Untitled Flashcards Set

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)

A type of copper network cabling that consists of pairs of wires twisted together to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) without additional shielding. Commonly used in Ethernet networks due to its flexibility and cost-effectiveness.

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)

Similar to UTP but includes an additional shielding (foil or braid) around the twisted pairs to protect against EMI and crosstalk. Used in environments with high levels of interference.

Cat 5

Category 5 UTP cable capable of supporting data rates up to 100 Mbps over distances up to 100 meters. Used for 100BASE-TX Ethernet networks.

Cat 5e

Enhanced Category 5 cable that supports data rates up to 1 Gbps (Gigabit Ethernet) over distances up to 100 meters. Offers reduced crosstalk and improved performance over Cat 5.

Cat 6

UTP cable supporting data rates up to 1 Gbps over 100 meters and up to 10 Gbps over shorter distances (up to 55 meters). Offers stricter performance specifications and reduced crosstalk.

Cat 6a

Augmented Category 6 cable supporting data rates up to 10 Gbps over the full 100 meters. Provides better shielding and reduced interference than Cat 6.

Coaxial Cable

A type of cable with a central conductor surrounded by an insulating layer, a metallic shield, and an outer protective layer. Used for cable television (CATV), broadband internet, and CCTV systems.

Direct Burial Cable

Cabling designed for outdoor underground installation without additional conduit. Built to withstand moisture, temperature changes, and soil acidity.

Plenum Cable

Cable rated for installation in plenum spaces (areas used for air circulation in buildings). Made with fire-retardant materials that produce less smoke and toxic fumes in case of fire.

Optical Fiber Cable

Cable that transmits data as pulses of light through strands of glass or plastic fibers. Immune to electromagnetic interference and capable of supporting high bandwidth over long distances.

T568A/T568B Wiring Standards

Standards specifying the pin assignments (wire color codes) for terminating UTP cables with RJ45 connectors. T568A and T568B differ in the arrangement of the wire pairs. Consistent use is essential to avoid wiring errors.

USB 2.0

Universal Serial Bus standard supporting data transfer rates up to 480 Mbps. Commonly uses Type-A and Type-B connectors, including Mini-B and Micro-B for smaller devices.

USB 3.0

USB standard supporting data transfer rates up to 5 Gbps (SuperSpeed). Introduces new connectors with additional pins while maintaining backward compatibility with USB 2.0.

Serial Cable

A cable used to connect serial devices, transmitting data one bit at a time. Often uses DB9 connectors and is used for legacy devices like modems and network equipment.

Thunderbolt

High-speed interface developed by Intel and Apple. Combines PCI Express and DisplayPort into a serial data interface that can transmit data, video, and power over a single cable. Thunderbolt 3 uses USB-C connectors.

High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)

A digital video and audio interface commonly used for connecting monitors, TVs, and projectors. Supports high-definition video and multi-channel audio over a single cable.

DisplayPort

A digital display interface used to connect a video source to a display device. Supports high resolutions, high refresh rates, and multiple monitors from a single port.

Digital Visual Interface (DVI)

An older video interface supporting digital and analog signals. Comes in several types (DVI-D, DVI-A, DVI-I) and is used to connect monitors to computers.

Video Graphics Array (VGA)

An analog video interface using a 15-pin connector. Used to connect older monitors and projectors. Supports lower resolutions compared to digital interfaces.

Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)

Standard interface for connecting storage devices like hard drives and solid-state drives in computers. Uses a 7-pin data connector and a separate 15-pin power connector.

Small Computer System Interface (SCSI)

A set of standards for connecting and transferring data between computers and peripheral devices. Used mainly in servers and high-end workstations for storage interfaces.

External SATA (eSATA)

An external interface for SATA technologies, allowing SATA drives to be connected externally. Provides high-speed data transfer similar to internal SATA connections.

Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE)

An older standard interface for connecting storage devices. Uses a 40-pin ribbon cable and supports up to two devices per channel (drive 0 and drive 1).

Adapter

A device that allows different connector types or interfaces to be connected together. Examples include HDMI to VGA adapters, USB to Ethernet adapters, and Lightning to USB adapters.

RJ11

A 6-position connector using 2 or 4 wires, commonly used for telephone lines and modems.

RJ45

An 8-position, 8-contact (8P8C) connector used primarily for Ethernet networking with UTP or STP cabling.

F-Type Connector

A screw-on connector used with coaxial cables for cable TV, satellite TV, and cable modems.

Straight Tip (ST) Connector

A fiber optic connector using a bayonet-style twist and lock mechanism. Commonly used with multi-mode fiber.

Subscriber Connector (SC)

A fiber optic connector with a push-pull design. Used for both single-mode and multi-mode fiber connections.

Lucent Connector (LC)

A small form factor fiber optic connector with a retaining tab mechanism, allowing for higher port densities.

Punchdown Block

A type of connection block used in telecommunications cabling to terminate and manage wire connections. Wires are 'punched down' into slots using a specialized tool.

MicroUSB

A smaller USB connector used for connecting compact and mobile devices like smartphones and tablets before the widespread adoption of USB-C.

MiniUSB

An earlier small USB connector used for portable devices like digital cameras and older smartphones. Larger than MicroUSB.

USB-C

A reversible USB connector that supports high-speed data transfer, video output, and power delivery. Becoming the universal standard for modern devices.

Molex Connector

A 4-pin power connector used inside PCs to supply power to internal drives like hard drives, optical drives, and other peripherals. Provides 5V and 12V power.

Lightning Port

A proprietary connector used by Apple devices like iPhones and iPads for charging and data transfer. Features a reversible design.

DB9 Connector

A 9-pin D-subminiature connector used for serial data transmission, commonly used for RS-232 connections and serial communication with networking equipment.