Page 15
724-746-5500 | blackbox.com
Chapter 5: Technical Glossary
5. Technical Glossary
Category 5 (CAT5) Network Cabling — Category 5 cable is commonly also
referred to as CAT5. This cabling is available in either solid or stranded twisted pair
copper wire variants and as UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) or STP (Shielded
Twisted Pair). UTP cables are not surrounded by any shielding, making them more
susceptible to electromagnetic interference (EMI). STP cables include shielding
over each individual pair of copper wires that provides better protection against
EMI. Category 5 has been superseded by CAT5e cabling, which includes improved
data integrity to support high-speed communications.
USB Cables — USB cables have two distinct connectors. The Type A connector is
used to connect the cable from a USB device to the Type A port on a computer or
hub. The Type B connector is used to attach the USB cable to a USB device.
USB Type A USB Type A USB Type B USB Type B
port connector port connector
Figure 5-1. USB cables.
To Next Page
