In the network cabling project, we often see a white cross shaped plastic structure inside some network cables, which is the cross skeleton. Many people will wonder, what role does this seemingly inconspicuous component play in the network cable? Is it really necessary to exist?
What is a cross skeleton?
The cross skeleton, also known as the separator bar, is a core component within category 6 (CAT6) and above network cables. It isolates the four pairs of twisted pair wires inside the network cable in four independent spaces, like a "cross shaped" partition, dividing the cable into four quadrants.
Core role of cross skeleton
1. reduce signal "cascading" to make the network speed more stable and faster
When the four pairs of twisted pair wires in the network cable are transmitted at high speed, the signals are easy to interfere with each other, just like the radio connecting stations. The cross skeleton separates them, allowing signals to "go their own way", greatly reducing interference and ensuring stable Gigabit or even 10G network speed.
2. stabilize the line pair "formation", and the signal will not deviate
The lines in the network cable are twisted together according to specific rules. This "twisting method" is for anti-interference. If the twist spacing is disordered, the signal will become worse. The cross frame is like a "bracket" to fix each pair of wires, so that they can maintain the correct "formation" during production, transportation and installation, and the signal transmission is more stable.
3. make the network cable stronger and the construction more convenient
With the cross frame, the cable is more rigid as a whole, and it is not easy to deform when pulling and bending. During construction, it is also easier for the master to separate and straighten the pairs, making the operation more convenient and reducing the problem of slow network speed caused by improper operation.
Why do some cables have no cross skeleton?
You may notice that not all network cables have a cross skeleton, such as the common CAT5e network cable.
This is because:
Different transmission rate requirements: the maximum transmission rate of cat 5 network cable is 1000Mbps. At this rate, the crosstalk standard can be met without cross frame. The category 6 network cable needs to support the transmission rate of 10Gbps, which requires extremely high signal integrity, so it must be equipped with a cross skeleton.
Cost control: increasing the cross skeleton will increase the production cost and selling price of the network cable. For some scenes with low speed requirements, it is more economical to use skeletonless Cat 5 network cable.
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