NEXTIVITY CEL-FI QUATRA EVO - Page 30

May 2023 30
Follow general category cable routing practices. The system constantly monitors all CU
cables, and a red CU LED means that the NU or HUB cannot communicate with a CU
properly.
General CU Cabling Rules
• QUATRA EVO uses category cable, commonly used as Ethernet cable. However, QUATRA
EVO cables are NOT ETHERNET/LAN COMPATIBLE!
• CU cables must pass 1000BaseT (gigabit) and be ANSI/TIA/EIA 568-B Compliant.
• CU cables may pass through patch panels, but not active equipment such as routers or
switches that will not understand QUATRA signaling.
• CU cables should follow normal low-voltage cable pathways.
• Do not run CU cables alongside AC power lines or other sources of interference such as
lighting.
• Crossing power lines at 90 degrees is OK.
• Only QUATRA extenders may be used to extend a CU cable in length. Off-the-shelf
Ethernet extenders or fiber interfaces will not work. Install the QUATRA extender halfway
along the cable length.
• CU cable lengths should not exceed 100 meters in length, or 200 meters if a QRE is used.
• ONLY USE PURE COPPER CATEGORY CABLES. CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum) cables
are not suitable for PoE applications.
Troubleshooting:
• Check that each CU cabling rule has been satisfied.
• Debris in the port – blow off the connector/port and insert the connector a few times to
“clean” the contacts.
• Test the port on the NU, HUB or CU to see if there is movement. If there is any movement
then the port may be damaged.
• Plug the CU directly into the NU or HUB using a short known good machine-
made Category cable to determine if the hardware or cabling is at fault.
• Redo the terminators on either end of the cable in alarm.
• Check that the RJ45 terminators are correct for the cable being used (per cable diameter
spec for example).
• Consider punch-down Ethernet Surface Mount Boxes to remove the human cable
termination component. This is more in line with standard IT practices that favor screw or
punch-down terminations and machine-made cables. They are more reliable, and end-point
machine made jumpers are easily swapped out if they fault.