3.9. The Basics of Cabling, Wires, and Communications

Nothing happens in a network until data is moved from one place to another. Naturally, this requires some type of cable, wire, or transmission media. The following sections explore the realm of wiring from a technical and a security perspective. Specifically, you'll learn about coaxial cable, UTP/STP, fiber optics, infrared, radio frequency, and microwave media.

3.9.1. Coax

Coaxial cable, or coax, is one of the oldest media used in networks. Coax is built around a center conductor or core that is used to carry data from point to point. The center conductor has an insulator wrapped around it, a shield over the insulator, and a nonconductive sheath around the shielding. This construction, ...

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