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What is an ethernet cable? What are the types of ethernet cables? How long can different cables be? Understanding BASE types and cable speeds: T, F, SX, LX. Cable categories: Cat5, Cat5e and Cat6 are all explained. This microlearning lesson is one of many that are available on the Cisco Learning Network, in our Cisco Answers IT series.

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Fiber Optic Cable Buying Guide | Tripp Lite

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Learn about the different fiber optic cabling technologies including singlemode and multimode and choose the perfect type to suit your needs. Learn more!

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Twisted pair cabling is a type of wiring in which two conductors of a single circuit are twisted together for the purposes of canceling out electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources; for instance, electromagnetic radiation from unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables, and crosstalk between neighboring pairs. It was invented by Alexander Graham Bell.

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Coaxial cable is commonly used by cable operators, telephone companies, and internet providers around the world to convey data, video, and voice communications to customers. It has also been used extensively within homes.

It has been around for a long time as a technology (since the early 20th century) and has many singular advantages for reliable, accurate transmission.

It also has limitations that will cause it to be replaced in some cases by fiber optic cable, category cable or, sometimes, by wireless signals.

The key to the coaxial cable's success has been its shielded design, which allows the cable's copper core to transmit data quickly, without succumbing to interference or damage from environment factors.

The three most common cable sizes are RG-6, RG-11 and RG-59:

RG stands for "radio guide." The numbers of the various versions of RG cable refer to the diameter (59 meaning .059, and 6 meaning .06, etc.). They are also called RF cables, which stands for "radio frequency".

Most non-industrial coax is now known as RG-6, but installers may use a thicker cable, like RG-11.

RG cables used in homes should be 75 ohm impedance.

Most connectors are F-style connectors, but it is possible your system uses N-type connectors. There are several types of F-type connectors for RG-6 cables:

Compression connectors

Screw-on connectors

Crimp-style connectors

In order to make a connection, you will need a male and a female connector of the same type. Male connectors have the center wire sticking out, while female connectors have a space for the center wire to stick into.

Be aware that coax cables sometimes have signal leakage known as ingress or egress. This causes tiling, fuzzy or snowy signals.

What is coaxial cable?

Coaxial cable is a type of cable that has an inner conductor surrounded by an insulating layer, surrounded by a conductive shielding. Many also have an insulating outer jacket The diagram below illustrates the construction of a typical cable. Electrical signal flows through the center conductor.

1. Center conductor - copper-clad steel.

2. Center conductor bond - clean stripping polymer is utilized to block moisture migration.

3. Dielectric - polyethylene providing mechanically stable, closed cell foam with high VP.

4. First outer conductor - shield with an aluminum-polymeraluminum tape securely bonded to the dielectric core.

5. Second outer conductor - an additional aluminum-polymer-aluminum tape is used in tri-shield and quad-shield constructions to further enhance HF shield isolation before and after flexure.

6. Third outer conductor - an additional aluminum-polymer-aluminum tape is used in tri-shield and quad-shield constructions to further enhance HF shield isolation before and after flexure.

7. Fourth outer conductor - an additional 34 or 36 AWG aluminum braid is used in quad-shield constructions to further improve LF shield isolation in extreme RF noise environments.

8. Corrosion resistant protectant

1. Indoor and aerial - a non-drip material designed to eliminate moisture migration into the cable construction.

2. Underground - a flowing compound able to seal small jacket ruptures.

9. Jacket - a UV stable outer jacket of either polyethylene (PE) or flame retardant polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is available to protect the core during installation and for the installed life of the cable.

10. Integral messenger - a galvanized, carbon steel wire support member attached to the cable by a separable web.

Which is better: coaxial cable or fiber optic cable?

Both of these types of cable can be used for carrying video, audio, and other forms of data, and both can offer you distinct advantages and disadvantages in setting up your network.

Deciding which is best for your situation depends on the distance of your connection and the amount of data you will send. Fiber optic cables carry a signal for several miles before needing a repeater. Signal losses are higher in coax cable, so you should use it for shorter distances. Fiber optic cables carry far more information. Fiber optic cable is also significantly more expensive. Fiber optic cables are found less frequently in residential and consumer settings than coaxial cables.

Coax cables are easy to install and very durable. Because fiber has higher and faster data transfer than coax, they are best used for professional networks, such as those found within a business campus or university. If you are working on a home installation or medium-capacity data transfer network, then you'd probably be better off sticking with coax cable.

Many of today's companies use cable connections for their business broadband service. Cable internet's biggest drawback is speed fluctuation. Looking again to fiber internet vs. cable internet, cable internet service is usually shared among a number of subscribers. This means if there are a large number of users in a cable region all running bandwidth intensive applications using the internet at the same time, everyone's speeds can vary between 100% and 25% of the promised speed.

