Chapter 3: Cabling and Topology Flashcards
What is a network topology?
The way that cables and other pieces of hardware connect to one another.
Describe a bus topology
- Wired
- Uses a single cable that connects all of the computers in a line
Describe a ring topology
- Wired
- Connects all computers on the network with a ring of cable.
Describe a star topology.
- Wired
- Uses a central connection box for all the computers on a network
Describe a hybrid topology.
- Wired
- Any form of networking technology that combines a physical topology with a signaling topology.
- Star-bus is the most popular.
Describe a mesh topology.
- Wireless
- Every computer connects to every other computer via two or more routes.
Describe a point-to-multipoint topology.
- Wireless
- A single system acts as a common source through which all members of the network converse
Describe a point-to-point topology.
- Wired or Wireless
- Two computers connecting directly
Which topology requires termination?
Bus
Star-bus is an example of a _______ topology.
hybrid
Which of the following is a duplex fiber-optic connection?
A) LC
B) RJ-45
C) ST
D) SC
A) LC
What is the most common category of UTP used in new cabling installations?
CAT 5e
In which two topologies does the entire network stop working if the cable breaks at any point?
Bus and ring
Which wired topology offers fault tolerance?
Star topologies offer fault tolerance, so if one of the cables breaks, all the other computers can still communicate.
What does logical topology refer to?
How signals travel electronically.
In a partially meshed topology…
At least two machines have redundant connections
In a fully meshed topology…
Every computer connects directly to every other computer.
What is a network technology?
A practical application of a topology and other critical technologies that provides a method to get data from one computer to another on a network.
What is EMI?
Electromagnetic Interference can affect data traveling across wires
What are the bayonet-style connectors called?
BNC connectors
What is the connector on coaxial cable called?
F-connector
What do we use to name coax cables?
Radio Grade (RG) ratings
What is the only important measurement of coax cabling?
It’s ohm rating, a relative measure of the resistance on the cable.
What is the most common coax cable used today?
RG-6
What does a barrel connector do?
Connects two coax cables
What is the purpose of the twists in cabling?
They reduce crosstalk. The more twists, the less crosstalk.
What is STP?
Shielded Twisted Pair cabling consists of twisted pairs of wires surounded by shielding to protect them from EMI.
What are CAT cables rated in?
Megahertz (MHz), indicating the highest frequency the cable can handle.
What is bandwidth?
The amount of data that can be transferred per second.
What is the max frequency and max bandwidth of
CAT 3?
16 MHz
16 Mbps
What is the max frequency and max bandwidth of
CAT 5?
100 MHz
100 Mbps
What is the max frequency and max bandwidth of
CAT 5e?
100 MHz
1000 Mbps
What is the max frequency and max bandwidth of
CAT 6?
250 MHz
10000 Mbps
What is the max frequency and max bandwidth of
CAT 6a?
500 MHz
10000 Mbps
What connectors do telephones use for twisted pair cabling?
RJ-11
What connectors do networks use for twisted pair cabling?
RJ-45
Describe Fiber-optic cable.
Fiber-optic cable transmits light rather than electricity, making it attractive for both high-EMI area and long-distance transmissions.
What are the four components of fiber-optic cables?
1) Core: The glass fiber itself
2) Cladding: The part that makes the light reflect down the fiber
3) Buffer: Material to give it strength.
4) Insulating Jacket
The designator to define fiber-optic cables is according to their ______ and ________ measurments.
Core, Cladding
What is MMF?
Multimode Fiber is a fiber-optic cable that uses LEDs.
What is SMF?
Single-mode fiber is a fiber-optic cable that uses lasers.
What is modal distortion?
When signals sent at the same time don’t arrive at the same time because the paths differ in length slightly. This only happens with Multimode Fiber.
Pneumonic for ST connector
“Straight Tip”
Pneumonic for SC connector
“Square Connector”
Pneumonic for LC connector
“Little Connector”
What is an FC connector?
A fiber optic connector you screw in.
What is the recommended standard upon which all serial communication takes place?
RS-232
What is a DB-9 connector?
- A 9-pin, male serial port
- Bandwidth of 56,000 bps
- Only works for point-to-point connections
What is the Polyvinyl Chloride fire rating?
- Has no significant fire protection
- If burned creates lots of smoke and noxious fumes
What is the Plenum fire rating?
- If burned creates much less smoke and fumes than PVC
- Costs about 3-5 times as much as PVC
What is the Riser fire rating?
-Designates the proper cabling to use for vertical runs between floors of a building.
