3.2 Cable Types, their connectors & purposes/features

Plenum Area

space in a building where there is adequate open air flow

Plenum Cables

• must be more fire resistant

• must not produce toxic fumes when burned

Fiber Optic Cable

uses pulses of light to send data

Single Mode Fiber

allows light to enter only at a single angle

Multi-mode Fiber

light reflects off the walls of the cable (made for short distances)

RJ-11

4 wire connector used mainly to connect telephone equipment

• connects computers to LAN through Modem

• looks like RJ45 but smaller

RJ-45

• most common network connector

• 8 Pin connector

• connects computers & other network devices in a LAN

• UTP cable

What cable types support Daisy chain connections?

• Thunderbolt

• DisplayPort

Unshielded Twisted Pair (USTP)

• 4 pairs of color coded wires twisted around each other

• the wires are twisted to prevent crosstalk

Crosstalk

electromagnetic interference

Shielded Twisted Pair Cables (STP)

• a foil shield covers the wires

• foil shield adds a layer of protection again cross talk leaking into and out of the cable

Direct Burial Shielded Twisted Pair

• heavy duty networking cables that are designed to be buried underground

Twisted Pair Cable Categories

3

5

5e

6

6a

7

8

Category 3 Speed

10 Mbps

Category 5

100 Mbps

Category 5e Speed

1 Gbps

Category 6 Speed

1 Gbps

Category 6a Speed

1 Gbps

Category 7 Speed

10 Gbps

Category 8 Speed

40 Gbps

Coaxial Cable RG-6

made for long distances and commonly used for cable television and internet connection

Coaxial Cable RG-59

made for short distances and generally used for HD/HQ video

F-Type Connector

threaded connector typically used on coaxial cables

• primarily used by cable provider to attach to cable modems

SC Connector

• fiber optic connector

• called standard, square, or subscriber connector

• pull-pull connector similar to audio and video plugs

• commonly used between floors in buildings

LC Connector

• called a local connector or Lucent connector

• designed to compete with SC connector

• half the size of SC connector

• similar locking mechanism as RJ-45

ST Connector

• fiber optic connector that uses a half-twist bayonet type of lock

• large size connector developed by AT&T

Punch-down Block

• a terminal block where wires are inserted

• the wires are punched down into slotted metal contacts with a punch-down tool

Video Graphics Array (VGA)

• has 15 pins divided into 3 rows

• carries only analog data

• has a blue color

Digital Visual Interface (DVI)

• an older computer video connection designed to transmit high-quality digital video to a monitor, does not carry sound

DVI-A

sends analog signals only

DVI-D

sends digital signals only

DVI-I

sends both analog and digital signals

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI)

• designed for transmitting uncompressed video and audio through a single cable

DisplayPort

can carry video, USB, and audio data

Thunderbolt

high speed technology interface that outputs one serial signal from a combination of PCI Express and the Display port

• used for video and peripherals

USB 1.0 Speed

1.5 Mbit/s

USB 1.1

12 Mbit/s

USB 2.0

480 Mbit/s

USB 3.0 Speed

5 Gbit/s

Molex

an older connector that is used to supply power to older hard drives and optical drives

HDMI

DisplayPort

DVI

VGA

USB-C

RJ11

RJ45

Straight Tip (ST)

Subscriber Connector (SC)

Lucent Connector (LC)

Punch-down Block

MicroUSB

Mini USB

Molex

Lightning Cable

DB9