Reply to comment

Traditionally networks have involved connecting devices together using some type of cabling system. Wireless technologies allow networks to operate without physical connections between the devices. Most existing networks use cables of some sort.

Older systems use co-axial cabling, basically two concentric wires, a thin central core surrounded by an outer conductor. Various grades of co-axial cables have been used, so called ’Thick Ethernet’ and ’Thin Ethernet’. Systems using this type of cabling are now getting old and many have been replaced by cheaper ’Twisted Pair’ cabling.

Twisted Pair is similar to telephone cable. It consists of pairs of cables twisted around each other to reduce electrical interference. Modern installations will normally be twisted pair cabling.

For high speed and highly secure systems Fiber Optic cables tend to be used. Fibre Optic cabling is less common as the cable is expensive and more difficult to install.

Cabling Standards

A great many different cabling standards exist. For computer networks the most common are CAT5, CAT5e & CAT6.

See Also

• Ethernet Network Cabling Introduction
• Network Cable Testing Introduction