Cables

Cables - connect different devices to each other, allowing data to be transmitted over them

• Copper - copper wires inside plastic insulators; Crosstalk - when an electrical pulse on one wire is accidentally detected on another wire
  • Cat 3
  • Cat 5
  • Cat 5e - less likely for data to need retransmitting
  • Cat 6 - transfer data faster and more reliable; shorter max distance
  • Cat 6a
  • Cat 7
• Fiber - contain individual optical fibers, which are tiny tubes made out of glass about the width of a human hair
  • uses pulses of light
  • can transport data over longer distances without losing reliability