Page 13 - Blog

If you Google “Ethernet cables” you’ll get about 5 million hits. It’s no wonder that shopping for Ethernet cables can be confusing. But if you simplify the cables down to their main differences, it’s much easier to choose the one that’s best for your use.

This blog post explains the chief differences among the cable categories. But instead of trying to cover everything from Cat1 to Cat8, we discuss only the four categories used most in office networks, data centers and residences: Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7. We conclude by clarifying some of the choices you might also have to make about cable jacketing types and their burn ratings.

Cable Categories

In each Ethernet cable category below, we discuss the four most important features that delineate one category from another. The first is a cable’s maximum data rate, which is measured in megabits or gigabits per second. The second feature is the longest distance it can maintain that data rate. The third is a cable’s bandwidth (in megahertz),

The word “custom” sounds expensive. Often it is. A new Porsche 911 S Exclusive is not cheap, but if you want one with a custom “python green” paint job, it’s an extra $98,000. Examples like that might make one wary about going the custom route.

One reason more people don’t buy custom cable assemblies is that they think they can’t afford it. While it’s true that nonstandard assemblies can be pricier up front, they can save you money in the long run. This blog post points out three ways you can come out ahead with custom cables.

Longer Lasting

Going custom means choosing a cable and connectors that were specifically designed for a certain purpose. When your installation operates within the electrical parameters, tolerances and environmental conditions it was intended for, it will perform better and last longer. Less maintenance will save you money.

Less Waste

When you have cable cut to the exact length you need, none is wasted. You’re not left with yards of cable you might never use. There’s

It’s no mystery why fiber optic technology has grown in popularity since it was introduced in the 1970s. Sending data via infrared light pulses on a fiber line, rather than electrically over copper cable, allows the transmitting of more information faster, over longer distances and with no threat of electromagnetic interference. That’s why it is often the choice for systems that demand high bandwidth over long distances, as well as short distances with large bandwidth requirements such as data centers.

But not everybody understands the crucial step onto and off of the fiber optic superhighway – the fiber optic transceiver.

A fiber optic (or optical) transceiver serves as both a transmitter and a receiver. It is a small device that is plugged or embedded into another device within a data network. At the on ramp, it converts an electrical signal from a switch or router to an optical (light) signal. At the off ramp, it converts the optical signal back to an electrical signal.

This blog explains

We’ve all seen the equipment rack or IT closet that lacks cable management. Confusion reigns, as masses of wires run in all directions and every patch bay looks like a rat’s nest. You feel sorry for whoever must go in and install or re-route cables or troubleshoot wiring problems.

The good news is that wire routing is a universal challenge, so there are products to tame the cable confusion. In fact, there are hundreds of cable management items to choose from, so let’s simplify things. Most of them can be divided into three groups: rack and cabinet attachments, cable routers along walls and ceilings, and ties and straps for bundling.

Rack and Cabinet Attachments

A well-organized equipment rack or cabinet usually has a few attachments for ordered cable routing. We touch on a few of the most popular devices here.

A cable manager is a housing that mounts either inside or just outside of a rack to hold and direct cables. A horizontal manager mounts inside, taking up one or two RUs (rack units).

The effort to slim down isn’t always just a fitness goal. It can also be geared towards slimming down your home office and personal space. Getting rid of thick and unruly cables can help add both workspace and headspace to a create a more productive environment. Let’s run through some common networking and entertainment cables that have taken their “slim down challenge” to heart.

Ultra Slim HDMI Cables

These HDMI cables are made using 32AWG conductors, roughly 75 percent smaller than a standard HDMI cable. This makes them much easier to bend and maneuver behind tight spaces, small openings, and odd corners. They’re also great as a compact cable solution for on-the-go video playback for cameras and cell phones.

Slim 3.5mm Audio Cables

The most important part of these cables is the slimmed down 3.5mm molded connection itself. It’s slim enough to plug into 3.5mm jacks on smartphones and tablets without having to remove the protective case around these devices. This is a huge advantage

When you’re charging a phone or tablet you typically don’t need to go too far. Cables ranging from 3ft to 6ft get the job done at a comfortable length. But when the printer is on one side of the room and your desktop is on the other…you may run into some problems finding a reliable cable to go the distance.

Run of the mill “passive” USB cables have a distance limitation of 16.4 feet, or 5 meters, which poses a problem if you don’t have the flexibility to move your devices and peripheral equipment closer to your central workstation. This distance is a specific length, so most passive USB cables you’ll find will top out at 15ft, and there is no way to daisy chain multiple passive USB cables to surpass this limitation.

Fortunately, there are a variety of “active” cables and USB extenders to help overcome this distance limitation and prevent a total overhaul of your workspace to stay connected.

Active USB Extensions

These cables are built with an internal “booster” to transmit USB signal beyond

Tray cable is a multipurpose and multiconductor cabling used in industrial power/control, communications systems, traffic control, switching, lighting, and signal transmission. You will find tray cable installed in conduits, ducts, raceways, and cable tray systems. Tray cable jackets are resistant to fire (such as fire alarm cable), UV, chemicals, and oil. This ability to withstand unforgiving environments makes them ideal for wiring mission-critical machinery and systems.

What are the types of tray cable?

Two main classifications of tray cable are Power Limited Tray Cable (PLTC) and Vinyl Nylon Tray Cable (VNTC). Let us run through some of their key features.

Power Limited Tray Cable:

• 300 volt rating
• Flame Retardant/UV Resistant PVC jacket
• 105 Degree Celsius operating temperature
• Approved for Class I and II, Division 2 Hazardous environments
• Industrial control, burglar alarms, point of sale systems, intercom

Vinyl Nylon Tray Cable:

• 600 volt rating
• Flame Retardant/UV Resistant/Burial

Heat shrink tubing is an inexpensive means of protecting wires from any number of environmental factors which can potentially damage or interfere with the operation of the cable. Not only does heat shrink tubing provide a buffer against abrasion, liquids, and changes in temperature/humidity, it’s also a cost-effective means for cable organization and color-coding identification.

Let’s highlight some of the advantages of using heat shrink tubing to better understand how it improves reliability and maintenance of cables and just how valuable it is in your cable runs and builds.

Size and Color Customization

Depending on the vendor and manufacturer heat shrink tubing is measured in millimeters or inches based on the pre-shrink diameter of the tubing. At Show Me Cables, we list our heat shrink tubing in inches and carry 1/16, 3/32, 1/8, 3/16, ¼, 3/8, ½, ¾, 1, 1 ¼, and 2-inch heat shrink tubing with a 2:1 shrink ratio. The tube will become half of its original size once heat is applied

Ahead of the Curve: 8K HDMI Cables have Landed

Patch Panel Refresh

A patch panel is an arrangement of ports on one panel, which can be mounted to a rack or wall. Patch panels allow you to bundle and connect multiple ports for incoming and outgoing lines. They’re a great cable management and network solution to centralize telecommunications and data equipment in communications closets, central offices, and data centers.

What is the purpose of a patch panel?
A patch panel is a mounted assembly with a set number of ports to connect incoming and outgoing copper and fiber lines. In most data centers a patch panel is installed on a rack in a communications closet to connect racks to one another. On the front face of the panel, patch cables, like ethernet and fiber optic cables, connect to servers and network switches. In the rear of the patch panel, bare wires are punched down to and from other patch panels.

Patch panels are commonly used in Localized Area Networks (LAN) because of how easily you can connect computers to one another,