Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from February 2005

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from February 2005

Before you harness the power, make sure you understand its limits.(new concept called Power over Ethernet)(Editorial)
February 1, 2005... One of the latest rages in our industry is the concept of sending direct current (DC) down the wires of a twisted-pair data cable, and having that current power a networking device, such as a camera, wireless access point, or IP phone. The...

Open systems.(To the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Mohawk has been supporting an open-system solution for more than 10 years. We see this as one of our strengths, as well as a strength of the industry as a whole. If the TIA/EIA-568-B standards mean anything, then an open system should be able...

Shielded from facts?(To the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... I was glad to see Betsy Ziobron's article on shielded cable ("Shielded twisted-pair boasts EMI fighting qualities") in the December issue of Cabling Installation & Maintenance. In vain, I searched the article, as I have searched other similar...

Word problems.(To the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... After reading your editorial column ("Word problems," November 2004), I would like to point out some inaccuracies. ACR is the ratio of attenuation and crosstalk, measured in dB at a given frequency. The term "ratio" comes from the fact that it...

Use an ICRA in health-care construction projects.(Ask Donna)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Recently, I have had several calls that have started like this: "I have been cabling in hospitals for years. Now they are handing me an 'ICRA binder' full of 'new safety requirements' and telling me it is this way or the highway. Why the...

Fiber will lead cabling market's renewed growth.(Perspective)
February 1, 2005... As I have reported over the past several years, the structured cabling system market, after growing at substantial double-digit annual growth in the 1990s with the initial deployment of primarily Category 5-cabled LANs, ran into a brick wall...

Recycling cable.(To the Editor)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Both the "Ask Donna" and the editorial columns in your September 2004 issue reference recycling cable. Our company, Joseph Krash Metals, in Bedford Heights, OH is a processor of insulated cable. We buy any and all types of copper wire, and...

Five keys to successful PoE deployment: carefully consider the devices' capabilities and limitations before putting them to use.(design)(Power over Ethernet standard)
February 1, 2005... If you were to put together a list of the hottest technologies in today's networking industry, WiFi (wireless networking) and VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) would be near the top. Recently, several major corporations announced plans for a...

Quick-connect systems offer industrial flexibility: standard-compliant prewired solutions provide conduit-free installation for industrial power distribution and motor control.(installation)
February 1, 2005... Designers, builders, and remanufacturers of complex industrial machinery and plant automation systems are constantly seeking new ways to reduce costs, increase efficiency, and speed-up delivery and commissioning of new equipment, or to hasten...

FTTP/FTTH: has promise become reality? Analysts say contractors will be needed for optical-fiber deployment this year and beyond.(technology)(fiber-to-the-premises/fiber to-the-home)
February 1, 2005... The momentum is quietly building for fiber-to-the-premises/fiber to-the-home (FFTP/FTTH) in the United States. Industry analysts contacted by CI&M insist that FTTP and FTTH represent a sharply growing market for the next several years. ...

Protecting against the power of lightning: the installer's emphasis on lightning protection is to protect against induced surges rather than direct strikes.(security)
February 1, 2005... Protecting against lightning and power surges is an important aspect of designing communications circuits and systems. Get it wrong and nothing may happen for a long time, but when the time finally does come (and it will), you will certainly...

Testing networks for Ethernet transmission: with providers offering data services, ensuring throughput capability is a must.(testing)
February 1, 2005... The need to transmit data on telecommunications networks is not new. In fact, the very first telecommunications systems could only transmit "data," in the form of Morse code. The networks that have since been built around the world, however,...

General Cable to acquire Draka Comteq's copper.(Industry spotlight)
February 1, 2005... General Cable is acquiring the copper manufacturing portion of Draka Holding's Comteq business in North America. General Cable (Highland Heights, KY, www.generalcable.com) plans to continue operations at Comteq's (www.drakaholding.com)...

Belden CDT continues rationalization plan following merger.(Industry spotlight)
February 1, 2005... The newly-merged Belden CDT Inc. has taken further steps in its facilities rationalization plan. Steps include plant closings, layoffs, and reductions in expenditures. The plan is part of a program to achieve $25 million in annual net...

Superior Modular Products celebrates 15th year.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Superior Modular Products (SMP; Cleveland, OH; www.superiormod.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Preformed Line Products, turns 15 this year. "After 15 years, SMP is prepared more than ever to meet the rising demands of the...

Correction.(Industry spotlight)(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... Our December article, "A new focus on end-to-end solutions" (page 22), should have included Mohawk CDT (www.Mohawk-cdt.com) as one of the open systems partners of The Siemon Company.

Worldwide wireless market growing at 2.5% annually.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... According to a new report from Business Communications Company www.bccresearch.com) entitled "Worldwide Wireless Infrastructure Expenditures," the worldwide wireless infrastructure expenditure is currently estimated at $177.5 billion. Expected...