As far as the cost of fiber vs. coax goes, fiber is typically much higher upfront. After installation, the pricing for dedicated internet access over fiber will also be higher than a shared cable internet connection.

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What is coaxial cable and how is it used?

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Coaxial cable is commonly used by cable operators, telephone companies, and internet providers around the world to convey data, video, and voice communications to customers. It has also been used extensively within homes. It has been around for a long time as a technology (since the early 20th century) and has many singular advantages for reliable, accurate transmission.

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A radio repeater retransmits a radio signal.

In telecommunications, a repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions so that the signal can cover longer distances or be received on the other side of an obstruction. Some types of repeaters broadcast an identical signal, but alter its method of transmission, for example, on another frequency or baud rate.

There are several different types of repeaters; a telephone repeater is an amplifier in a telephone line, an optical repeater is an optoelectronic circuit that amplifies the light beam in an optical fiber cable; and a radio repeater is a radio receiver and transmitter that retransmits a radio signal.

A broadcast relay station is a repeater used in broadcast radio and television.

When an information-bearing signal passes through a communication channel, it is progressively degraded due to loss of power. For example, when a telephone call passes through a wire telephone line, some of the power in the electric current which represents the audio signal is dissipated as heat in the resistance of the copper wire. The longer the wire, the more power is lost, and the smaller the amplitude of the signal at the far end. So with a long enough wire the call will not be audible at the other end. Similarly, the greater the distance between a radio station and a receiver, the weaker the radio signal, and the poorer the reception. A repeater is an electronic device in a communication channel that increases the power of a signal and retransmits it, allowing it to travel further. Since it amplifies the signal, it requires a source of electric power.

The term "repeater" originated with telegraphy in the 19th century, and referred to an electromechanical device (a relay) used to regenerate telegraph signals.

Use of the term has continued in telephony and data communications.

In computer networking, because repeaters work with the actual physical signal, and do not attempt to interpret the data being transmitted, they operate on the physical layer, the first layer of the OSI model; a multiport Ethernet repeater is usually called a hub.

This is used to increase the range of telephone signals in a telephone line.

They are most frequently used in trunklines that carry long distance calls. In an analog telephone line consisting of a pair of wires, it consists of an amplifier circuit made of transistors which use power from a DC current source to increase the power of the alternating current audio signal on the line. Since the telephone is a duplex (bidirectional) communication system, the wire pair carries two audio signals, one going in each direction. So telephone repeaters have to be bilateral, amplifying the signal in both directions without causing feedback, which complicates their design considerably. Telephone repeaters were the first type of repeater and were some of the first applications of amplification. The development of telephone repeaters between 1900 and 1915 made long-distance phone service possible. Now, most telecommunications cables are fiber-optic cables which use optical repeaters (below).

Before the invention of electronic amplifiers, mechanically coupled carbon microphones were used as amplifiers in telephone repeaters. After the turn of the 20th century it was found that negative resistance mercury lamps could amplify, and they were used. The invention of audion tube repeaters around 1916 made transcontinental telephony practical. In the 1930s vacuum tube repeaters using hybrid coils became commonplace, allowing the use of thinner wires. In the 1950s negative impedance gain devices were more popular, and a transistorized version called the E6 repeater was the final major type used in the Bell System before the low cost of digital transmission made all voiceband repeaters obsolete. Frequency frogging repeaters were commonplace in frequency-division multiplexing systems from the middle to late 20th century.

This is a type of telephone repeater used in underwater submarine telecommunications cables.

This is used to increase the range of signals in a fiber-optic cable. Digital information travels through a fiber-optic cable in the form of short pulses of light. The light is made up of particles called photons, which can be absorbed or scattered in the fiber. An optical communications repeater usually consists of a phototransistor which converts the light pulses to an electrical signal, an amplifier to increase the power of the signal, an electronic filter which reshapes the pulses, and a laser which converts the electrical signal to light again and sends it out the other fiber. However, optical amplifiers are being developed for repeaters to amplify the light itself without the need of converting it to an electric signal first.

A radio communications with a Repeater or a Talkaround channel

Guarini-Foresio's repeater

This is used to extend the range of coverage of a radio signal. The history of radio relay repeaters began in 1898 from the publication by Johann Mattausch in Austrian Journal Zeitschrift für Electrotechnik (v. 16, 35 - 36). But his proposal "Translator" was primitive and not suitable for use. The first relay system with radio repeaters, which really functioned, was that invented in 1899 by Emile Guarini-Foresio.

A radio repeater usually consists of a radio receiver connected to a radio transmitter. The received signal is amplified and retransmitted, often on another frequency, to provide coverage beyond the obstruction. Usage of a duplexer can allow the repeater to use one antenna for both receive and transmit at the same time.

Broadcast relay station, rebroadcastor or translator: This is a repeater used to extend the coverage of a radio or television broadcasting station. It consists of a secondary radio or television transmitter. The signal from the main transmitter often comes over leased telephone lines or by microwave relay.

