This worksheet maps Cat5e, Cat6 and shielded patch cords to ports, distances and enclosures, so one order carries consistent jacket, conductor and length details.
Why mixed-category projects go wrong first
Most patch cord problems on mixed projects start before anything is manufactured. A project schedule lists “patch cords, assorted”, three installers order against different assumptions, and the delivery arrives with Cat6 cords in Cat5e trays and shielded assemblies plugged into unshielded panels. The fix is a written selection sheet that every line of the enquiry points back to.
Our catalogue covers four core options: Cat5e UTP, Cat6 UTP with PVC jacket, Cat6 UTP with LSZH jacket and a shielded copper family. The worksheet below is how we suggest a buyer organise them; it is a procurement tool, not a certification or test report.
Step 1: Match the cord category to the port, not the project name
A cable schedule labelled “Cat6 building” does not mean every cord in the container is Cat6. Patch cords only need to support the link they serve. Record the actual port and panel category for each location.
| Location type | Suggested cord family | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Existing Cat5e horizontal cabling, desk outlets | Cat5e UTP | Keeps the component category consistent with the installed link |
| Cat6 horizontal cabling, office outlets | Cat6 UTP | Matches the Cat6 link at both ends |
| Server row with shielded panels and cabling | Shielded range | The shielding needs a continuous path through panels, outlets and cords |
| Enclosed riser or plant room with low-smoke requirements | Cat5e or Cat6 LSZH option | Jacket choice is separated from category choice |
Two catalogue details are easy to overlook and worth writing down: our Cat5e family is listed at 28 AWG and the Cat6 family at 24 AWG. That affects bend radius and tray density, so confirm it with your installer before fixing lengths.
Step 2: Decide jacket and shielding separately
Jacket material and shielding are independent decisions. LSZH does not mean shielded, and shielded does not mean LSZH. Our Cat6 range offers both PVC and LSZH on an unshielded build, while the shielded family is listed with PVC and LSZH jacket options. Fill in both columns per location:
- Shielding: shielded (STP) only where the patch panel, outlet and horizontal cable are also shielded.
- Jacket: PVC or LSZH, based on the end user's own specification.
- Category: Cat5e, Cat6, or the catalogue-labelled Cat7 shielded reference.
- Colour: use colour to identify category or function, then lock the codes into the order.
Step 3: Build the length schedule against real routes
Length is the most common source of rework. Before enquiry, have someone walk each route with a tape and record the run, including slack for moves and patching. Group lengths into sensible bands per location type instead of ordering uniform lengths. Typical bands buyers ask about include short outlet leads, mid-length rack runs and longer cross-connect runs; the actual metres come from your site, not from us.
Step 4: Put compatibility questions in writing
For a shielded installation, obtain the panel, outlet and cable manufacturer instructions and confirm the intended shielding and bonding arrangement with the responsible installer. Check that plug housings and boots seat in the actual hardware. If compatibility is unclear, resolve the design and documentation before ordering; do not change the shielding requirement by guesswork.
Step 5: A copy-ready enquiry table
Send this table with the enquiry so the quotation can be line-matched without interpretation.
| Line | Location | Category | Shield | Jacket | Colour | Length | Qty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Desk outlets, floor 1 | Cat5e | UTP | PVC | — | — | — |
| 2 | Desk outlets, floor 2 | Cat6 | UTP | LSZH | — | — | — |
| 3 | Server row A | Shielded | STP | LSZH | — | — | — |
| 4 | Plant room | Cat6 | UTP | LSZH | — | — | — |
Our Cat6 LSZH cord and Cat5e LSZH cord pages list the catalogue construction for those lines; the Cat7 shielded page carries its own category label and should be read as a catalogue designation, not a claim about installed performance in your link.
Selection-sheet checks before you sign off
- Every row names a port type, not just a floor or project.
- Shielding appears only in rows where the panel and cabling are shielded.
- Jacket codes are tied to the end user's written requirement.
- Colour codes map to category or function, with a key on the sheet.
- Lengths come from a site walk, with slack recorded separately.
- Conductor AWG per family is acknowledged and checked against tray capacity.
- Quantities are per row and total, so partial lines are visible.
- The enquiry states the delivery schedule's own labelling needs, if any, without assuming we print custom text unless agreed in writing.
Once the table is filled, the enquiry becomes a checklist instead of a conversation. That shortens quotation rounds and reduces the chance of a container arriving with the right quantity and the wrong specification.
Qixiang product catalogues; confirm current model drawings and installation requirements before ordering.