Reference

Ethernet Cable Standards

CAT3–CAT8 specs, speeds & distances, shielding types, RJ-45 pinouts, and broadcast wiring standards

The 100 m Rule: All copper ethernet standards cap at 100 m (328 ft) total channel length — 90 m permanent run + 10 m in patch cables. Cat6A and below. Cat8 is limited to just 30 m (data center switch-to-server only).

Category	Max Speed	Bandwidth	Max Distance	Shielding	Status	Notes / Best For
Cat3	10 Mbps	16 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	UTP only	Legacy	10BASE-T, POTS voice/phone wiring. Still found in older buildings.
Cat5	100 Mbps	100 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	UTP / STP	Obsolete	Fast Ethernet only. Do not use for new installs — superseded by Cat5e.
Cat5e	1 Gbps	100 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	UTP / STP	Common	Most common in existing installs. StudioHub/AngryAudio requires STP variant.
Cat6	1 Gbps / 10 Gbps	250 MHz	100 m @ 1G, 55 m @ 10G	UTP / STP	Current	Good all-purpose choice. 10G limited to 55 m. Spline reduces crosstalk.
Cat6A	10 Gbps	500 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	UTP / STP	Recommended	Best for new installs. Full 10G at 100 m. Preferred for data centers & broadcast.
Cat7	10 Gbps	600 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	S/FTP only	Non-Std	Not an IEEE/TIA standard. Uses proprietary GG45 or TERA connectors. Avoid.
Cat7A	10 Gbps	1000 MHz	100 m (328 ft)	S/FTP only	Rare	Rarely deployed. Same connector caveats as Cat7. Not widely supported.
Cat8.1	25–40 Gbps	2000 MHz	30 m (100 ft)	S/FTP only	Data Center	Switch-to-server in data centers only. Standard RJ-45 connectors (Cat8.1).

Recommended by Use Case

Home / Small Office

Cat5e UTP or Cat6 UTP — cost-effective, sufficient for 1G switching

Enterprise / Campus

Cat6A UTP — full 10G at 100 m, future-proof for at least 10 years

Data Center (ToR)

Cat6A or Cat8.1 S/FTP — short structured runs, high density

Broadcast Facility

Cat5e or Cat6 STP (S/FTP) — required for StudioHub/AngryAudio audio wiring

AV over IP / Dante

Cat6A UTP or STP — low-latency, QoS-enabled switches required

Outdoor / Industrial

Shielded Cat6A rated for outdoor UV/direct-burial as needed

Cat7 warning: Despite marketing, Cat7 and Cat7A are not recognized IEEE or TIA standards. They require proprietary GG45 or TERA connectors that are not universally compatible with standard RJ-45 patch panels or equipment. Stick with Cat6A for new installs.

ISO 11801 Shielding Notation

The naming convention reads as Overall Shield / Per-Pair Shield. Letters: U = Unshielded, F = Foil, S = Braided Screen, TP = Twisted Pair.

Example: S/FTP = Braided braid overall shield + Foil on each individual pair — highest protection class.

Code	Common Name	Overall Shield	Per-Pair Shield	Typical Cat	Use Case
U/UTP	Unshielded Twisted Pair	None	None	Cat3–Cat6A	Lowest cost, easiest to install. Sufficient for most office/home networks. Most common.
F/UTP	Foiled Twisted Pair (FTP)	Foil	None	Cat5e–Cat6A	Light overall shield blocks external EMI. Good for moderate interference environments.
S/UTP	Screened UTP	Braid	None	Cat6–Cat6A	Braid provides better drain of EMI than foil. Slightly bulkier cable.
SF/UTP	Screened Foil UTP	Braid + Foil	None	Cat6A	Highest overall shielding without per-pair shields. Data center & industrial use.
U/FTP	Unshielded, Foiled Pairs	None	Foil per pair	Cat6A	No outer shield but each pair wrapped. Reduces ANEXT/alien crosstalk in Cat6A.
F/FTP	Foiled overall, Foiled Pairs	Foil	Foil per pair	Cat6A–Cat7A	High-performance. Eliminates inter-pair and external interference. StudioHub compatible.
S/FTP	Screened, Foiled Pairs	Braid	Foil per pair	Cat6A–Cat8	Premium shielding. Required for Cat7/7A/8. Ideal for broadcast & AV over IP.

