What is an Ethernet Cable?

　　What is an Ethernet Cable?

　　An Ethernet cable or Network cable is a cord used to connect devices together on a Network to transfer broadband data. They are used for connecting a laptop or desktop PC to a router, modem, internet hub, or printer, or for connecting any other wired network-capable peripherals together.

　　How to Connect an Ethernet Cable to a Laptop

　　For this example, a laptop will be connected to the internet via an internet router modem. The Ethernet cable connector is first plugged into the Ethernet socket on the laptop or device's RJ45 socket (Registered Jack 45). The other end of the cable is plugged into the router modem.

　　Straight-Through Cable and Crossover Cable

　　• Straight-through cable is the most commonly used type - used to connect unlike devices together such as desktop PC to printer or games console to internet router

　　• Crossover cable - used to connect like devices such as laptops to laptops

　　Most modern devices auto-detect the cable type and configure accordingly, but it is worth noting that older devices may not have this capability.

　　What is an Ethernet Cable Used for?

　　Ethernet cables are used for connecting together devices for the transfer of broadband data. A hard-wired connection is made between devices known as a LAN (Local Area Network). This method of connection offers a more reliable and faster speed transfer rate than some alternatives such as Wi-Fi connections.

　　They can be used to connect portable devices like laptops, printers, and scanners. They can also be hard-wired into building structures to provide internet connection access from one room to another and throughout the whole building using Ethernet wall sockets.

　　Types and Categories of Ethernet Cable

　　Available in various categories ，Cat5 cables,Cat6 cables,, and Cat7 cables.Cat cable simply stands for Category of Cable. The Cat number ascends in order of cable speed and performance. The highest Cat number cables offer the fastest network traffic speed.

　　The cable construction contains 4 twisted pair cords sheathed with either a PVC jacket or an LSZH sheath. Shielding is applied to the twisted pairs by wrapping foil or twisted braid around them.

　　The types of cable available are:

　　• UTP - Unshielded Twisted Pair

　　• STP - Shielded Twisted Pair

　　• U/UTP - Unshielded cable, Unshielded Twisted Pair

　　• F/UTP - Foil shielded cable, Unshielded Twisted Pair

　　• U/FTP - Unshielded cable, Foil shielded Twisted Pair

　　• S/FTP - braided shielded cable, Foil shielded Twisted Pairs

　　TP is twisted pair, U is Unshielded, F is foil shielded and S is braided shielded.

　　Shielded Ethernet Cables

　　The benefits of using shielded cables are apparent when the cables are used in an environment where there is a lot of electrical noise present (EMI Electro-Magnetic Interference),or where there is a particularly long run.When installing Ethernet cables, it's advisable to separate them from power cables.

　　In such environments, interference finding its way to the twisted pair carrying important data is not desirable since it can interrupt and corrupt the data which in turn slows down the transfer of the data. The shielding reduces interference and noise permeating onto the internal cables resulting in a more reliable and faster data stream.

　　Shielding also reduces crosstalk. Crosstalk is where the unwanted signals from one twisted pair electromagnetically transfer to the adjacent pair causing internal interference and hence a reduction in performance and speed.