Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sdd.hp.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!rpi!bu.edu!bu-it!kwe
From: kwe@bu-it.bu.edu (Kent England)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.lans
Subject: Re: What's going on with twisted pair > 10Mb?
Message-ID: <62793@bu.edu.bu.edu>
Date: 17 Aug 90 20:13:19 GMT
References: <14861@drilex.UUCP>
Sender: news@bu.edu.bu.edu
Reply-To: kwe@bu-it.bu.edu (Kent England)
Organization: Boston University
Lines: 36

In article <14861@drilex.UUCP>, dricejb@drilex.UUCP (Craig Jackson
drilex1) writes:
> We're looking at doing a major amount of unshielded twisted-pair wiring
> here, and our wiring guys have heard about proposals to go over 10 
> megabits on twisted pair.  What is the state of this?  

	Have you been reading this list very long?  :-)  It's a done thing
and it's called 10BaseT.  Every Ethernet vendor and hopeful vendor is hard
at work cranking out 10BaseT gear.

> Are there any guidelines known today which would increase the likelihood
> of the plant which we are about to install conforming to any faster
> standard?
> -- 

	That is a good question.  It has as much to do with installation
practice as it does with quality of cable.  I would recommend following
a good structured wiring plan (like AT&T's) and buying AT&T spec cable.

	I don't think you can afford the new lo, lo, lo cap (and big, big,
big bucks) cable.  I know I can't pay that much for a dubious benefit.

	If you use a structured wiring plan, and AT&T DIW spec wire,
then you can go 100m at 10Mbps and about the same at 16Mbps.  Think on
fiber for going 100Mbps.  That is pretty good for wire that was spec'ed
only out to 6Mbps.

	If you want 10BaseT on existing wire, then you had better plan on
testing it.  Test gear is under development and I have heard tell of some
interesting hand-held units, but I don't have details.

	And don't ask about aging effects.  Ten years after installing
10BaseT you might have to redo some installs, but I can't be sure how
bad that could be.  And who can look ten years ahead?  :-)

	--Kent