When connecting computers in a network via cabling, there are substantially different choices as to which cable will provide best for the needs of the network. Try to consider the following questions when choosing a cable to connect a network.

Is my network going to need the extra bandwidth associated with networking cables like Fiber Optics, or can I live with plain twisted-pair cable?

How far will my network need to go?

Do I have to deal with special issues such as ceilings or underground cabling?

    By answering these questions before installing the cabling, you can assert the correct type of cabling required for your installation. Well, before we go any farther, let me discuss some of the different types of cabling available for networking use.

Coaxial Cable

    The first type of networking cable in use is coaxial cable. Coaxial cable consists of a copper wire surrounded by a shield to protect it from interference. There are two main types of coaxial cable for networking: THINNET and THICKNET. THINNET is mostly used for smaller networks and cannot hold as much bandwidth as THICKNET.

Twisted-Pair Cabling

    The second, and most widely used for small networks, is called twisted-pair cabling. Instead of only having one wire transmitting data, twisted pair cables offer up to four sets of two twisted wires around each other. The twisting of the wires helps to eliminate crosstalk, interference from one cable to the next. Depending on the given cable, the bandwidth supported can be either 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, or 1 Gbps. The difference between cables having higher bandwidths are that more of the sets of twisted pairs are in use. Usually, twisted-pair cabling is connected by a plug called an RJ-45 jack. This jack is similar to a regular phone jack, an RJ-11 jack, but it is slightly wider to accommodate all of the eight wires. Usually twisted-pair cabling is classified as category 5 or category 6 for networking, although other categories do exist.

Fiber-Optic Cabling

    Finally, fiber-optic cabling is used for applications where high bandwidth and long range transmission are required. Whereas coaxial and twisted-pair cables are limited to a couple of hundred meters in length before the signal needs to be boosted, fiber-optic cables do not require attenuation, boosting, for up to two kilometers in most cases. The high distance that they can travel without amplification makes fiber-optic cabling useful for long-distance jobs. Fiber-optic cables use light to transmit data over long distances, and because of this, cannot be bent severely like other cabling can be. Also, fiber-optic cables have enormous amounts of bandwidth that may pass through them because of the small size of each of the lines that transmits data as light.

    These are the three main types of medium that one may choose from in order to build a network. Most networks in existence use one of these three cabling types in order to transmit data.