Types of Internet cables and why you should know about them

When we talk about Internet connections, we instantly think about its speed and the amount of data we can access in a day or month. It’s a weird observation, but if we think about it, it makes perfect sense. As a consumer, what matters the most to us is our download and upload speed and the prices.

As a user, we would not generally care about what happens behind the scenes or what kind of cable is used. Service providers take advantage of the little things that we don’t know. But don’t worry, you will now.

Why is it important to know the kind of cable being used?

When looking for a wired connection, the service provider needs to provide you with a physical connection, an actual physical cable connection. As a result, service providers use Internet cables that have multiple types and categories. Moreover, each cable has its own advantages, disadvantages, and parameters that affect its performance and therefore, the connection provided to you.

For example, if your Internet monthly rental plan promises 10 Mbps of speed and unlimited data, you may not achieve 10 Mbps at all times. This deficit could be because of the type of cable being used.

Now that you know why you should be paying attention to smaller details, let’s take a look at the type of Internet cables available in the market.

Types of Internet cables

There are many types of cables, some used for telephone communication, some for Internet connections, and others for both. But, here are some of the most commonly used ones across the world.

• Coaxial cables
  A coaxial cable is made of three layers, including the inner copper conductor, a layer of plastic insulation, and a metal braided shield. These Internet cables are highly resistant to interference which makes them great to use. They also have a high cable-length endurance, which means it’s great for laying down from providers to users. However, this lacks Internet speed because it transfers data via electricity, leading to multiple issues, such as signal leakage and noise. Also, a provider might share one cable among multiple users leading to a lower Internet speed. Despite this, it is one of the most commonly used cables, as it is completely budget-friendly both to providers and consumers.
• Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables
  A UTP cable is by far one of the most favorable Internet cables across the globe. Its multifaceted use case can be used for both telephone lines and Internet connections. Due to this, it has multiple variations, and each cable category is dedicated to certain aspects of the network. For example, a CAT 1 cable is used only as a telephone wire, whereas a CAT6 cable supports Internet speeds that range from 1 Gbps to 10 Gbps, depending on the distance. The only disadvantage of this Internet cable is that it is susceptible to noise and interference, leading to a loss in signal strength.
• Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable
  The STP Internet cable is an advanced version of the unshielded twisted cable. A special copper telephone wiring with an external shield that acts as a ground. STPs also have great cable lengths, which also helps expand the distance between the provider and the user. They also provide great speeds depending on the category of STP used. However, their general range lies between 1000 Mbps to 10,000 Mbps, making this cable the perfect choice for commercial and large scale applications.
• Optical fiber cables
  Up until a few years ago, optical fiber cables seemed a distant reality. Thankfully, with the recent advancements in technology, they are here and available for everyone to use. This cable brought about a magnanimous breakthrough in the way data is transmitted from one place to another. So far, all the cables that we’ve read about have been transmitting data by means of electricity. The optical fiber Internet cable, however, uses light to transmit data, leading to higher speeds and minimal losses. This is the perfect solution to all cabling problems.
  The cable is made of thin strands of flexible glass that is covered with multiple layers of protective material. Since light is being transmitted, along with a significant amount of data, we see a paramount increase in both bandwidth and speed. Also, since this is an optical cable, you need not share your connection with others. This means there will be no throttling of data at any hour of the day. The only disadvantage is the cost factor. Since it is made of glass, the cost of even 100 meters of the cable is considerably higher when compared to the other electrical cables.

Now that you are fully aware of the types of Internet cables, you also need to understand that there are other factors that play an important role when choosing a cable. For starters, the type of cable chosen for a particular network depends on the size of the network, its topology, its procedure, and most importantly, its budget.

So, if you’re looking for a wired connection for your home, you can go for a more budget-friendly option. If you want effective cabling for a large business, you may want to consider splurging on a network that’s expensive yet worth its salt.

Either way, looking for and choosing an Internet service provider is no piece of cake. Always remember that you need to take into consideration your need, the number of people using the connection, and your budget. Do not settle on the first ISP you come across, look around and compare prices, plans, and other features and benefits that they provide, such as easy access, online payments, and 24×7 customer service.