Use Unshielded (UTP) When…

Standard office or home environment
No nearby high-EMI sources (motors, UPS, fluorescents)
Budget and installation ease are priorities
Running normal IT data networking (not audio)
Existing infrastructure is UTP — matching is simpler

Use Shielded (STP/FTP) When…

Always for StudioHub/AngryAudio broadcast audio wiring
Running cable near power cables, UPS, AC units, or transmitters
Industrial environments with heavy EMI
Data center high-density runs (Cat6A S/FTP, Cat8)
Outdoor or plenum environments with external interference
AES50 digital audio (Midas, Behringer, DiGiCo)

Grounding Shielded Cable: Shields must be properly grounded — typically at one end only (usually the equipment/rack end) to prevent ground loops. In broadcast audio, Pin 4 of the RJ-45 and the cable shield are bonded as audio ground inside all StudioHub adapters.

Cable Construction Comparison

Solid Core

Permanent horizontal runs. Stiffer — do not flex repeatedly. Punches down to keystone jacks & 110-blocks.

Stranded Core

Patch cables & equipment jumpers. Flexible. Do not use for permanent wall runs — higher attenuation.

Plenum (CMP)

Required in HVAC air-return spaces. Fire-rated, lower smoke. More expensive.

Riser (CMR)

Vertical runs between floors in conduit. Less expensive than plenum.

Outdoor/UV Rated

Direct burial or conduit exposed to sun. Check for sunlight-resistant jacket.

Armored

Physical protection in industrial/outdoor conduit. Rodent-resistant.

T568B — Most Common

Pin	Color	Function
1	White/Orange	TX+
2	Orange	TX−
3	White/Green	RX+
4	Blue	—
5	White/Blue	—
6	Green	RX−
7	White/Brown	—
8	Brown	—

T568A

Pin	Color	Function
1	White/Green	TX+
2	Green	TX−
3	White/Orange	RX+
4	Blue	—
5	White/Blue	—
6	Orange	RX−
7	White/Brown	—
8	Brown	—

Cable Types

Type	Wiring	Use Case
Straight-through	T568B ↔ T568B (both ends same)	PC to Switch, Router to Switch
Crossover	T568A ↔ T568B (different ends)	Switch to Switch, PC to PC, Router to Router
Rollover / Console	Pin 1↔8, 2↔7, 3↔6, 4↔5	PC serial to Cisco console port (RJ45)

Modern devices with Auto-MDIX auto-detect cable type, making crossover cables largely unnecessary.

T568A vs T568B — When to Use Each

T568B (Preferred)

Most common in North America. Use for all new installs. Required by StudioHub/AngryAudio.

T568A

Used in US government buildings and some international installs. Creates crossover when mixed with T568B.

Key Rule

Pick one standard and be consistent throughout the entire facility. Never mix within the same run.

Max Channel

100 m total (90 m permanent horizontal run + 10 m combined patch cables at both ends).

TIA/EIA-568 Structured Cabling Best Practices

TIA-568 is the North American standard governing commercial building telecommunications cabling — the spec your IT infrastructure should follow.

Installation Standards

Use T568B for all terminations (consistent)
Horizontal runs: solid-core cable only
Patch cables: stranded for flexibility
Max channel: 100 m (90 m run + 10 m patch)
Untwist no more than 13 mm (½ in) at termination
No kinks, sharp bends (< 4× cable diameter bend radius)
Use Cat6A for all new installs targeting 10G
Label both ends of every run

EMI & Separation Rules

Min 6 in (150 mm) separation from power cables
Min 12 in (300 mm) near high-voltage or fluorescents
Cross power cables at 90° when unavoidable
Use shielded cable near motors, UPS, transmitters
Do not run data in same conduit as power
Bond cable shields to ground at one end (rack/panel side)
Use shielded patch panels in shielded installations

