Many Different Kinds of Cables and Their Applications

Trying to figure out the right kind of cable for your needs can be difficult. You must learn to distinguish between the different types, or you’ll waste time and energy buying the wrong thing and expend even more time returning what you bought. If you want to learn more about the major cables, you’ve come to the right place. Check out our different kinds of cables and their applications below.  

Coaxial Cable

A coaxial cable is used most often by people in the networking industry. This includes telephone companies, cable operators, and internet providers that transmit their data widely. More likely than not, you’ve seen a coaxial cable on the back of your TV. It’s been around since the early 20th century and offers a great transmission.

However, lately, its grounding technology has been replaced by fiber optic cables or wireless transmissions. It’s one of the most widely used of the different kinds of cables on this list. Its applications are many.

Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic cables are very different from other cables on this list. For instance, there are many differences between fiber optics and copper cables. A fiber optic cable contains strands of glass within a plastic insulated casing. They operate for high-performance, long-distance data networking.

They offer a much higher bandwidth and can transmit data over long distances, unlike coaxial cables, which are currently going out of style. Fiber optic cables support internet, TV, and telephone systems.

There are two types of fiber optic cables: single and multimode. Single mode uses lasers and thin glass strands to generate light, while multimode fiber optic cables use LEDs to create light effects. Single-mode fiber optic networks use Wave Division Multiplexing to increase the data traffic that the strand contains.  

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Extension Cord

An extension cable or “extension cord” is a connector cable that connects a cable to your hardware and extends it to make it reach farther than before. It’s useful in many applications since it ensures that electricity is distributed where it needs to be without hassle. Because of this, it’s one of the more popular cables on this list.

None of the cables on this list are likely new to you. You’ve seen many of them and will likely continue using them for the rest of your life. We hope that through learning more about them, you can start to use them yourself and stay informed in the process.