Cabling Installation & Maintenance articles from March 2004

Cabling Installation & Maintenance archives from March 2004

Acquisitions and accolades.(Editorial)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... On Thursday, February 5, as the editorial staff here was putting together the contents of our biweekly e-mail newsletter called "Cabling News," scheduled for delivery the next day, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that the top story would be the...

'Augie' Cat 6 and other, fatter cats.(Ask Donna)
March 1, 2004... Over the years, as we have been stepping through Categories 3, 4, 5 and 5e, the girth of the cables has been quietly increasing toward the maximum of 6.35 mm (0.25 in.) as stated in TIA/EIA-568-B.2 Commercial Building Telecommunications Cabling...

Company mergers raise questions about product line changes.(Perspective)
March 1, 2004... For years, contractors have been purchasing product lines from Belden Inc., Cable Design Technologies (CDT), CommScope Inc. and Avaya Inc. Now, the future of some of these product lines could be changing in the wake of two significant mergers....

Paging-system design a step-by-step process; adding this expertise to your repertoire can pay benefits.(design)
March 1, 2004... For many of you, voice and data cabling systems in commercial environments are the bread and butter of your business. But adding the ability to design and install paging systems to your cadre of offerings opens the door to additional revenue....

Simpler demarcs mean efficient DS-3 hand-offs; new equipment used by service providers can mean simpler transitions for the network owner.(installation)(Cover Story)
March 1, 2004... During the telecommunications boom, money was seldom an issue. Rather, decisions regarding solutions to improving services were based primarily on time-to-market flexibility, and acquiring the latest bleeding-edge technologies. When it came to...

Questions abound for fiber-to-the-X installations; installers, end users consider the workload and need for high bandwidth.(technology)
March 1, 2004... The race is on to bring fiber to the premises--a.k.a., fiber-to-the-X (FTTX). But installers and end users alike have many questions about the amount of work these installations will bring in, and the perceived high-speed data needs the...

Optical fiber growth expected as datacomm building market revives.(Industry spotlight)
March 1, 2004... The datacomm building cabling market is expected to revive during the next five years, and the market renewal will open up new doors for optical-fiber cabling. FTM Consulting, Inc.'s (Hummelstown, PA; www.ftmconsultinginc.com) recent...

California district chooses Texas service provider for major fiber-to-the-home cabling project.(Industry spotlight)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... The Truckee Donner Public Utility District in California has selected Texas-based Eagle Broadband (League City, TX; www.eaglebroadband.com) to provide digital voice, video, data and security services for the district's gigantic residential...

Correction.(Industry Spotlight)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2004... Our story on Category 6 testing solutions that appeared in the February issue omitted the full name and title of one of the article's sources: Caroline Chen, product manager for Ideal Industries.

Now more than ever, surge protection a must: while lightning continues to lurk as a network's worst nightmare, now along comes power grid uncertainties, too.(product update)
March 1, 2004... Smaller chips and lower operating voltages make today's networking equipment highly sensitive to even the smallest power fluctuations. In areas where power surges caused by frequent lightning are a familiar occurrence, comprehensive surge...

Walk around the rack.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Riser Base system lets you build a raised floor around your racks, providing flexibility to choose racks of widths that meet each installation without being constrained by raised-floor tile size. Riser bases can be used as stand-alone units...

Category 6 jack termination tool.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The SL Series jack termination tool terminates and cuts all eight Category 6 conductors at once, allowing for what the manufacturer promises are terminations in about half the time of a standard punch-down tool. The SL Series tool is also...

Long-distance multimode fiber.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... GIGAlite-10XB 50-[micro]m multimode fiber is designed to support 10-Gigabit Ethernet (using serial 850-nm VCSEL technologies) to a guaranteed distance of 600 meters. The company claims that the fibers come with the highest available effective...

Cat 6 patented technology.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The newly-patented Retention Force Technology (RFT)--which reinforces tine contact in connectors for improved performance, protects against damage caused by insertion of 4P and 6P plugs, and ensures error-free performance over the life of the...

Cable stripper with built-in crimper.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Strip-All model SA-200-UR features a built-in crimper for UR, UY, and UB connectors, plus a wire trimmer. Together, they are designed to significantly speed cable splicing since only one tool is required instead of three. The Strip-All can...

Industrial-strength labeling tool.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The RhinoPRO 5000 combines a portable printer with labels specifically developed for tough applications. Complete with hot-key functionality, the tool also includes a large 30-character backlit display and oversized keys. Commonly used...