Category Recommendation Guide

Application	Minimum	Recommended	Reasoning
Standard office (1 Gbps)	Cat5e UTP	Cat6 UTP	Cost-effective; handles 1G everywhere
Modern office (multi-gig)	Cat6 UTP	Cat6A UTP	Multi-gig switches becoming standard
New construction	Cat6A UTP	Cat6A S/FTP	Future-proof; no need to re-cable for 10G
Data center (server access)	Cat6A	Cat6A or Cat8.1	Full 10G at 100 m; Cat8 for 25/40G short runs
Broadcast facility	Cat5e STP	Cat6A S/FTP	EMI immunity from transmitters, high-power audio gear
AV over IP / Dante	Cat6 UTP	Cat6A UTP	Low latency; QoS switch required (IEEE 802.1Q/p)
IP intercoms / VoIP	Cat5e UTP	Cat6 UTP	Low bandwidth but reliability matters
PoE devices (cameras, APs)	Cat5e	Cat6A	Higher gauge wire handles PoE heat better

StudioHub / AngryAudio Wiring Standard

StudioHub (now Angry Audio) is the de facto broadcast audio wiring standard for radio and television facilities. It uses shielded Cat5e/Cat6 STP cable and standard RJ-45 connectors to carry balanced stereo audio and AES/EBU digital audio throughout a facility using a T568B pinout. Compatible with Axia/Telos Alliance, Wheatstone, and all StudioHub-equipped gear.

CRITICAL: StudioHub cable carries audio signals — NOT Ethernet data. Never plug StudioHub-wired cables into Ethernet switches, routers, or standard IT network equipment. Damage to gear or signal corruption will result.

StudioHub Cable Requirements

Must use shielded STP cable — UTP is not acceptable
Cat5e STP or Cat6 STP (S/FTP preferred)
T568B color code on both ends
Max analog audio run: 300 ft (90 m)
AES/EBU digital: shorter runs recommended (100–150 ft ideal)
Standard 110-block or keystone patch panels — punch to T568B
Use shielded patch panels and shielded patch cables
Shield must be continuous throughout the run and bonded inside adapters

StudioHub+ Pinout (T568B)

Pin	Pair Color	Signal	Function
1	Wht/Org	L AES+	Left Ch. Positive / AES+EBU Positive
2	Org/Wht	L AES−	Left Ch. Negative / AES+EBU Negative
3	Wht/Grn	R+	Right Channel Positive
4	Blu/Wht	GND	Signal Ground (bonded to cable shield)
5	Wht/Blu	NC	Not Connected — spare
6	Grn/Wht	R−	Right Channel Negative
7	Wht/Brn	−15V DC	Negative DC Power (StudioHub powered devices only)
8	Brn/Wht	+15V DC	Positive DC Power (StudioHub powered devices only)

Adapter Color Band Convention

Green Band

Left Channel or AES/EBU

Red Band

Right Channel

No Band / Stereo

Mini or Pigtail — carries both channels

Orientation

RJ-45 female onto patch cable; audio connector faces the gear

StudioHub vs IT Networking Standards

Property	IT Networking (TIA-568)	StudioHub / AngryAudio
Cable Type	Cat5e–Cat6A UTP or STP	Shielded STP only (required)
Pinout Standard	T568A or T568B	T568B only
Connector	RJ-45 (data)	RJ-45 (audio — not interchangeable)
Max Run	100 m (328 ft)	90 m (300 ft) analog; shorter for digital
Pins 7 & 8	Brown pair — data	±15V DC power for StudioHub hubs
Pin 4	Blue pair — data	Signal ground (bonded to shield)
Patch Panels	Standard 110-block, T568B	Same — standard panels work fine
Connect to Switch?	Yes — this is the purpose	NEVER — audio only
Compatible Gear	Any Ethernet device	Axia/Telos, Wheatstone, Angry Audio gear

Reference: StudioHub+ Primer (Angry Audio PDF) Telos Alliance RJ-45 Audio Wiring Guide