Cables

What are the T568A and T568B standards used for

To define pinpoint configuration for RJ45 connectors and specify pin assignments for the eight wires in a twisted pair

What is coaxial cabling

A single copper conductor surrounded by insulation and shielding used to transmit broadband cable internet and television

What are STP’s features and applications

1. Enhanced shielding

2. Underground network infrastructure

3. Water and chemical resistance

4. Outdoor network infrastructure

5. Durable outer jacket

Why are cables twisted around each other

To reduce interference with other wires inside the cable

Characteristics of UTP cabling

1. Used in Ethernet networks and telephone systems

2. Low cost and easy installation

3. Installed with RJ45 connectors

4. Twisted pair copper cabling

What is plenum space

Enclosed space in a building used for air handling that require wires to be plenum rated with a fire redundant jacket

Features of single-mode fiber optics

1. higher cost

2. long distance >100 km

3. laser light source

Features of multi-mode fiber optics

1. short distance - 2 km

2. less expensive

3. LED light source

USB 2.0 features

1. 480 Mbps max transfer rate

2. 5 meter max cable length

USB 3.0 features

1. Backward compatibility

2. 5 Gbps data transfer rate

3. SuperSpeed USB

4. 3 meter cable length

USB 3.1 features

1. 10 Gbps max transfer rate

2. 3 meter cable length

USB 3.2 features

1. 20 Gbps max transfer rate

2. 3 meter cable length

What is an older serial cable used for modems, printers, mice, and other peripherals

RS-232

Thunderbolt 1

1. Two 10 Gbps data channels

2. One used per task

3. 3 meter copper cable

Thunderbolt 2

1. One 20 Gbps connection

2. High bandwidth at full capacity

3. 3 meter copper cable

Thunderbolt 3

1. 40 Gbps max transfer rate

2. 3 meter copper cable

Fiber-optic Thunderbolt length

60 meters

Standard video connections

1. DVI

2. DisplayPort

3. HDMI

4. VGA

Connections that transmit both video and audio data

1. DVI

2. HDMI

3. DisplayPort

HDMI signal characteristics

1. Digital

2. Video and audio

DisplayPort capabilities

Digital audio/video

DVI verisons

1. DVI-A

   1. Analog only

2. DVI-D

   1. Digital only

3. DVI-I

   1. Both

VGA characteristics

1. Analog

2. Video

What is USB-C alt mode

Alt mode is where you use a USB-C cable to deliver video to external displays through the use of an adapter or cable

Characteristics of SATA I

1. 1.5 Gbps transfer rate

2. 1 meter max cable length

SATA interface connector specification

15 pin connector (power)

7 pin connector (data)

SATA II

1. 3 Gbps transfer rate

2. 1 meter max cable length

How many devices can be connected with 1 SATA cable

1 device

SATA III characteristics

1. 6 GPS transfer rate

2. 1 meter max cable length

eSATA characteristics

1. Hot swapable

2. 2 meter max cable length

3. External connection for storage

4. 6 Gbps transfer rate

Cable adapter functionality

Connector form factor adjustment

RJ11 connector applications

1. Telephone equipment

2. Dial-up networking

3. Twisted-pair copper cabling

RJ45 connector uses

1. Twisted-pair copper cabling

2. Ethernet network cabling

F-type connector features

1. Threaded connector

2. Satellite/cable TV, broadband Internet connections (modems)

3. Coaxial cabling

ST fiber-optic connector characteristics

1. Bayonet twist-and-lock mechanism

2. Large cylindrical shape

3. Common in older networks and multimode fiber

SC fiber-optic connector features

1. Widely used in datacom and telecom applications

2. Push-pull locking mechanism

LC fiber-optic connector features

1. Latch locking mechanism similar to RJ-45

2. Common in high-density network environments like data centers

3. Small form factor

What is a punchdown block

A termination device that secures individual wires directly onto metal contacts to perform permanent, solderless connections

Non-reversible connectors found on older mobile devices

Mini USB and Micro USB

USB-C connector characteristics

1. Symmetrical connector design

2. Bi-directional power and data transfer

3. Video output capabilities

4. High data transfer speeds

What is a Molex connector

Most common connector type used for providing power to various hardware components in a computer case

What is Apple’s proprietary 8-pin connector

Lightning

What is a DB-9 connector

A serial communication copper connector often found in older Cs, networking equipment, and industrial hardware