The ambient temperature was 71 degrees Fahrenheit.The same keystones used at the remote and main units were used on the same ends as well.The same ends of the cable were used at the remote and main units for both tests.The second test conducted was with the keystone jacks terminated to the T568A pattern.The first test conducted was with the keystone jacks terminated to the T568B pattern.A reference was set after a 10-minute warm-up of the Fluke DSX-8000.Fluke DSX-8000, in calibration, 6.5 B5 firmware, using the permanent link adapters.Two trueCABLE Cat6 unshielded tool-less keystone jacks (these are component rated and impedance matching grade keystones).292 feet of trueCABLE Cat6A Riser U/UTP Ethernet cable.I decided to conduct a test to prove this out. Let me put this to bed immediately: they are identical in regards to performance. So now that we have sorted out what the actual recommendations are, another common misconception is that one wiring scheme will perform better than the other. In other words, pick one and stick with it. There is a warning in the commercial standard about making certain that both ends of the cable are terminated to the same scheme. The ANSI/TIA 568.2-D commercial standard is now mute on the subject unless you have a contractual or technical reason to go with one or the other. This was to maintain backward compatibility with older equipment like in the residential space (fax machines, etc.) As of the “D” revision, this is no longer the case and that recommendation and notation have been removed. TIA recommended T568A at that time and further notated US government contracts require T568A. In the past, specifically with the old TIA/EIA 568-B-2 revision written and ratified around 2001, this recommendation was different for commercial and US government spaces. In reality, just how many people are using this old equipment any longer? I personally switched over to cell phones in 2006 and have not looked back. If you are not using any such devices, or have no intention of plugging ancient RJ11 plugs into RJ45 wall jacks like you would a “phone jack”, then it comes back to personal preference again. It also leads to lively debates!Īs of 2018, ANSI/TIA still recommends T568A for residential installations for plug-in backward compatibility with old technology like fax machines or a plug-in base station for wireless phone handsets.
However, the standards have changed over time and this takes some by surprise, leading to confusion and misinformation. ANSI/TIA 570-D sets the residential standard.
In the absence of a stated customer requirement, the 2018 dated ANSI/TIA 568.2-D revision sets the commercial building standard for how to match twisted pair wires to a plug or socket.
The color code schemes are defined by the ANSI Accredited Telecommunications Industry Association (ANSI/TIA).