Networking Fundamentals

Media Types - Connecting Everything Together

While you are probably more than aware that most networks are wired, you should note that not every wiring standard is the same. If they were, we would only need the one. As it stands, there are numerous different standards still in operation, from legacy cables running at 10 Mbps to high-speed fiber operating at more than 40 Gbps. As a network engineer, it is imperative that we understand the use cases and limitations of the various different cabling options available to us.

This chapter will follow the progression of cabling from coaxial cables, through to twisted pair cables, to fiber optic cables, all while explaining the characteristics of each, including their connectors and their uses.