This note is about Cable and its classification

1. Notes On
‘Network Cable Types and Specifications’
Submitted to
Pranab Bandhu Nath
Senior Lecturer
Dept. Of CSE
City University
Submitted by
Md. Mizanur Rahman
1834902576
49th

2. We need to use cable to connect two or more networking devices . There are three
kinds of network cables. They are:
 Coaxial Cable
 Twisted-pair
 Fiber-optic
Coaxial Cable:
Coaxial cable is a common type of cable used for transmitting data over long
distances. It can carry either an analog or digital signal.
This cable is made by a conductor, insulator, braiding, and sheath. The sheath
covers the braiding, the braiding covers the insulation, and the insulation covers
the conductor.
 Sheath: This is the outer layer of the coaxial cable. It protects the cable from
physical damage.
 Braided Shield: This shield protects signals from external environment and
noise. This shield is built from the same metal that is used to build the core.
 Insulation: Insulation protects the core. It keeps the core separate from the
braided shield. As both the core and the braided shield use the same metal,
without this layer, they will touch each other and create a short-circuit in the
wire.
 Conductor: The conductor carries electromagnetic signals.

3. Based on conductor a coaxial cable can be categorized into two
types;
 Single-core coaxial cable
 Multi-core coaxial cable.
Single Core Coaxial cable: A single-core coaxial cable uses a single central
metal (usually copper) conductor.
Multi Core Coaxial Cable: A multi-core coaxial cable uses multiple thin
strands of metal wires.
Specifications Of Coaxial Cable:
RG-6: Used in cable network to provide cable Internet service and cable TV over
long distances.
RG-8: This cable was used as the backbone cable in the bus topology in early
computer.
RG-58: This cable is thinner, easier to handle and install than the RG-8 cable.
This cable was used to connect a system with the backbone cable
RG-59: Used in cable networks to provide short-distance service.
Twisted Pair Cable:
This cable consists of color-coded pairs of insulated copper wires. Every two wires
are twisted around each other to form pair. Usually, there are four pairs. Each pair
has one solid color and one stripped color wire. Solid colors are blue, brown,
green, and orange. In stripped color, the solid color is mixed with the white color.
This cable is also known as Ethernet cable.

4. Based on how pairs are stripped in the plastic sheath, there are two
types of twisted-pair cable:
 UTP
 STP
UTP(Unshielded Twisted Pair): All pairs are wrapped in a single plastic
sheath.
STP(Shielded Twisted Pair): Each pair is wrapped with an additional metal
shield, then all pairs are wrapped in a single outer plastic sheath.

5. Difference Between STP and UTP:
UTP STP
1.
UTP stands for Unshielded
twisted pair.
STP stands for Shielded twisted
pair.
2.
In UTP grounding cable is not
necessary.
In STP grounding cable is
required.
3. Data rate in UTP is slow Data rate in STP is high.
4. Cost is less While STP is costlier than UTP.
5.
In UTP much more maintenance
are not needed.
While in STP much more
maintenance are needed.
6. In UTP noise is high While in STP noise is less.
 Both UTP and STP transmit data at 10mbps, 100mbps, 10gbps and
100gbps
 They use same register jack Rj-45
Specification Of twisted Pair Cable:
Cat 1: This cable contains only two pairs (4 wires). This cable was used in the
telephone network for voice transmission.
Cat 2: This cable and all further cables have a minimum of 8 wires (4 pairs). This
cable was used in the token-ring network.
Cat 3: This is the first Ethernet cable that was used in LAN networks.
Cat 4: This cable was used in advanced (fast) LAN networks.

6. Fiber optic cable:
This cable consists of a core, cladding, buffer, and jacket. The core is made from
thin strands of glass or plastic that can carry data over a long distance. The core is
wrapped in the cladding; the cladding is wrapped in the buffer, and the buffer is
wrapped in the jacket.
 Core carries the data signals in the form of light.
 Cladding reflects light back to the core.
 Buffer protects the light from leaking.
 The jacket protects the cable from physical damage.
This cable can transmit data over a long distance at the highest speed. It can
transmit data up to 40 kilometers at the speed of 100Gbps.
Based on how many beams of light are transmitted at a given time,
there are two types of fiber optical cable:
 SMF
 MMF

7. SMF(Single Mode Fiber) optical cable:
This cable carries only a single beam of light. This is more reliable and supports
much higher bandwidth and longer distances than the MMF cable. This cable uses
a laser as the light source and transmits 1300 or 1550 nano-meter wavelengths of
light.
MMF(Multi-Mode Fiber) optical cable:
This cable carries multiple beams of light. Because of multiple beams, this cable
carries much more data than the SMF cable. This cable is used for shorter
distances. This cable uses an LED as the light source and transmits 850 or 1300
nano-meter wavelengths of light.
Straight through Crossover
Straight-through cable is a type of CAT5 with RJ-45
connectors at each end, and each has the same pin out.
A Crossover cable is a type of CAT where
one end isT568A configuration, and the other
end as T568B Configuration.
It is one of the most commonly used cable formats for network
cables.
It is used only for certain applications.
Itconnects a computer with a cable or DSL modem's LAN port.
It connects with a router's LAN port
with switch/hub normal port.
straight-through cable should use when someone
wants to connect two devices of different types.
crossover cable should use when someone
wants to connect two devices of the same type.
It helps one to connect a router's WAN port to a cable or DSL
modem's LAN port.
one can connect two switches/hubs by using the
normal port in both switches/hubs.
Straight-through cables are mainly used for connecting, unlike
devices.
While crossover cables are mostly used for
connecting like devices.
Difference between Broadband and Baseband Transmission:
No Baseband Transmission Broadband Transmission
1 In baseband transmission, the type of
signaling used is digital.
In broadband transmission, the type
of signaling used is analog.
2 Baseband Transmission is
bidirectional in nature.
Broadband Transmission is
unidirectional in nature.

8. 3
Signals can only travel over short
distances.
Signals can be travelled over long
distances without being attenuated.
4. It works well with bus topology.
It is used with a bus as well as tree
topology.
Difference Between Twisted pair cable, Co-axial cable and Optical
fiber cable:
Coaxial cable Twisted pair cable Optical Fiber cable
Takes place in the
electrical form over the
metallic conducting
wires.
Takes place in the
electrical form over the
metallic conducting
wires.
Takes place in an optical
form over a glass fiber.
Moderately high
bandwidth
Low bandwidth Very high bandwidth
Fairy easy installation Easy Installation Difficult Installation
Moderately high data rate Low data Rate Very High data rate
Higher noise immunity Low noise immunity Highest noise immunity
Reference:
https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/
www.computernetworkingnotes.com
www.techdifferences.com
www.guru99.com