Ethernet Cables and RJ-45 Connectors

Network Cables

• Ethernet cables are terminated with RJ-45 connectors and follow the EIA/TIA 568A & 568B Standards.
• 568A and 568B differ in their transmit and receive pairs, allowing for straight-through and crossover cables.
• Straight-through cables connect a device to a network via a switch or hub, using the same pin-out on both ends.
• Crossover cables connect two devices directly, using 568A on one end and 568B on the other.

Fiber Optic Cable

• Uses light pulses to transmit data through a glass or plastic core.
• Consists of four layers: core, cladding, outer sheath, and strength member or buffer.
• Not subject to electromagnetic interference.
• Transmission distances are longer and data rates are higher than copper cable.
• Two basic types: single-mode (carries one light path) and multimode (carries multiple light paths).

Coaxial Cable

• Primarily used for cable Internet service and audio/video applications.
• Has a single copper conductor core surrounded by a dielectric insulator and shielding.
• Two most common types: RG-6 for data and RG-59 for audio/video.

Speed and Transmission Limitations

• Each type of network has speed and distance limitations.
• Cable types (e.g. Thunderbolt, USB) have varying speeds and distances.

Thunderbolt

• Another Apple-proprietary cable.
• Comes as either copper or optical cable.
• Maximum length: 3 meters for copper, 60 meters for optical.
• Connectors based on Mini DisplayPort standard, except Thunderbolt version 3 uses USB-C.
• Provides both data and power to peripheral devices.

USB

• Universal Serial Bus cables connect to a wide variety of peripheral devices.
• Version 1.1 was the first in common use.
• Uses type-A connector on PC side and type-B connector on peripheral side.
• Supports two speeds: low speed (1.5 Mbps at 3 meters) and full speed (12 Mbps at 5 meters).
• Provides power.

Other Cable Types

• Serial cables connect to serial ports and hard drives.
• Peripheral cables connect a PC to other devices.
• Hard drive cables connect a hard drive to a motherboard or controller card.

Hard Drive Cables

• SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) cable is the most commonly used hard drive cable.
• Different SATA revisions: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, and 3.2 support speeds of 1.5 Gbps, 3 Gbps, 6 Gbps, and 16 Gbps, respectively.
• IDE (Integrated Drive Electronics) is an older interface.
• SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) was designed to support a wide variety of device types.

Adapters

• Used to connect a device to a port that is different from the connector on the device.
• Examples: DVI to HDMI, USB to Ethernet.

Storage Devices

• Configurations: high availability, RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks).
• RAID levels: 0, 1, 5, 10, offering different levels of data protection.
• Hot swappable drives can be inserted or removed in real-time while the system is powered on.

Device Sharing

• Devices can be shared by multiple users over wired or wireless connections.
• Wired connections: USB, serial, or Ethernet.
• Wireless connections: Bluetooth, 802.11, or direct ad hoc connection.
• Print servers: integrated into the printer or separate devices, handle printing requests from users.

Learn about the termination of Ethernet cables with RJ-45 connectors and the difference between EIA/TIA 568A and 568B standards. Understand the uses of straight-through and crossover cables.