Multimedia cabling system.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... GigaBIX Multi family of products is designed to support voice, data, video and sound in copper, fiber and coax media, and in wall-mount, rack-mount, interconnect and cross-connect installations. Key to the system is the Category 6-based 48-port...

30-A power distribution unit.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Power Commander power distribution unit (PDU) combines 30 amps of power with a variety of mounting options for communication racks, cabinets and enclosures. Designed especially for applications where space is at a premium, the PDU takes the...

Cable management is all the "cage".(New Products)
March 1, 2004... Designed specifically for high-density cabling system applications, the Mighty Mo 6 Cable Management System features a vertical management "cage" with individual 1U fingers and a double-hinged door that can open to either the left or right....

Mini-balun for security installation.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The VideoEase CCTV Mini Balun (500023) adapts CCTV cameras to support copper twisted-pair instead of coax cable. The Mini Balun features an eight-inch mini-coax cable lead that lets you fit the balun inside CCTV dome cameras and outdoor...

Increase your bidding accuracy.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... Version 6 of Accubid's estimating software package offers enhancements such as power substitution, temporary assemblies, print preview, schedule screen sorting and filtering, and a job info screen--all designed to increase your bidding accuracy...

Jumpers in the house.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... Designed to reduce the problem of loose indoor coax connections, Simp1EX Jumper Assemblies feature a proprietary connector sleeve that's designed to provide an extended finger grip area to ensure proper connection while avoiding under or...

Oh-So-Pliable OSP cable.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The enhanced loose-tube cables with PFM gel have new functionality that significantly reduces installation time and provides increased flexibility for the tubes themselves. These performance characteristics result from new composite materials...

Modular office furniture faceplates.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... New four-port, high-density modular office furniture faceplates are available in two sizes to fit NEMA and TIA openings. Available in ivory, white, gray and black, the faceplates allow up to four connections per location. The design is...

10-GbE UTP cable.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... In November 2003, Krone demonstrated an "augmented" Category 6 unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cable with the characteristics to enable 10-Gbits/sec Ethernet to a full 100 meters. The new cable was designed and developed at Krone's U.S....

Outside plant cable treatment expands.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... An established life-extender for polyethylene-insulated conductor (PIC) cable, the CableCURE system can now be used to improve the reliability of paper-and-pulp insulated cabling. Fitting these aging outside plant (OSP) cables with the...

Mini-analyzer for remote use.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The AMPTRAC Mini-Analyzer is designed to provide network infrastructure physical management capabilities, and is compatible with AMPTRAC System and iTRACS software. For enterprises with branch locations, the Mini-Analyzer is billed as a...

Junction box for industrial control.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... Micro-C PolyPort junction boxes are designed to provide an alternative way to link up power in industrial control system applications. Available in four-, six- and eight-port sizes in a three-circuit configuration, PolyPort boxes can reduce...

Balun booster.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The 500014 VGA balun is designed to work in conjunction with the company's VideoEase 500010 balun as a transmit/receive pair to allow standard VGA cable to be replaced by Category 5 between any VGA source and display. This monitor-side balun...

Hardware platform offers intelligent management.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... PVMax is the new hardware platform for the PatchView real-time network management system. According to the manufacturer, this new platform reduces the workload of IT departments from initial setup through day-to-day implementation. During...

Customer-inspired wall cabinet.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The newly designed DWR wall-mount cabinet features the manufacturer's proprietary Tool-Free-Quick-Mount system, letting you quickly mount the center section to the backpan on the job site. Other enhancements, based on customer feedback, include...

Rack-mount housing for data centers.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... Pretium rack-mountable connector housings are available in 1U and 4U versions, both of which are four inches deeper than comparable housings. The 4U housings, with 288-fiber capacity using LC or MT-RJ connectors, incorporate a hinged jumper...

Molded wire management.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... An injection-molded wire management system is designed to protect cable on a standard 19-inch rack, and features one-inch minimum finger radius that protects against extensive cable bending. Smooth edges and wide spacing between fingers permit...

Industrial outlets, patch cords.(New Products)
March 1, 2004... The Industrial MAX 6 outlets and patch cords feature Category 6 eight-pin modular connectors encased in a protective outer housing made of heat-resistant thermoplastic. A bayonet-style mating design securely latches with a quarter-turn to offer...

Welcome to the 2004 Buyer's Guide.
March 1, 2004... Cabling Installation & Maintenance's 2004 Buyer's Guide features product information on Cabling Media, Connection & Crossconnection Devices, Active Infrastructure Devices, Splicing & Termination Equipment, Distribution & Routing Equipment, Test...

