Installing Duplex or Single Copper Cables?

The usual IT outlets typically are double outlets with to RJ45 jacks. Installers who prefer to pull only one cable to each outlet prefer duplex copper cable. However there are a few things that should be minded. 

In old times when 100 Mbps were considered enough, cable sharing was quite common: An installer pulled only one four-pair cable to each double outlet. Each RJ45 jack was connected to two wire pairs which allowed a maximum data rate of 100 Mbps. Nowadays IT cabling are installed using cat. 6_A components which give users a maximum data rate of 10 Gbps per outlet. Each RJ45 jack is connected to four wire pairs. No wonder cable sharing is neither recommended by the current cabling standards nor much in use anymore.

Despite of this many installers still prefer to pull only one cable to each outlet to save time and effort. Good news: This is still possible when installing duplex cable.

A duplex or shotgun cable is made of two cables which are simply joined together. They can be easily separated when being connected to an outlet or a patch panel. Pulling only one cable to each outlet can make installation a bit easier: Only one cable drum has to be tugged to the construction site where there is just one cable pay-off machine instead of two (which saves space) and only one cable has to be pulled at a time.