Microwave relay: This is a specialized point-to-point telecommunications link, consisting of a microwave receiver that receives information over a beam of microwaves from another relay station in line-of-sight distance, and a microwave transmitter which passes the information on to the next station over another beam of microwaves. Networks of microwave relay stations transmit telephone calls, television programs, and computer data from one city to another over continent-wide areas.

Passive repeater: This is a microwave relay that simply consists of a flat metal surface to reflect the microwave beam in another direction. It is used to get microwave relay signals over hills and mountains when it is not necessary to amplify the signal.

Cellular repeater: This is a radio repeater for boosting cell phone reception in a limited area. The device functions like a small cellular base station, with a directional antenna to receive the signal from the nearest cell tower, an amplifier, and a local antenna to rebroadcast the signal to nearby cell phones. It is often used in downtown office buildings.

Digipeater: A repeater node in a packet radio network. It performs a store and forward function, passing on packets of information from one node to another.

Amateur radio repeater: Used by amateur radio operators to enable two-way communication across an area which would otherwise be difficult by point-to-point on VHF and UHF. These repeaters are set up and maintained by individual operators or clubs, and are generally available for any licensed amateur to use. A hill or mountaintop location is a preferable location to construct a repeater, as it will maximize the usability across a large area.

Radio repeaters improve communication coverage in systems using frequencies that typically have line-of-sight propagation. Without a repeater, these systems are limited in range by the curvature of the Earth and the blocking effect of terrain or high buildings. A repeater on a hilltop or tall building can allow stations that are out of each other's line-of-sight range to communicate reliably.

Radio repeaters may also allow translation from one set of radio frequencies to another, for example to allow two different public service agencies to interoperate (say, police and fire services of a city, or neighboring police departments). They may provide links to the public switched telephone network as well, or satellite network ( BGAN, INMARSAT, MSAT) as an alternative path from source to the destination.

Typically a repeater station listens on one frequency, A, and transmits on a second, B. All mobile stations listen for signals on channel B and transmit on channel A. The difference between the two frequencies may be relatively small compared to the frequency of operation, say 1%. Often the repeater station will use the same antenna for transmission and reception; highly selective filters called "duplexers" separate the faint incoming received signal from the billions of times more powerful outbound transmitted signal. Sometimes separate transmitting and receiving locations are used, connected by a wire line or a radio link. While the repeater station is designed for simultaneous reception and transmission, mobile units need not be equipped with the bulky and costly duplexers, as they only transmit or receive at any time.

Mobile units in a repeater system may be provided with a "talkaround" channel that allows direct mobile-to-mobile operation on a single channel. This may be used if out of reach of the repeater system, or for communications not requiring the attention of all mobiles. The "talkaround" channel may be the repeater output frequency; the repeater will not retransmit any signals on its output frequency.

An engineered radio communication system designer will analyze the coverage area desired and select repeater locations, elevations, antennas, operating frequencies and power levels to permit a predictable level of reliable communication over the designed coverage area.

Repeaters can be divided into two types depending on the type of data they handle:

This type is used in channels that transmit data in the form of an analog signal in which the voltage or current is proportional to the amplitude of the signal, as in an audio signal. They are also used in trunklines that transmit multiple signals using frequency division multiplexing (FDM). Analog repeaters are composed of a linear amplifier, and may include electronic filters to compensate for frequency and phase distortion in the line.

The digital repeater is used in channels that transmit data by binary digital signals, in which the data is in the form of pulses with only two possible values, representing the binary digits 1 and 0. A digital repeater amplifies the signal, and it also may retime, resynchronize, and reshape the pulses. A repeater that performs the retiming or resynchronizing functions may be called a regenerator.

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In telecommunications, a repeater is an electronic device that receives a signal and retransmits it. Repeaters are used to extend transmissions so that the signal can cover longer distances or be received on the other side of an obstruction. Some types of repeaters broadcast an identical signal, but alter its method of transmission, for example, on another frequency or baud rate.

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A network bridge is a computer networking device that creates a single aggregate network from multiple communication networks or network segments. This function is called network bridging. Bridging is distinct from routing, which allows multiple different networks to communicate independently while remaining separate.

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Wireless Network Adapters

When you're done building your custom-made PC, you want to make sure you'll be able to connect to the internet so that you can start downloading and playing your favorite games. While many people prefer plugging directly to an Ethernet drop, there are many instances where this simply isn't possible or convenient. It is rare that a house will have an Ethernet drop in every room, and you may just not want to deal with the hassle of running a long Ethernet cable all through your house or apartment. Thankfully, wireless adapters have improved greatly in the last few years, with faster transfer speeds, fewer drops in connection, and broader range in coverage.

