Networking Bible

Chapter 8. Transport Media

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Wiring standards

• Twisted-pair, coaxial, and fiber-optic cables

• Ethernet wiring

• The behavior of light in fiber optics

• Wireless communications links

In this chapter, I cover three types of transport media that occupy the physical layer of a network: wired cables for electrical current, fiber-optic cables for light, and wireless links using mainly radio and microwave frequencies.

Different cable types require different methods for running cable, connecting together, and organization. This chapter describes some of the considerations you need to make when installing a network in a building.

Wired Media

Most people don't pay enough attention to the physical layer of their network. Given that wiring is something that might last 10 to 15 years, it's worth considering which type of wired media will support your network, not only for its present capabilities but also for future ones.

There are four main types of wired media in use:

• Twisted pair. Shielded, copper-based, twisted-pair cable. This form of cabling is used in local area networks, particularly older types of networks.

• Coaxial. Copper-based coaxial cable. Coaxial cable is thick, multiwire cable that can be used for both high bandwidth and high connectivity connections.

• Ethernet. Unshielded, copper-based, twisted-pair cable. The unshielded twisted-pair wiring is the most commonly used network cable and is used on most versions of Ethernet.

• Fiber optic. Glass or plastic-based fiber-optic cable. Optical ...