Cabling Standards,

Media, and
Connectors
Media Connectors
 All forms of network media need to be
physically attached to the networked
devices in some way.
 Media connectors provide the interface
between the cables and the devices to
which they attach.
RJ Connectors
 The connector you are most likely to encounter
on modern networks is the RJ-45 (registered
jack) connector.
 RJ-45 connectors bear a passing resemblance
to the familiar RJ-11 connectors used with
common telephone connections.
 The difference between the two connectors is
that the RJ-11 connector supports six wires,
whereas the RJ-45 network connector supports
eight. Both RJ-11 and RJ-45 connectors are
associated with twisted-pair cable.
F-Type Connectors
 F-Type connectors are used for attaching
coaxial cable to devices.
 F-Type connectors screw into place,
ensuring a firm contact between the cable
and device. Hand tightening is all that
should be required to make the contact,
and the use of tools such as pliers to
tighten connections is not recommended.
 Fiber Connectors
 Several types of
connectors are
associated with fiber-
optic cable. Which
one is used is
determined by the
fiber implementation.
 ST (straight tip) connectors are most commonly
used with singlemode fiber-optic cable that runs
long distances.
 The SC (standard connector) for example, SC
connectors might be used on either side of a
fiber backbone that runs between the floors of a
single building.
 The LC (local connector) is used for local
connections. This type of connector is generally
found on a fiber-optic patch cord that is used to
connect fiber-optic equipment within the network
closet itself.
 The MTRJ connector is one of the newest
designs for connecting fiber-optic cable. The
new connector is easier to use and smaller that
the older types of connectors.
Networking Media
 The term media is used because not all networks use
traditional cable. This term encompasses
 copper-based
 fiber-optic cable
 wireless
 Choosing the correct network media is an important
consideration because the media forms the foundation
for the entire network. This can be based on
 Interference
 Speed
 Max Length
 Security
 Installation and Repair ease
Media Interference
 As a data signal travels through a specific media, it may
be subjected to a type of interference known as
electromagnetic interference (EMI).
 Many different things cause EMI; common sources
include
 computer monitors
 fluorescent lighting
 speakers,
 basically anything that creates an electromagnetic field.
 If a network cable is too close to such devices, the signal
within the cable can become corrupted.
 Some network media are more susceptible than others to
the effects of EMI. Copper-based media are prone to EMI,
whereas fiber-optic cable is completely resistant to it.
Crosstalk
 Data signals may also be subjected to
something commonly referred to as crosstalk,
which occurs when signals from two cables in
close proximity to one another interfere with
each other.
 As a result, the signals on both cables may
become corrupted.
 When you're troubleshooting intermittent
network problems, it might be worth your time to
confirm that crosstalk or EMI is not at the root of
your problems.
Transmission Speed
 One of the more important media considerations is the
supported data transmission rate or speed.
 Transmission rates are normally measured by the
number of data bits that can traverse the media in a
single second.
 In the early days of data communications this
measurement was expressed as bits per second (bps),
but today's networks are measured in Mbps (megabits
per second) and Gbps (gigabits per second).
 a network that accommodates huge amounts of data ->
transmission rates are a crucial consideration.
 in small offices where they occasionally share files and maybe a
printer -> transmission rate is not a big issue.
Media Length
 Each media has a recommended maximum
length, and surpassing these recommendations
can cause unusual network problems that are
often difficult to troubleshoot.
 In some cases, the network simply will not work.
 Media have maximum lengths because a signal
weakens as it travels farther from its point of
origin. The weakening of data signals as they
traverse the media is referred to as attenuation.
 Copper-based media is susceptible to attenuation.
Some copper media, such as Shielded Twisted
Pair (STP) use a special shielding inside the cable,
which increases the distance the signal travels.
 Another strategy commonly employed to
compensate for attenuation is signal regeneration.
The cable itself does not perform the regeneration
process; rather, network devices such as switches
or repeaters handle signal regeneration. These
devices strengthen the signal as it passes, and in
doing so, they increase the distance the signal can
travel.
