What Are Riser Cables

Riser cable (CMR) / backbone cable is a cable that is run between floors in non-plenum areas. The fire requirements on riser cables are not as strict as the requirements on Plenum cables (CMP). There are both Cat5e riser (CMR) cables and Cat6 riser (CMR) cables.

It is always possible to use a plenum cable in place of a riser cable, but it is not possible to utilize a riser cable in areas designated for plenum cable. Many different types of cable, including twisted-pair, coaxial, HDMI, and DVI, are created in both plenum and riser.

Riser Cables

A riser cable is essential in multi-story structures, as it runs from the service entrance point up through the different levels of the building, supplying voice, data, and video services. The name is derived from its purpose of 'rising' between the floors.

Backbone System

A riser cable is part of a building’s backbone system. Other components of the backbone system include cable pathways, telecommunications closets, equipment rooms, and related hardware, as well as support facilities.

Planning for the Future

Since cable requirements are different for the various services, planning for future use needs can be tricky. Especially since future uses of the backbone wiring can range from the predictable to the entirely unknown. Due to this unknown variable, it is typically suggested to separate riser systems for different applications (such as voice and data) that follow parallel routes through pathways, closets, and equipment rooms.

A riser cable is a type of conduit that runs vertically between floors of a multi-story structure, connecting the service entrance point to all the different levels of the building, through which voice, data, and video are distributed.