Cabling media.
March 1, 2004... As data rates continue to surge ahead and user mobility remains a strong consideration for many, cable and other media choices continue to challenge buyers and users of structured cabling systems. Many in the industry are talking about speeds...

Coaxial cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... COAXIAL CABLE Model Type (e.g., RG-59) Frequency Range Alpha Wire Co Elizabeth, NJ 800-522-5742 9059C 59/U 21.4 (70.2)@ 1kHz 9062AC 62 A/U ...

Shielded twisted-pair cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... SHIELDED TWISTED-PAIR CABLE Type: Shielded (S) Screened (SC) Model Foiled (F) Category ...

Unshielded twisted-pair cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... UNSHIELDED TWISTED-PAIR CABLE Application Available In: Plenum Non-plenum Number of...

Composite copper/fiber cable.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... COMPOSITE COPPER/FIBER CABLE Application Sheared Backbone (B), Sheath Plenum (P), (S) or Number of ...

Hybrid fiber-optic cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... HYBRID FIBER-OPTIC CABLE Tight-buffered Plenum-rated (TB) or Model (Yes/No) Loose-tube (LT) Berk-Tek, A Nexans Co New...

Multimode fiber-optic cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... MULTIMODE FIBER-OPTIC CABLE Application: Backbone (B), Plenum (P), Riser Model...

Singlemode fiber-optic cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... SINGLEMODE FIBER-OPTIC CABLE Maximum Attenuation in Model dB/km at 1310 nm CommScope Inc Claremont, NC 828-459-5000 I/O ...

Indoor/outddor fiber-optic cable.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... INDOOR/OUTDDOR FIBER-OPTIC CABLE Cable Construction LT = Loose-tube Model TB = Tight-buffered AFL...

Patch cords/jumpers.
March 1, 2004... PATCH CORDS/JUMPERS MEDIA Company Patch Cord Jumper A 'n D Cable Products Inc * * Concord,CA...

End-to-end cabling systems.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... END-TO-END CABLING SYSTEMS If no, with what Manufacture vendor(s) do you Entire System partner to...

Multinode on premise wireless LANs.(Local area networks)(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... MULTINODE ON PREMISE WIRELESS LANS 802.11b Model Compliant Radio Band: L-com Inc N Andover, MA 800-343-1455 3Com Access Point 2000 Y...

Wireless bridges.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... WIRELESS BRIDGES Licensed or Unlicensed: 802.11b Compliant: (L,U) CBL GmbH Communicotions By Light D-64839 Muenster, Germany 49-6071-303-0 Airlaser iP100...

Cabling media distributors.(Directory)
March 1, 2004... CABLING MEDIA DISTRIBUTORS Shielded Twisted-pair Company Coaxial Cable Cable ...

Connection & crossconnection devices.
March 1, 2004... Connecting two or more cables together requires any number of connection-hardware types. The products detailed within the following pages are used to join similar (e.g., UTP to UTP) or dissimilar (e.g., UTP to coaxial) cable. Coaxial...

Coaxial connectors.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... COAXIAL CONNECTORS Impedance Model Type (RG-58, RG-62) (ohms) ADC Minneapolis, MN 952-938-8080 BNC-1 RG-59 ...

Unshielded twisted-pair connectors.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... UNSHIELDED TWISTED-PAIR CONNECTORS Type: Modular Plug (MP), Modular Telephone (MT), ...

Shielded twisted-pair connectors.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... SHIELDED TWISTED-PAIR CONNECTORS Type of Cable: Shielded (S); Screened (SC), Frequency Model ...

Fiber-optic connectors.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... FIBER-OPTIC CONNECTORS Model Type Other Acton Corp Industry, CA 626-913-5888 22MC01 SCDC/SCQC -- 22MC02 MT-RJ -- ADC...

Passive fiber-optic components.
March 1, 2004... PASSIVE FIBER-OPTIC COMPONENTS Singlemode Multimode Company Couplers Couplers Acton Corp * ...

Baluns.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... BALUNS For Which Systems: (i.e., IBM 3270, AS/400, Model 10Base-T) Archtech Electronics Corp...

Adapters.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... ADAPTERS Conversion Flange (F), (i.e., SC to ST, Plug-in (P) Model FC to ST) Threaded (T) ADC...

IDC blocks.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... IDC BLOCKS With Type 66, Connecting 110, BIX, Blocks Model ...