 Fiber-optic cable does not suffer from attenuation.
Instead, it suffers from a condition called
"chromatic dispersion." Chromatic dispersion
refers to the weakening of the light strength as it
travels over distance.
Secure Transmission
 Physical media provides a relatively secure
transmission medium, because to gain access to
the signal on the cable, a person must be able to
physically access it that is, he or she must be
able to tap into the cable.
 Fiber-optic cable is more secure than copper-
based media because the light transmissions
and glass or plastic construction make it
particularly hard to tap into. When it comes to
security, wireless media is the weakest.
Installation and Repair
 Some network media are easier to manage and
install than others. This might seem like a minor
consideration, but in real-world applications, it
can be important.
 For example, fiber-optic cable is far more
complex to install and troubleshoot than twisted-
pair (copper cable). It's so complicated, in fact,
that special tools and training are often needed
to install a fiber-optic based network.
Network Media
 Network media can be divided into two distinct
categories: cable and wireless, sometimes
referred to as bound and unbound media.
 Cable media come in three common types:
 twisted-pair,
 coaxial, and
 fiber-optic.

 Wireless media have another range.

Cable Media
 The most widely implemented media
 There are two types of cable media: copper and
glass/plastic.
 Copper-based cable is widely used to connect
LANs and wide area networks (WANs), and
optical cable, which uses glass or plastic, is
mainly used for large-scale network
implementations or over long distances.
Copper Media
 Copper is relatively inexpensive, easy to work
with, and well suited to the needs of the modern
network. There are two types of copper cables:
coax and twisted-pair cable.
 Twisted pair is divided into unshielded twisted
pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP).
UTP is the by far the most common
implementation of twisted-pair cable, and it is
used for both telephone systems and computer
networks.
UTP
 Insulated copper wires arranged in regular spiral pattern.
 The oldest, least expensive, and most commonly used
media
 reduce susceptibility to interference than straight pair
wires
 Highly susceptible to electrical noise, interference, and
‘tapping’ of the signal as compared to the other guided
media
 Arrangement of twisted pairs into group used for high-
speed (10-100 Mbps) LAN
 UTP is highly subjected to external electromagnetic
interference.
 made up of up to four twisted pairs enclosed in a plastic
jacket
STP
 STP, as its name implies, adds extra shielding
within the casing, so it copes with interference
and attenuation better than regular UTP.
 Shielded twisted-pair (STP) resembles UTP
except that it includes a foil shield that covers
the wires and adds another layer of protection
against outside magnetic interference.
 Because of this shielding, cable distances for
STP can be greater than for UTP; but,
unfortunately, the additional shielding also
makes STP considerably more costly than
regular UTP.
What's with the Twist?
 To reduce interference and attenuation, it was
discovered that twisting the wires within a cable
resulted in greater signal integrity than running
the wires parallel to one another.
 UTP cable is particularly susceptible to
crosstalk, and increasing the number of twists
per foot in the wire achieves greater resistance
against interference.
 The technique of twisting wires together is not
limited to network cable; some internal and
external SCSI cables employ a similar strategy.
 Categories of twisted-pair cable
 Category 1 - telephone cable.
 susceptible to interference and attenuation and low
bandwidth capability,
 not practical for network applications.
 Category 2 - capable of transmitting data up to
4Mbps.
 Still too slow for networks.
 Category 3 - capable of transmitting data up to
10Mbps. A few years ago, Category 3 was the
cable of choice for twisted-pair networks.
 Category 4 - has potential data throughput of
16Mbps.
 often implemented in the IBM Token Ring networks.
 Category 5 - capable of transmitting data at
100Mbps.
 thecable of choice on twisted-pair networks and is
associated with Fast Ethernet technologies.
 Category 5e - used on networks that run at up to
1000Mbps.
 can be used up to 350 meters, depending on the
implementation.
