TECHNICAL
Call 1-800-626-0005
www.hubbell-premise.com
N31
Glossary
Glossary
10GBASE-T
IEEE 10-Gigabit Ethernet data transmission.
100BASE-T
IEEE Fast Ethernet standard baseband
(single channel) data transmission at 100
Mbps over twisted pair copper wiring.
1000BASE-T
IEEE Gigabit Ethernet standard baseband
(single channel) data transmission at 1000
Mbps over twisted pair wiring.
1000BASE-LX
IEEE Gigabit Ethernet standard baseband
(single channel) data transmission at 1000
Mbps over fiber optic cable using long
wavelength lasers, typically 1300nm.
1000BASE-SX
IEEE Gigabit Ethernet standard baseband
(single channel) data transmission at 1000
Mbps over fiber optic cable using short
wavelength lasers, typically 850nm.
AACRF (Attenuation to Alien Crosstalk
Ratio, Far End)
The difference in dB between the AFEXT
from a disturber pair and the insertion loss
of a disturbed
pair within a surrounding
link or channel.
ACR (Attenuation-to-Crosstalk Ratio)
A cable performance parameter computed
by subtracting the insertion loss (attenua-
tion) of a pair from the near end crosstalk
value. See NEXT.
Adapter
An interconnect device through joins similar
or dissimilar connectors.
AFEXT (Alien Far End Crosstalk)
Signal coupling from energized pairs in a
disturber cable or components into pairs
within surrounding cables or components,
measured at the far end.
Alien Cross-talk (ANEXT)
Unwanted signal induced into pairs within
a cable from surrounding cables.
Anaerobic Adhesive
An adhesive that cures in the absence of
air.
ANEXT (Alien Near End Crosstalk)
Signal coupling from energized pairs in a
disturber cable or component into pairs
within surrounding cables or components,
measured at the near end.
Attenuation
The reduction in strength of an electrical or
optical signal through a medium or inter-
connect. Expressed in decibels (dB) relative
to a reference signal. Also known as inser-
tion loss.
AWG (American Wire Gauge)
A wire sizing convention based on the
number of draw steps. The larger the AWG
number, the smaller the wire diameter.
AXT (Alien Crosstalk)
A measure of
signal coupling from ener-
gized pairs in a disturber cable or compo-
nent into disturbed pairs within surrounding
cables or components.
Backbone Cabling
The permanent cabling structure that origi-
nates from the main cross connect in the
equipment room. The backbone cabling
links telecommunications rooms and
other buildings in a campus to the main
cross connect. Also referred to as vertical
cabling.
Balance
A condition where all complex electro-
magnetic fields are perfectly equal and
opposite.
Bandwidth
The permissible range of transmission
frequencies of a communications system.
Expressed in Hertz (cycles per second).
BER (Bit Error Rate)
The fraction of total bits transmitted that
are erroneous. Caused by EMI or crosstalk.
BNC Connector
A bayonet (push and turn) style coax cable
connector.
Bonding
The permanent joining of conductors to the
building grounding infrastructure.
Building Automation System (BAS)
An intelligent network of devices, cabling,
and equipment that provides automated
control of building
services such as light-
ing, climate, and fire detection.
Building Entrance
The physical location where outside plant
(OSP) cables penetrate the building.
Campus
In terms of networking, a campus refers to
multiple buildings interconnected together.
Category 5e
Balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications
characterized from 1 MHz to 100 MHz
frequency range. Replaces Cat 5 with new
parameters such as PSNEXT, RL, ELFEXT,
and more stringent NEXT performance.
Category 6
Balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications
characterized from 1MHz to 250 MHz fre-
quency range.
Category 6A
Balanced twisted-pair cabling specifications
for Augmented Category 6 performance,
characterized from 1MHz to 500MHz fre-
quency range.
CATV (Community Antenna Television)
A local cable TV network that receives sig-
nal from a master antenna.
CCTV (Closed Circuit Television)
A private TV system in which signal is trans-
mitted to a limited number of receivers.
Central Office
A common carrier switching center that
serves a region of subscribers in a local
loop.
Channel
The end-to-end transmission path, which
includes
the horizontal permanent link,
equipment cord and cross connect cord.
See Permanent Link.
Characteristic Impedance
The impedance of a transmission line,
which when terminated at the near end,
would make the line appear infinitely
long. A line terminated at its characteristic
impedance would have no standing waves
or reflections, and a constant ratio of volt-
age to current at any frequency along the
line.
Chrominance
The color portion of a video signal. See
also Luminance.
Cladding
The glass layer surrounding the core of
an optical fiber, having a different index
of refraction than the core. The cladding
permits total internal reflection within the
core.
Cleave
A flat 90° break separation of an optical
fiber, initiated by crack propagation.
Collision Detection
The ability of an Ethernet network to
detect simultaneous (colliding)
signal traf-
fic.
Component Video
Baseband analog (video) signal com-
prised of three discrete RGB colors (red,
green, blue). Each color is delivered
through a separate cable to produce a
high resolution RGB signal.
Composite Video
Baseband analog (video) signal from a
single channel containing color but no
audio signal.
Consolidation Point
An interconnection point in the hori-
zontal cabling between the horizontal
cross connect and the work station. See
Interconnection.
Core
The central region of an optical fiber
through which light transmits.
Cross Connection
A connection point where distribution
cables are joined to equipment cables or
to other cables using patch cords.
Crosstalk
Unwanted signal induced between sepa-
rate conductors or cables. See also Alien
Crosstalk.
Data Terminal Equipment (DTE)
Office equipment such as phones and
modems that are powered by DC voltage.
Decibel (dB)
A standard measure of gain or loss of sig-
nal power relative to a reference value.
Delay Skew
The difference in propagation delay
between any two pairs within a cable.
Demarcation Point
The connection interface between the
service provider
cabling and the customer
cabling.
Dielectric
A non-metallic, non-conductive material
used for wire or coax cable insulation.
Digital Signal
An electronic signal that changes rapidly
from one state to another in discrete
steps.
Distribution Frame
A structure through which backbone
interconnections or cross-connections are
made. Main and intermediate distribu-
tion frames are known as MDF and IDF
respectively.
Duplex
Simultaneous transmission in both direc-
tions.