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Lesson 2 - Cable Types
Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cable was one of the first types of cable used in data networks and LANs. Coaxial cable used in LAN installations was designed to support Ethernet-type networks, permit high data rates, and provide extra protection from electrical interference. Coaxial cable is more expensive and generally harder to install than other types of cables. The Coaxial Cable Diagram illustrates this common cable type. There are two primary options for coaxial cabling: 10Base2 and 10Base5. 10Base2 is the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standard for 10 Mbps baseband Ethernet over thin, RG-58 type coaxial cable. The maximum distance for this standard is 185 meters (m). 10Base2 is also referred to as "Thinnet," "ThinLAN," and "Cheapernet." 10Base2 (or Thinnet) uses twist-on connectors called BNC connectors to attach to devices. Each attached device uses a T-connector to attach to the main cable. The first and final T-connectors in the series include a 50 ohm terminating resistor to eliminate reflected signals on the unterminated cable. The final T-connector in the series includes a termination plug. In most 10Base2 implementations, the NIC contains the transceiver functions. 10Base5 is the IEEE standard for 10 Mbps baseband Ethernet over thick, RG-8 type coaxial cable. The maximum distance for this type of cable is 500 m. 10Base5 is also called "Thicknet" and "Yellow Wire." Each attached device uses a transceiver to tap into the main cable. This type of cable is used as the backbone media in older Ethernet networks. The transceiver in 10Base5 networks connects to the computer's NIC by means of a separate transceiver cable.
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