Report: most cable-telephony lines circuit-switched, not VoIP.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Increased use of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) by cable-television operators will help boost cable's presence in the telephone-service market, according to a recent report by In-Stat (www.instat.com). But today, most cable-telephony...

The advantages of staying flexible: the degree of your success often depends on your materials.(News in Technology)
February 1, 2005... There are many instances during a network construction project where owners and builders are challenged to balance current and future capacity needs against existing budget constraints. Increasingly, managers, engineers and contractors are...

Getting a handle on tool kit essentials: your specific optical-fiber application and fiber connector preference will guide your purchasing decision.(product update)
February 1, 2005... Whether it's splicing, ribbonizing, mid-span access, or connector installations, a vast number of optical-fiber tool kits are available from tool manufacturers, distributors, and cable and connectivity vendors. (See table, page 54.) While...

Cable management finger ducts.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... A vertical finger duct cable management system comes in lengths of 35 and 78 inches, and in 3x3 and 4x5-inch duct sizes for routing and managing patch cord cables within the telecom closet. The company says the finger ducts' material offers...

Space saving flexible innerduct.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... CableGuide SC is a flexible, single-cell constructed, textile-based innerduct that's engineered to save space by conforming to the shape of the cable. Compared with installations that involve rigid, fixed-diameter innerduct that limits the...

Rack-snap inserts for patch panels.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Rack-Snap inserts are patch panel mounting devices designed to significantly reduce installation time. The inserts let you take 24- or 48-port patch panels from the box and snap them directly to the cabinet. Inserts are re-useable on all...

Pocket probe for fiber networks.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The RP 440 PocketProbe is a hand-held power meter for optical-fiber network testing that features a custom LCD display and germanium detector for NIST-traceable measurements at 850, 1310, 1490 and 1550 nanometers (nm). The RP 440 probes,...

Rack-mounted drawer with monitor, keyboard.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Built for space constraints and better organization in telecom rooms, the SMK-590R 1U rack-mounted console drawer with KVM switch includes a 17-inch monitor, keyboard and mousepad. The keyboard/ video/mouse (KVM) switch lets one keyboard,...

Fiber termination tool kit.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Containing essential tools for field termination of optical-fiber connectors, the Opt-X Light Fiber Toolkit features a 100x optical-fiber microscope with precision glass optics and oblique illumination that aid in clearly viewing ferrule...

Shielded twisted-pair terminal block.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The TDE.2 terminal block is designed to save space in enclosures when terminating shielded twisted-pair cabling. The device mounts directly to a din rail and features simple screw-clamp connections to the cable. The first level of the...

High-volume polisher for connectors, ferrules.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The APC-8000 high-volume polisher for 2.5-mm standard and 1.25-mm small-form-factor and multifiber connectors and ferrules features three locator posts on the perimeter that mate and lock with appropriate slots within the safety cover assembly....

Earthquake-ready cabinets.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Heavy-duty welded aluminum telecom equipment cabinets in 19- and 24-inch models are designed to be lightweight yet meet NEBS Zone 4 seismic specifications. Aluminum extrusions are combined with a seven-gauge steel base to provide a rugged...

DVD tutors on fiber testing.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Fiber Optic Test Equipment and Testing Fiber Optic Links is a DVD that covers basic optical-fiber test equipment used by installers and technicians for acceptance testing, troubleshooting and documenting links. Technicians will learn how...

Connecting in a matter of seconds.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... With a promised fiber connectorization time of less than a minute, the FAST-SC connector is factory-polished and features V-groove mechanical splicing to eliminate the use of epoxies. According to the manufacturer, average insertion loss for...

Power through wood, concrete or plastic.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... For cable installations requiring access through a variety of building materials, the UH650 half-inch universal hammer/ drill features a variable speed trigger, forward and reverse functions, and is designed especially for drilling small...

10A micro-ohmmeter.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The 10A micro-ohmmeter Model 6250 is billed as a rugged, low-resistance tester designed for plant maintenance and field use. Using a four-lead Kelvin method of testing, the Model 6250 offers result accuracy within 0.05%. Resistance measurements...

Dome camera for indoor applications.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The D10D dome camera provides integrated image storage, microphone, loudspeaker, passive infrared sensor, and two additional image sensors that can be positioned independently. These capabilities let the camera monitor two different angles of a...

Data-center cabinet monitoring.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The E-Line system lets data-center managers and security officers control physical access to their cabinets. Based on the manufacturer's swinghandle latching design, the E-Line system combines the latch with software for controlling and...

One generator, amplified probe.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The Amplifier Probe and Tone Generator improve productivity and simplify cable identification. The tone generator provides four functions: tone generation, continuity testing, talk battery, and line-polarity confirmation. It features a separate...

