Media and Connectors
Objectives:
● 1.5 - Compare and contrast transmission media and transceivers
● 5.5 - Given a scenario, use the appropriate tool or protocol to solve networking issues
● Copper Media
○ IEEE 802.3 Standard
■ Defines physical and data link layers, including MAC, for wired Ethernet
networks
■ Commonly used in Local Area Networks (LANs)
○ Twisted Pair Cables
■ A type of wiring in which two conductors of a single circuit are twisted
together
■ Twisting reduces electromagnetic interference and crosstalk
■ Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
● Composed of pairs of wires twisted together without additional
shielding being added to the cable
● Lightweight, flexible, and cost-effective
■ Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
● Includes shielding for better EMI protection
● More expensive, bulkier, and more difficult to install
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
■ Categories
● CAT 5
● CAT 5e
● CAT 6
● CAT 6a
● CAT 7
● CAT 8
○ Coaxial Cables
■ A fundamental part of networking and broadcasting for decades
■ Consists of single copper conductor at its core, with insulating layer and
conductive shield
■ RG-6
● Used to support faster internet speed in most residential
installations
● Standard for modern coaxial cable
● Supports up to 1 Gbps at up to around 300-meter distance
■ RG-59
● Older standard for coaxial cables
● Not commonly used anymore
■ Direct Attach Copper (DAC) Cables
● Fixed assembly copper cabling for short distances
● Connects switches, routers, or servers
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
● Supports up to 100 Gbps at short distances
■ Twinaxial Cable
● Often a component of DAC assembly
● Considered as another specialized form of cabling
● Two insulated copper conductors
● Used in SFP+ and QSFP applications
● Supports 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps, up to 100 meters
○ Plenum vs. Non-Plenum Cables
■ Plenum – Fire-retardant, suitable for air circulation spaces
■ Non-Plenum – Less fire-resistant, used where fire risk is lower
■ Plenum meets strict fire safety standards of NFPA and NEC
○ It is important to remember the basic speed and distance for each type of cable
■ CAT 5 – 100 Mbps at 100 meters
■ CAT 5e – 1Gbps at 100 meters
■ CAT 6 – 1Gbps at 100 meters; 10 Gbps at 55 meters
■ CAT 6a – 10 Gbps at 100 meters
■ CAT 7 – 10 Gbps at 100 meters
■ CAT 8 – 10-25 or 40 Gbps at 30 meters
■ RG-6 – 1 Gbps at 300 meters
■ Twinaxial – 10 Gbps or more at 10 meters
■ DAC – 100 Gbps at 15 meters (active cables); 100 Gbps at 7 meters
(passive cables)
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
○ Importance of Copper Media
■ Versatile and robust for various networking needs
■ Lower cost, easier to install and maintain
■ Remains vital in network infrastructure
● Copper Network Connections
○ Registered Jack (RJ-X)
■ A standard telecommunication network interface
■ RJ-11 and RJ-45
● Crucial for voice and data networks
● Use twisted pair cables
○ Radio Guide (RG-X)
■ Series for coaxial cables, used in high-speed internet, television, and radio
connections
■ Commonly used cables
● RG-6 – for cable TV
● RG-59 – for older applications
○ Connectors
■ RJ-11
● Standard for telephone wiring
● 6P2C configuration (6 positions, 2 conductors)
● Smaller size
● Not suitable for high-speed data transmission
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
■ RJ-45
● Standard for data networks (Ethernet)
● 8P8C configuration (8 positions, 8 conductors)
● Widely used for computers, switches, routers in local area
networks
● Compatible with CAT 5 to CAT 8 cables – supporting higher
bandwidths with higher CAT numbers
■ F-Type Connector
● Screw-on connector used with RG-6 and RG-59 coaxial cables
● Standard for cable TV, satellite, and cable internet connections
■ BNC Connector (Bayonet Neill-Concelman)
● Coaxial connector with a secure bayonet locking mechanism
● Used with RG-6 or RG-59 coaxial cables
● "Push and twist" style connector
● Common in professional video connections and radio frequency
applications
● Introduced in the 1940s, often erroneously called British Naval
Connector
○ Application Specifics
■ RJ-11 – for voice-based communication networks (telephones)
■ RJ-45 – for data devices in data networks (computers, printers, switches,
routers)
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
■ F-Type – for coaxial cables in cable TV, satellite, and cable internet
connections
■ BNC – for professional video connections and radio frequency
applications
● Building a Copper Cable: Demonstration
● Fiber Media
○ Fiber Media
■ Transmits data using light, not electrical impulses
■ Offers significant advantages over traditional copper media-based
networks
○ Advantages of Fiber Media
■ Immunity to EMI
● Light-based transmission is not affected by electromagnetic
interference (EMI)
● Doesn’t require shielding like copper cables
■ Longer transmission distances with minimal signal loss
● Fiber optic cables can span hundreds of miles
● Suitable for local connections and transcontinental data
transmission
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
■ Higher data transfer speeds
● Can reach speeds beyond 10 Gbps
○ Drawbacks
■ Cost
● Fiber media is more expensive than copper
■ Complexity
● Requires specialized tools and training for installation and repair
○ Two Main Types of Fiber Optic Cables
■ Single-Mode Fiber (SMF)
