Cabling Flashcards
Introduction to Networking
How do computers communicate with each other at the physical layer?
cables
connect different devices to each other, allowing data to be transmitted over them.
Cables
Network cable categories used today:
copper, fiber optic
the most common material of networking cable
copper. Made of many pairs of copper wires inside a plastic insulator.
computers communicate in:
binary.
How does a sending device communicate binary data across copper wires?
It changes the voltage between two ranges. The system at the receiving end interprets these voltage changes as binary, which can be translated into different forms of data.
What are the most common forms of copper twisted-pair cables in networking?
Cat5, Cat5e, and Cat6 cables.
What is the most modern twisted pair copper cable standard?
cat8
what does cat stand for?
category
What are differences in characteristics between different categories of copper cables?
Number of twists in the pair of copper wires that result in different usable lengths and transfer rates. They visually look very similar, from the outside and inside. Differences in how the twisted pairs are arranged inside the cables can drastically alter how fast data can be sent across them and how resistant these signals are to outside interference.
Why have cat5e replaced older cat5 cables?
their internals reduce crosstalk
Describe cat3 cable appearance
Left: green and white, middle yellow and white, right blue and white.
Describe cat5 cabling appearance
left to right:
yellow white, green white, blue white, burgundy white
describe cat5e appearance
left to right:
black white, black white, dark grey light grey, dark grey light grey
Well, the only way to really tell is to look at the cable jacket. inside, these are twisted more tightly than Cat5.
Has stranded and solid cabling.
stranded cabling:
several thin strands of copper wiring, giving it a flexible property that allows it to function when bent out of shape. Lower performance.
solid cabling
rigid copper wiring that can only be bent so much before it begins to break. Offers greater performance across larger distances in comparison to stranded cabling.
describe cat 6 cabling
thicker copper wires, have a star filler, also known as a cross filler, splines, separator, crossweb, which is a plastic insert. It protects the conductors from external factors. Made from materials like aramid or fiberglass.
cat 6a physical appearance
thicker sheath, tighter wind than 6.
cat 7 physical appearance
double shielded twisted pairs, individually.
Cat8 physical appearance
individually shielded pairs, same coloration as other cabling.
Crosstalk
when an electrical pulse on one wire is accidentally detected on another wire. The receiving end then can’t understand the data, and a network error occurs.
Do cat 6 have a longer or shorter maximum distance than cat5e when used at higher speeds?
shorter, due to their internal arrangement.
Fiber cables
contain individual optical fibers, which are tiny tubes made of glass about the width of a human hair.
How do fiber optic cables communicate data?
pulses of light
What sort of cabling is good for environments with a lot of electromagnetic interference from outside sources?
Fiber optic cabling, because interference can impact data being sent across copper wires.
Which is generally faster, fiber or copper?
fiber
which cabling is more expensive and fragile, fiber or copper?
fiber
Which kind of cable can transport data over longer distances without suffering potential data loss, fiber or copper?
fiber
where am I more likely to run into fiber cables?
computer data centers, though this is probably changing as networking standards are updating and infrastructure for fiber optic is becoming more widespread in residential areas.