Compatibility with your router is a non-issue when looking into a wireless adapter. Whether your router is Wireless G, N or AC, most if not all wireless adapters are also backwards compatible. As for what the different numbers mean, they just reference the difference in wireless standards that improve (ie: go faster) with each iteration.

Your Personal Data

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Hub, Switch or Router? Network Devices Explained

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A server is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to another computer over the internet or a local network. A well-known type of server is a web server where web pages can be accessed over the internet through a client like a web browser. However, there are several types of servers, including local ones like file servers that store data within an intranet network.

What Does a Server Do in a Computer Network?

Although any computer running the necessary software can function as a server, the most typical use of the word references the enormous, high-powered machines that push and pull data from the internet.

Most computer networks support one or more servers that handle specialized tasks. As a rule, the larger the network in terms of clients that connect to it or the amount of data that it moves, the more likely it is that several servers play a role, each dedicated to a specific purpose.

The server is the software that handles a specific task. However, the powerful hardware that supports this software is also called a server. This is because the server software that coordinates a network of hundreds or thousands of clients requires hardware that's more robust than computers for consumer use.

Common Types of Servers

While some dedicated servers focus on one function, such as a print server or database server, some implementations use one server for multiple purposes.

A large, general-purpose network that supports a medium-sized company likely deploys several types of servers, including:

Web server:A web server show pages and runs apps through web browsers. The server your browser is connected to now is a web server that delivers this page and the images on it. The client program, in this case, is a browser like Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox, Opera, or Safari. Web servers are used for many tasks in addition to delivering simple text and images, such as uploading and backing up files online through a cloud storage service or online backup service.

Email server:Email servers send and receive email messages. If you have an email client on your computer, the software connects to an IMAP or POP server to download your messages to your computer, and an SMTP server to send messages back through the email server.

FTP server:FTP servers move files through File Transfer Protocol tools. FTP servers are accessible remotely using FTP client programs, which connect to the file share on the server, either through the server's built-in FTP capabilities or with a dedicated FTP server program.

Identity Server:Identity servers support logins and security roles for authorized users.

Hundreds of specialized server types support computer networks. Apart from the common corporate types, home users often interface with online game servers, chat servers, and audio and video streaming servers, among others.

Some servers exist for a specific purpose but aren't necessarily interacted with in any meaningful way. DNS servers and proxy servers are some examples.

Types of Network Servers

Many networks on the internet employ a client-server networking model that integrates websites and communication services.

An alternative model, called peer-to-peer networking, allows all the devices on a network to function as either a server or client on an as-needed basis. Peer networks offer a greater degree of privacy because communication between computers is narrowly targeted. However, due in part to bandwidth limitations, most implementations of peer-to-peer networking aren't robust enough to support large traffic spikes.

Understanding Server Clusters

The word cluster is used broadly in computer networking to refer to an implementation of shared computing resources. Typically, a cluster integrates the resources of two or more computing devices that could otherwise function separately for some common purpose (often a workstation or server device).

A web server farm is a collection of networked web servers, each with access to content on the same site. These servers function as a cluster conceptually. However, purists debate the technical classification of a server farm as a cluster, depending on the details of the hardware and software configuration.

Computer Servers at Home

Because servers are software, people can run servers at home, accessible either to devices attached to their home network or devices outside the network. For example, some network-aware hard drives use the Network Attached Storage server protocol to allow different PCs on a home network to access a shared set of files.

Plex media server software helps users view digital media on TVs and entertainment devices regardless of whether the data exists in the cloud or on a local PC.

If your network is set up to allow port forwards, you can accept incoming requests from outside your network to make your home server act as a server from a big company like Facebook or Google (where anyone can access your resources).

However, not all home computers and internet connections are suitable for lots of traffic. Bandwidth, storage, RAM, and other system resources are factors that affect how large of a home server you can support. Most home operating systems are also void of server-related features.

More Information on Servers

Since uptime is critically important for most servers, servers aren't designed to shut down but instead run 24/7. However, servers sometimes go down intentionally for scheduled maintenance, which is why some websites and services notify users of scheduled downtime or scheduled maintenance. Servers might also go down unintentionally during something like a DDoS attack.

A web server that reports an error due to downtime-whether intentional or not-might do so using a standard HTTP status code.

When a web server takes down information permanently, or even temporarily, you might still be able to access those files if a third-party service archived it. Wayback Machine is one example of a web archiver that stores snapshots of web pages and files stored on web servers.

Large businesses that have multiple servers don't typically access these servers locally, like with a keyboard and mouse, but instead by remote access. These servers are also sometimes virtual machines, meaning that one storage device can host multiple servers, which saves physical space and money.

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What Is a Server in Computer Networking?

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A server is a computer designed to process requests and deliver data to another computer over the internet or a local network. A well-known type of server is a web server where web pages can be accessed over the internet through a client like a web browser.