Copper telecommunication cables

Cooper cables (copper) are divided into twisted pair and coaxial.

Two advantages of copper cables:

They have a lot of flexibility.
are cheap
Coaxial Cable

This type of cable is considered the most used cable in networks today.

Coaxial or coaxial cable is one of the most important transmission mediums in telecommunications.

There are many reasons for its widespread use.

Coaxial cable is relatively expensive, light, flexible and very easy to work with.

In its simplest form, coaxial cable consists of a core made of pure copper. Covered by a cover, a mesh-like metal cover and an outer cover.The core of the coaxial cable carries electrical signals that actually constitute our information. This wire core can be single-stranded or multi-stranded. If it is single-stranded, it is usually made of copper.

The core is covered by an insulator that separates it from the wire mesh in the cable. Wire mesh is earthed. And it protects the electronic signals passing through the core against noise and cross talk.

?What is cross talk

It is a signal that is created due to the current passing through the surrounding wires in the core. Always the core and wire mesh should be separated from each other by insulation, if they touch each other at a point of the wire. The cable is shorted and noise gets into the copper wire of the core, which destroys the information.

This whole set is covered by a non-conductive outer cover that is usually made of plastic or Teflon. Coaxial cable has more resistance to signal loss than twisted-pair cables. Due to the resistance of the coaxial cable, this cable is a good choice for longer distances and higher speeds of information transmission by communication devices.

:Coaxial cable is divided into two categories

1thin net:

This type of coaxial cable is flexible and its diameter is about 0.25 inches. Because Thinnet is soft and flexible and easy to work with. It can be used in almost all networks. In networks that use Thinnet, the cable is connected directly to the network card. The thin type of coaxial cable can send signals up to approximately 185 meters (6,077 feet) without attenuation. Cable manufacturers have agreed on a different cable design, Thinnet cable is part of the RG-58 family cables and has an impedance of 50 ohms.Impedance is the wire’s resistance to alternating current.The main difference between the cables of the RG-58 family is the copper core in their center. This core can be twisted together as one wire or several wires.

2-thick net:

This type of cable is flexible coaxial and its diameter is about 0.5 inches. Sometimes Thicknet cable is also called standard Ethernet. Because it was the first type of coaxial cable that was used in the architecture of the famous Ethernet network. The copper core of this coaxial cable is thicker than its thin type. Of course, these days this cable is rarely used and in exceptional cases it is used as the backbone of the network.

The thicker the core, the longer the signal can travel. Therefore, the Thicknet cable directs the signals in longer paths than the Thinnet. The thick type of coaxial cable can transmit signals without attenuation up to a distance of 500 meters (about 1640 feet). Therefore, considering Thicknet’s ability to support data transmission over long distances, it is used as the main pillar to connect smaller Thinnet networks to each other. A device called a transceiver is used to connect small Thinnet networks to Thicknet networks.

The transceiver designed for Ethernet and Thicknet includes an interface called Vampire tap. This connector has needles that connect to the cable core.

?What is Attenuation

Attenuation is the reduction of signal power when it is passing through the cable. The thicker the cable, the lower the signal power reduction, so the signal can be transmitted over a longer distance in cables with a larger diameter.

Due to the fact that the signals are weakened when passing through the length of the cable and their power is reduced. Equipment called repeater is always used to transfer data in longer routes.

For example, in the thin cable, there is a need to amplify the signal every 185 meters, but in the thick cable, the signal must be amplified by the repeater every 500 meters.

Advantages of coaxial cables:

High reliability
High transmission capacity with a maximum bandwidth of 300 MHz
Good durability and stability
Low maintenance costs
Can be used in analog and digital systems
Low cost during development
Relatively wide bandwidth that is used by most telecommunication services, including audio and video teleconferencing.

Disadvantages of coaxial cable:

High installation costs
Installation is more difficult than twisted cables
Distance limit
Need to use special elements for branches

Standard connector for coaxial cables

Twisted pair cables

Twisted pair cables are completely different from other cables in terms of structure, and instead of transmitting information on one wire, several strands of wire are used.

In twisted pair cables, each strand of wire has a thin colored coating and the whole strand is in a plastic cover, but in some models, this cable is also in other protective layers.

Types of twisted pair cables

UTP or (unshield twisted pair) cables are usually used in environments where there is no noise.

Copper cables consist of several strands twisted together. Copper cables are known as UTP, which consists of different types, the main difference of which is in their frequency and transmission speed. The above cables are also used in telephone systems in addition to computer networks.

There are six different types of UTP cables that can be used according to the type of network and intended purposes. CAT5 cable is considered the most common type of UTP cable. When we open the twisted ones, we see the twisted strands, which is due to the elimination of noise. Because when the current passes, it creates a magnetic flux. And their result becomes zero and causes a greater distance to be traveled.