Although there have been huge advances in wireless networks in the last few years, many companies continue to use physical cables to interconnect the various devices making up their network. There are several different types of network cables and those who offer network cabling services in NYC know the intended use of each.
Co-axial:
Co-axial cables are best known as the connection between an antenna and incoming cable to a TV set. Co-ax cable was developed many years ago and for years was the standard for 10 Mbps Ethernet arrangements. During the 1980s and 90s, 10 Mbps Ethernet was quite popular. Co-ax cable consists of a copper inner core, this core can be solid or stranded and of various cross sectional areas. The core is surrounded by insulation and then an outer shield. Co-ax cable is stiff and causes problems to those who maintain and install systems using co-ax.
Twisted pair:
Twisted pair cables came into being in the 1990s and rapidly became the standard for Ethernet, beginning with 10 Mbps and then followed by 100 Mbps and now up to 10 Gbps. To minimize electronic interference, twisted pair cables contain 8 wires which are wound together. The industry standard for twisted pair cables are shielded (STP) and unshielded (UTP). Modern Ethernet systems use UTP cable as it is less expensive.
Fiber optics:
Those who provide network cabling services in NYC are finding more and more applications for fiber optic cable. In this case, instead of a copper core to transmit electrical signals, fiber optic cable transmits light over strands of glass. These cables are used in wide area networks because they can withstand long runs without the need for intermediate repeaters. These cable are used in large installations where a great deal of communication traffic is expected.
USB cable:
Universal serial bus (USB) cables are used to connect a computer to a peripheral device which can be a printer, external drive, mouse, keyboard, etc. These cables are not used to interconnect computers.
Serial and parallel cables are rarely seen any more and if they are they are used for PC to PC networking. In lieu of these obsolete cables, crossover cables are often used to connect two PCs or multiple network switches. These crossover cables are also losing favor; most installations are now using routers that have crossover capability built in.
If you are setting up a new network using cable then you are invited to contact Reliable Voice & Date Systems, Inc. who provides network cabling services in NYC.