● Designed for long-distance communication
● Small glass core allows light to travel in a single path without
dispersion
○ 8.3 to 10 microns in diameter
● Preferred for backbone installations and connections over vast
areas
● Yellow sheath
● For long-range transmissions with higher bandwidth
■ Multi-Mode Fiber (MMF)
● Tailored for shorter distances
○ 2 kilometers to 1 mile
● Larger fiber core size allows light to travel in multiple paths
○ 50 to 100 microns
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
● Suitable for connecting servers to switches within buildings or
campuses
● Aqua blue or orange sheath
● For internal network infrastructures, offering cost-effectiveness
and ease of installation
● Fiber Network Connections
○ Fiber Network Connections
■ Created by connecting a fiber optic cable to two different devices
○ Fiber Connectors
■ Enable a quicker connection and disconnection from the network
■ Two different sets of connectors on the cable:
● For transmission side
● For receive side
■ Types:
● SC Connector (Subscriber Connector)
○ Square shape with push-pull design
○ Widely used in single-mode fibers
○ Common in telecommunications and data networking
○ Used in FTTH deployments for reliability and ease of use
● LC Connector (Lucent Connector)
○ Compact size with push-pull mechanism
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
○ Favored in high-density applications like data centers
○ Often shipped as paired cables for transmit and receive
sides
○ Features high-precision alignment, ensuring efficient data
transmission and minimized potential data loss
● ST Connector (Straight Tip Connector)
○ Round shape with twist-lock mechanism
■ Critically important when operating in any kind of
environment where movement or vibrations might
occur
○ Reliable connection, commonly used in multi-mode fiber
optics
○ Well-suited for outdoor applications due to its durability
● MTRJ Connector (Mechanical Transfer-Registered Jack)
○ Small, rectangular design housing transmit and receive
fibers
○ Suitable for space-constrained applications like office LANs
○ Offers high-density capabilities with an RJ-style latch
mechanism
○ Offers cost-effective solution for densely populated
network environments
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
● MPO Connector (Multi-fiber Push On Connector)
○ Designed for multiple fibers in a single connector
○ Essential in high-density applications such as data centers
and high-speed networks
○ Enables quick and efficient connections, crucial for rapid
scalability
○ Each type of connector can be polished or shaped
○ Back Reflection
■ Occurs when a portion of transmitted light in a fiber optic cable reflects
back toward the source, potentially degrading the signal
■ Minimizing back reflection is crucial for maintaining signal integrity and
optimizing data transmission
○ Polish Types:
■ PC (Physical Contact) Style
● Having slight curvature in the fiber face to lower back reflection
over standard straight-cut fiber
● Provides the least effective reduction in back reflection
● Best suited for short-distance or lower-speed data transmissions
■ UPC (Ultra Physical Contact) Style
● Having dome-shaped end-face for better core alignment
● Offers lower back reflection than PC style
● Suitable for general broadband applications
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
■ APC (Angled Physical Contact) Style
● Uses an 8-degree angled polish to greatly reduce back reflection
● Lowest amount of back reflection
● Well-suited for high bandwidth and long-distance applications,
such as undersea cable networks
○ Regular updates on connectors and standards are essential for efficient network
design and maintenance
● Transceivers
○ Transceiver
■ A device capable of both transmitting and receiving data
■ Blend of "transmitter" and "receiver"
■ Utilizes specific protocols for data transmission and reception
○ Protocols
■ Set of rules governing data transmission and reception
■ Main protocols:
● Ethernet
○ Family of networking technologies for LANs, MANs, and
WANs
○ Facilitates communication and data transfer
○ Defines physical standards, electrical standards, and data
formats
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
○ Supports various data rates and media types
● Fibre Channel (FC)
○ High-speed network technology that connects computer
data storage to servers inside storage area networks
○ Handles large data volumes quickly and reliably
○ Supports optical fiber and copper-based media
○ Key features:
■ High throughput
■ Low latency
■ Advanced data integrity
○ Transceiver Functions
■ Converts data between different protocols
■ Enables communication between Ethernet and Fibre Channel networks
■ Converts media types in Layer 1 (e.g., fiber to copper, copper to fiber)
○ Form Factors
■ SFP (Small Form Factor Pluggable)
● A compact hot pluggable optical module
● Can be pulled in or pulled out without turning off the associated
router or switch
● Up to 4.25 Gbps
■ SFP+
● Faster version of SFP
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CompTIA Network+
(N10-009) (Study Notes)
● Up to 16 Gbps
■ QSFP (Quad Small Form Factor Pluggable)
● Up to 40 Gbps
■ QSFP+
● Slightly faster version of QSFP
● Up to 41.2 Gbps
■ QSFP28
● Up to 100 Gbps
■ QSFP56
● Up to 200 Gbps
○ QSFP modules are faster than SFP modules
○ Transceivers convert light signals to electrical impulses