Network Cabling Fundamentals

Study Notes

Network Cabling

The type of cable used in a network is crucial, as it serves as the fundamental communications path to the rest of the world.
A wired cable connection is still the primary means of network communication, despite the widespread use of wireless networks.

Twisted Pair Cabling

Twisted pair cabling is commonly used for Ethernet networks, consisting of four pairs of copper wires with different colors (solid blue, blue and white, solid green, green and white, solid orange, orange and white, solid brown, and brown and white).
Each pair of wires contains equal and opposite signals, referred to as transmit plus and transmit minus.
The twisted cable design helps to reduce interference by constantly twisting the signal as it moves through the cable.
When signals arrive at the other end, they are compared to identify any interference that may have occurred during transmission.

Types of Twisted Pair Cables

There are different categories of twisted pair cables, each with its own electrical characteristics and supporting different kinds of networks.
Examples of Ethernet standards that use twisted pair cabling include 1000BASE-T (1 gigabit per second) and 10GBASE-T (10 gigabit per second).
The IEEE standard for 1000BASE-T supports a minimum of category 5 cabling to a maximum distance of 100 meters.

Category 5 and Category 5e Cables

Category 5 cable was the original standard, but it has been augmented with additional validation tests, resulting in category 5e.
Category 5e is the enhanced version of category 5 cable, which is the current standard available for purchase.
Existing network infrastructure may still use category 5 cables.

Category 6 and Category 6A Cables

Category 6A is an augmented version of category 6, which is supported by 10GBASE-T to a maximum distance of 100 meters.

Coaxial Cables

Coaxial cables are commonly used in cable modem networks and have two or more forms sharing a common axis.
The wire conductor is a single conductor running the length of the cable.

Description

Learn about the importance of choosing the right cable for your network infrastructure. This quiz covers the basics of network cabling, its significance, and why it's crucial to select the correct type of cable for your data center or building.