IEEE Extends Ethernet Cable Specification

The IEEE has announced today that, due to demand, they have extended the Ethernet cable length specification as well as added to the sheath color allowance. Current specification limitations to physical link length of solid wire conductor and ProPlex stranded cables are pegged at 100m or 328 feet for timing reasons. Stranded patch cables work best within 10m or 33 feet. The IEEE has seen it necessary to redefine these standards, however, in light of new operational requirements.

“We are extending the operational limit of solid wire conductor to 584 feet and stranded patch cables to 44.7 feet. These changes are necessary to facilitate the needs of the Ethernet community at large,” said Prof. J. Roberto de Marca, a member of the IEEE Board of Directors and Executive Committee. He went on to comment that Dr. Lewis M. Terman, former President and CEO of IEEE was instrumental in the changes to the specification.

“Dr. Terman’s pool house is exactly 584 from his main house, and he didn’t want to spend the money on wireless. In addition, the desk in his pool house is 44.7 feet away from the closet where he keeps his LinkSys 10/100 5-port switch,” stated Prof. de Marca. President Elect Dr. John R. Vig also played a key role in the ratification. “I was getting tired of not having internet access to Lew’s pool.”

Prof. de Marca went on to describe that in addition to traditional blue, yellow, white, grey, green, and red, that some additional sheath color specifications were added to facilitate additional needs in color-based organization. Roasted Coffee can be used to indicate subtle networks, British Racing Green allows networks to go faster, and Passion Pink for expressing a more feminine side of networking.

Additional details can be found at IEEE.org.