 Category 6 - High performance UTP cable
capable of transmitting data at over 1000Mbps.
 israted up to 550 meters depending on the
implementation.
 marginally more expensive than Category 5e cable.
Coaxial Cable
 Coaxial cable resembles standard TV cable and is
constructed using an outside insulation cover, braided
metal shielding, and a copper wire at the center. The
shielding and insulation help combat attenuation,
crosstalk, and EMI.
 Coaxial cable is rarely used anymore for network
backbones or to connect computers, but it is being used
today to connect cable modems to the cable provider’s
connection to provide a computer with a broadband
Internet connection.
 Two types of coax are used in networking: thin coax
and thick coax. Neither is particularly popular anymore,
but you are most likely to encounter thin coax.
Fiber-Optic Cable
 Unlike standard networking cables, which use electric
signals to send data transmissions, fiber uses light.
 As a result, fiber-optic transmissions are not susceptible to
EMI or crosstalk, giving fiber cable an obvious advantage
over copper-based media.
 In addition, fiber-optic cable is highly resistant to the signal
weakening, referred to as chromatic dispersion.
 Further advantages of fiber cable include the facts that it's
small in diameter, it's lightweight, and it offers significantly
faster transmission speeds than other cable media.
 So, why aren't all networks using fiber cable?
 The second drawback of fiber is that it can be more
complex to install than UTP. Creating custom lengths of
fiber-optic cable requires trained professionals and
specialized tools.
 A fiber-optic cable
consists of several
components, including
the optic core at the
center, an optic
cladding, insulation,
and an outer jacket.
The optic core is
responsible for
carrying the light signal
and is commonly
constructed of plastic
or glass.
 Single-mode and Multimode
 Two types of optical fiber are commonly available: single-
mode and multimode.
 Multimode fiber (MMF) has a larger core than single-mode.
This larger core allows hundreds of light rays to flow through
the fiber simultaneously.
 Single-mode fiber (SMF), on the other hand, has a small
core that allows only a single light beam to pass. The light
transmissions in single-mode fiber pass through the core in
a direct line, like a flashlight beam.
 The numerous light beams in multimode fiber bounce
around inside the core, inching toward their destination.
Because light beams bounce within the core, the light
beams slow down, reduce in strength, and take some time
to travel along the cable.
 For this reason, single-mode fiber's speed and distance are
superior to those of multimode.
 Single-mode fiber is used for long runs because it can
transmit data 50 times further than multimode fiber and
at a faster rate. For example, single-mode fiber might be
used on an organization’s corporate campus between
buildings.
 Multimode fiber provides high bandwidth at high speeds
over medium distances (up to about 3000 feet) but can
be inconsistent for very long runs.
Review
 Know and be able to recognize common
media types.
 Describe how common media types are used.
 Know the characteristics of different
Categories of twisted pair cable.
 List the characteristics of coaxial cable.
 Know the characteristics of single-mode &
multimode fiber.
Baseband Versus Broadband Signaling
 Two types of signaling methods are used to
transmit information over network media:
baseband and broadband.
 Baseband
 transmissions typically use digital signaling over a
single wire; the transmissions themselves take the
form of either electrical pulses or light.
 The digital signal occupies the entire bandwidth of the
network media to transmit a single data signal.
 communication is bidirectional, allowing computers to
both send and receive data using a single cable;
however, the sending and receiving cannot occur on
the same wire at the same time.
 uses Time-Division Multiplexing (TDM), which divides
a single channel into time slots.
 Broadband
 uses analog signals in the form of optical or
electromagnetic waves over multiple
transmission frequencies.
 for signals to be both sent and received, the
transmission media must be split into two
channels. Alternatively, two cables can be
used: one to send and one to receive
transmissions.
 multiple channels are created in a broadband
system by using a multiplexing technique
known as Frequency-Division Multiplexing
(FDM). FDM allows broadband media to
accommodate traffic going in different
directions on a single media at the same time.