Types of Network Cabling

Written By Steve Bryan

For increased efficiency, many businesses and schools have set up computer networks to share data and computer resources. Because they act as the pipeline for data and the connection to the Internet, cables are perhaps the most essential element of a computer network. With so many types of network cabling, though, it's important to know the benefits of each type.

Setting up the data pipeline
The following are among the most common types of network cabling in use today:

Over the last few years, though, wireless technologies have become increasingly popular in both the home and office. With a wireless router, you can connect multiple computers to a printer or a high-speed modem, reducing the number of cables needed for the network cabling.

• Unshielded Twisted Pair: One of the more popular cables, an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) contains, as the name indicates, four pairs of wires, each of which are twisted together. Many UTP cables use what is known as a RJ-45 connector, which looks quite a bit like the cords that plug into standard telephone jacks.
  

  Unshielded twisted pair cables come in different categories, depending on your needs. Category 1, for instance, is good for voice-only applications such as telephone systems, but Category 5, 5e, and 6 are the most common in computer networks today – and Cat 6 is the recommended cable for fast data transfers.

• Shielded Twisted Pair: For increased protection against electrical interference, a shielded twisted pair cable contains additional insulation, which makes it a bit thicker than the UTP. A shielded twisted pair cable may take up a bit more room, but it does help keep the line noise and other interference down to a minimum.
• Coaxial: Anyone with cable or satellite television is familiar with coaxial cable, which uses a single copper cable surrounded by insulation. Invented in 1929, this type of network cabling is ideally suited for closed-circuit television transmission and streaming video.
  Coaxial cables are not as clean or glamorous as other types of network cabling, but they are standard, easy to replace and get the job done.
• Fiber Optics: Because computer networks need to process data at faster and faster rates, fiber optic cables are becoming increasingly popular. Hundreds of very fine glass or plastic fibers are bundled together, which are protected by a coating called the jacket. Light impulses then carry the data at high speeds with very little signal loss.
  

  Widely-used in the medical field, fiber optics can transmit larger volumes of data, making it the choice for growing companies.

Selecting the right types of network cabling
When setting up and maintaining a computer network, it's important to look at your needs when selecting the types of network cabling you need to use. Unshielded twisted pair cables can reliably serve a network for years, but if your company plans on expanding in the near future, investing in fiber optics makes good business sense.

While we can give you these general guidelines, the best bet for any network cabling project that will be used for critical business applications to hire a qualified cabling and wiring service. BuyerZone can help – we'll connect you to up to 5 qualified cabling providers in your area for free.