Limited-combustible optical-fiber cable.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Adventum LC limited-combustible optical-fiber cables carry the fire-hazard classification listing FHC 25/50, and meet the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 255 Standard Test Method of Surface Burning Characteristics of Building...

Data switch for extreme temperatures.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The Model 8100 DB9 Interface A/B Switch is designed to withstand the extreme temperature range of-17[degrees]C to +75[degrees]C (1.4[degrees]F to 167[degrees]F). The switch has an all-aluminum enclosure that adds durability and provides...

Rack-mounted PoE midspan.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The M1024-1UB Power over Ethernet (POE) midspan device is IEEE 802.3af-compliant and designed to fit a standard 19-inch rack. By providing 48 volts of DC power over standard Ethernet cabling, the midspan eliminates the need for an external AC...

Network-documentation software package.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... NetDoc is a network-documentation and cable-management software package that provides TIA/EIA- 606-A documentation compliance. The Web-enabled solution lets users manage cabling, network, telephony, and legacy connections. According to its...

Clamp-on ground tester.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... Designed to measure earth/ground resistance and current flow in a way that will not disturb existing connections, the DET10C and DET20C ground testers use clamp- on technology for a quick, accurate measurement. The design of these new models...

Industrial-hardened Ethernet switches.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The EtherNav D7600 series of managed Layer 2 Ethernet switches segment Ethernet network traffic to enhance performance and for better bandwidth allocation. The switches have several mechanisms to monitor, configure, and manage a virtual LAN. A...

Cable-support system.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The J-Pro cable support system is designed to provide a competitive alternative to metal J-hooks for routing communications cables. The non-metallic J-hook features complete horizontal and vertical 1-inch bend-radius control, which helps...

Wiring-room management via CAD.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... iTRACS Virtual Wiring Closet (iVWC) is a visual, intuitive CAD graphical user interface that the manufacturer says provides faster and easier navigation, planning, and management of cabinets, racks, and patch fields. It automatically creates...

HDMI and DVI cables.(New Products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Ultra-High Resolution Extended Distance HDM! (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) and DVI (Digital Visual Interface) cables are designed to signal transmission beyond standard consumer-grade cables. A 24-AWG copper construction allows for...

Access-point enclosure.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... This wireless access-point enclosure is meant to securely store wireless access equipment, and is designed specifically for the Cisco Aironet 1200 wireless hub. The manufacturer claims it is an economical solution for schools and residences...

GBIC, GBIC SFP transceivers.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The 1000SX/LX GBIC (Gigabit interface converter) and GBIC SFP (small-form-factor pluggable) transceivers are a solution for connecting large enterprises using Gigabit Ethernet switches. The 1000SX/LX GBIC transceivers provide flexible,...

Faceplates hide uneven cuts.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... ICC's oversized faceplates are designed to help cover uneven and jagged drywall cuts. They are available in single-gang 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-port configurations, and come in white and ivory. The oversized faceplates are constructed of plastic...

BNC tester with on/off switch.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... This BNC installation tester includes an on/off power switch to help extend battery life. It provides installers and assemblers with a single, pocket-sized tool for testing the cable assembly as well as proper pin height on the BNC connector....

Audio-video transmitters for multipoint distribution.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The newest additions to the Pure Digital Fiberlink 7220 series of transmitters for high-resolution red-green-blue (RGB) and stereo audio (models 7222, 7224, and 7226) include 4, 8, or 12 optical outputs for point-to-multipoint distribution....

Angled patch panels.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... PowerCat Angled Patch Panels are available as 1U, 24-port or 2U, 48-port units, and are suitable for Category 5e and 6 installations that are high density or use extensive side- and end-of-rack cable management. The patch panels highlight the...

Fire-alarm cables.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The new generation of Safe-T-Line Circuit Integrity cables are designed for use in high-rise and other buildings equipped with emergency warning and/ or life safety evacuation systems. The riser-rated Safe-T-Line cables feature flame-retardant,...

Transient-voltage surge suppressor.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The SST is a transient-voltage surge suppressor for discrete-signaling 4- to 20mA protocols. Units provide protection against transient voltage that exceeds the nominal signaling voltage. Each line is protected against surge current impulses up...

Hotspot gateway system.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... EliteConnect is a 2.4-GHz, 802.11g wireless hotspot gateway kit that combines a wireless access point/bridge with AAA services (authorization, authentication, and accounting) in a secure router with a solid firewall. The EliteConnect Hotspot...

OTDR with port quality check.(New Products)
February 1, 2005... The latest version of the OptiFiber Certifying OTDR is designed to save users time with advanced functionality including OTDR port quality check, trace overlay, and 250x/400x magnification setup. The automated port quality check warns the user...