
tags:
  - topic/construction/electrical
  - type/encyclopedia-entry
---
# Twisted Pair Cable

## Scope

This note concerns [twisted pair cabling](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twisted_pair),
but only as relevant to electrical estimating.

Unless noted otherwise,
_twisted pair cable_ as used in this note refers to
4-pair Category 5 and Category 6 cable constructions.

It should be noted for accuracy
that the standards for Category 5 and Category 6
do not exclude cables of more than 4 pairs.

## Construction

| Name   | Bandwidth |
| ------ | --------- |
| Cat 5  | 100 MHz   |
| Cat 5e | 100 MHz   |
| Cat 6  | 250 MHz   |
| Cat 6A | 500 MHz   |

## Connectors

8 position 8 contact (8P8C) modular connectors
* male --- "plug"
* female --- "jack" or "socket"

### "RJ45"
