Skip to main content

Which Ethernet Cables Suits Your Home the Best

 A key component in any wired home network is - wires! More precisely, cables. When it comes to home, Twisted-pair Ethernet cable is the most common type of home network wiring used today. Twisted-pair Ethernet cables are useful to connect:

  • DSL routers or modems to hubs or switches
  • DSL routers or modems to wireless access points
  • DSL routers or modems to computers
  • Computers to hubs or switches
  • Other devices (like network printers) to computers, switches, or hubs

What is the difference between a wire and a cable? A wire is a single conductor that can be solid or stranded. Two or more insulated wires grouped in a sleeve or jacket form a cable. While purchasing network cables, you will probably need Cat5e cables or Cat6 cables, UTP straight-through Ethernet cable with RJ (registered jack)45 connectors.

Types of Ethernet Cables and Connectors


1. Twisted Pairs and RJ-45 Connectors

Twisted-pair Ethernet cables include eight copper insulated wires in a plastic sleeve. Out of which, two wires are twisted together in a pair for a total of four pairs. Then these four pairs are twisted together to form the cable. The twists and pairs affect specific performance characteristics of the cable like crosstalk, electromagnetic interference (EMI), and attenuation.

Crosstalk takes place when an electrical signal transmitted over one wire negatively affects the electrical signal transmitted over another wire. Attenuation is when there is a gradual loss of intensity of an electrical signal as it travels through the wire. EMI is a noise or unwanted electrical signals generated between the wires by the various electrical signals transmitted.

A clear plastic jack, an RJ-45 connector, is present on both the ends of the twisted-pair Ethernet cable. An RJ-45 connector looks very similar to a telephone jack (which is known as an RJ-11 connector).

2. Twisted-pair Ethernet cable with RJ-45 Connectors

It has common names - Ethernet, UTP cable, or Cat5. Ethernet is a signaling and wiring standard covering many cabling technologies; Cat5 is one of the several available categories, and UTP is one of the possible types.

Categories of Twisted-Pair Ethernet Cables

There are various categories of twisted-pair cabling, but only three are commonly useful for Ethernet networks:

  • Cat5 Cables

Supports speed up to 100 Mbps at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet.

  • Cat 5e Cables

Supports speeds up to or 1 Gbps at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet.

  • Cat6 Cables

Supports speeds up to 1 Gbps at 250 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 295 feet (90 meters).

Unshielded Versus Shielded Cables


Twisted-pair Ethernet cabling can also be unshielded (standard) or shielded (not so common). The unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) cabling can be useful in both large enterprise networks as well as small home networks. It is relatively inexpensive and more flexible than shielded twisted-pair (STP) cabling.

STP cabling is expensive and less pliable than UTP cabling. It is useful in industrial environments and other noisy environments prone to high electromagnetic interference (EMI). The individual pair of wires in STP cables are wrapped in foil or another metal shielding. And the outer metal shielding may also cover the entire group of twisted pairs.

3. Straight-Through Versus Crossover Cables

In most cases, you will use straight-through twisted-pair Ethernet cables to connect the devices on your network. Sometimes, crossover cables are necessary to connect two computers together directly (if one of them has a network adapter that is more than a few years old), to connect very cheap (or old) network switches that do not have an uplink port, or to connect some types of specialized network devices.

The difference between a straight-through and crossover cable is subtle but essential. Two of the four pairs in a crossover cable are attached to the RJ-45 connector in a different order than in a straight-through cable, such that the transmitting and receiving wires are reversed.

Length and Color of Networking Cables


When choosing cables for your network, you need to consider length and color:

  • Length: Twisted-pair Ethernet cable comes in standard lengths - 3, 5, 7, and 10 feet. Longer lengths than these are available, and you can also have custom cable lengths made. How can you find out which length of cables you require? You need to measure the distance between your different network devices and your network switch or router. Do not forget to include enough length to run cables along the walls, under rugs, as necessary.
  • Color: Twisted-pair Ethernet cable comes in all varieties of colors. Blue is possibly the most common, but you can also consider white, gray, or any other color that does not clash with your walls and carpet. And you might want to stick with a single color for all the cables on your network. This decision is purely based on your individual tastes and preferences.

Conclusion


I hope this article helped you to decide which ethernet cables are perfect for your home. Make sure it fulfills your requirements and purposes. The length and the speed are the primary factors to take into consideration while choosing the ethernet cables for your home.

Source:https://sfcable4seo.wixsite.com/sfcable/single-post/which-ethernet-cables-suits-your-home-the-best 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the Difference between C13 and C15 Power Cords?

There is an array of power cords available in the market. It can get quite perplexing to choose the one that will fit your needs. In order to know more about them, you must have more information about these cords. This article will acquaint you with   IEC C13   and   IEC C15   power cords   and how they are different from each other. But before that, let us understand what IEC is. IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission. Every cord is standardized by IEC before it is introduced in the market. These cords use the letter “C” which is followed by the number in their cords. Let’s get back to understanding the difference between IEC-C13 and C15 connectors. Some of them are mentioned below. Difference of a Notch One of the most apparent differences between the two connectors is the notch on C15 connector. Although C15 looks quite similar to C13, it has a little groove opposite the earth. The IEC-C15 connectors also work in the C14 outlets. B...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to Connect Tablet to External Monitor or Flat-screen TV Using Computer Adapters?

Tablets have numerous use cases. They have brought a radical change in the user experiences with larger display as compared to smartphones. You can enjoy videos and movies more on tablets as compared to smartphones. But, what if you are craving for a bigger screen? What if you want to view videos or movies on a screen that is larger than a tablet? Well, grab your popcorn and tie your seatbelts as you can enhance the multimedia experience by connecting tablet to an external monitor or a flat-screen TV. Watch movies the way you watch them in theatre. And what gives you a better viewing experience?  Computer adapters . Here is a brief yet step-by-step guide to enable you to connect tablet to a larger screen: Check Your Tablet’s Ports Firstly, take a close look at the tablet’s ports. It is necessary because the ports of the tablets have started advancing with every passing year. Traditionally, tablets had just video ports. Now, the new tablets have USB-C or USB Type-C ports. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Right Way to Use Power Strips

When was the last time you actually checked details on an electronic item and made sure to plug it into the right socket? We are quite cavalier with how we handle our gadgets, using any cable that comes our way, buying cheap replacements for original chargers and data transfer cables. Certain power plugs come in different sizes, which automatically make them impossible to plug into a standard socket. However, it can get confusing if the plug actually fits the average socket. One of the most valuable electronic items we have in our house these days is a power strip. It gives us the required sockets to support the ever-expanding collection of gadgets. They are convenient for two reasons, one being that you can have more sockets in place of one wall socket, and the other being portability. The portability of such strips also makes it useful outside the house. Traveling: If you are traveling (ideally within the country), you can carry a power strip along for q...
Post a Comment
Read more