Patch panels.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... PATCH PANELS Number of Ports Category: (if appropriate) Acton Corp Industry, CA 626-913-5888 MPA-24-C6 24 ...

Connection and crossconnection devices distributors.
March 1, 2004... CONNECTION AND CROSSCONNETION DEVICES DISTRIBUTORS Company Coaxial Unshielded Connectors Twisted- ...

Active infrastructure devices.
March 1, 2004... Sometimes there's a blur in the lines between the network-model layers developed by the Organization for International Standardization (OSI). For the most part, Cabling Installation & Maintenance resides on layer 1--the physical layer. Most of...

Media converters.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... MEDIA CONVERTERS MEDIA CONVERSION Model From To ADC Minneapolis, MN 952-938-8080 OptEnet ADCPES100A UTP SMfber OptEnet...

Transceivers.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... TRANSCEIVERS Media Type Transmission Model Supported Protocol(s) Supported Champion Computer Technologies Beachwood, OH 216-831-1800 1000LX25 SM ...

Power over ethernet powering devices.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... POWER OVER ETHERNET POWERING DEVICES Is the device a Midspan (M) or Is it ...

Splicing & termination equipment.
March 1, 2004... In this section of the Buyer's Guide, you will find tools and devices used to terminate cables. Some of these products, like mechanical splices and fusion splices, are specific to optical-fiber cable. Others, like boxes and outlets, may be used...

Mechanical splices.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... MECHANICAL SPLICES Preparation Singlemode (SM), Required: Clean (C), Multimode (MM) Cleave (CL), Polish Model ...

Fusion splicers.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... FUSION SPLICERS If Mass- fusion, Single-fiber Number of ...

Splice closures/trays.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... SPLICE CLOSURES/TRAYS Type of Splice Fusion (F), Mechanical (M) Number of Model Both (B) ...

Multi-user Telecommunications Outlet Assembles (MUTOAS).(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... MULTI-USER TELECOMMUNICATIONS OUTLET ASSEMBLIES (MUTOAS) Type of cable Model served: Category Allen Tel Products Santa Ana, CA 714-546-3522 Versatop...

Boxes.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... BOXES Under Desk (U), Pedestal (P), Floor (F), Maximum Number Model Recessed (R) ...

Outlets.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... OUTLETS Type: Wall (W), Surface Box (S), ...

Splicing and termination equipment distributors.
March 1, 2004... SPLICING AND TERMINATION EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS Mechanical Company Splices Fusion Splicers A'n D Cable Products Inc Concord,CA 800-394-3008 Accu-Tech...

Distribution & routing equipment.
March 1, 2004... Distribution and routing equipment are designed to support cabling systems installed in such architecturally challenging places as equipment rooms and plenum air-handling spaces. This year we have modified this section of the Buyer's Guide...

Cable support devices.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... CABLE SUPPORT DEVICES Model Cable Support Mounting Method: Ring Method: Nail (R), Clamp (N), Screw ...

Cable ties.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... CABLE TIES Materials: Nylon (N), Hook and Loop (HL), ...

Cable tray.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... CABLE TRAY Tray type: Ladder (L), Solid Bottom (SB), Trough (T) Channel (C), Wire Mesh (W),...

Ducts and raceways.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... DUCTS AND RACEWAYS Ceiling (C), Floor Duct (D), (F), Wall ...

Racks.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... RACKS Rack-mount Material: (R), Stand- Aluminum alone (S), (A), Steel Wall-mount (S), Other...

Enclosures.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... ENCLOSURES Type: Rack-mount (R), Stand- alone (S), Assembly Estimated ...

Conduit.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... CONDUIT Material: Steel (S) Rigid (R), Aluminum (A), Model ...

Innerduct.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... INNERDUCT Configuration: Ribbed (R), Plenum- Pull Rope Corrugated (C), rated Included Model ...

Cable-pulling lubricants.(Illustration)
March 1, 2004... CABLE-PULLING LUBRICANTS For Use on: Twisted- pair Copper (C),...

Distribution and routing equipment distributors.
March 1, 2004... DISTRIBUTION AND ROUTING EQUIPMENT DISTRIBUTORS Cable-hanging Cable Ties Hardware Company A'n D Cable Products Inc ...

Test equipment.
March 1, 2004... If you're a cabling professional who deals with multiple media types, and who installs systems intended for several different applications, you'll need a wide range of test equipment. The products listed in this section of the Buyer's Guide...