Network Cable For Your Servers

Network cables are commonly used to physically connect servers and computers to allow the sharing of data. With the vast number of people want to connect to the internet on a daily basis, network cables will be used. If there is requirement of more than one computer to the same router, then make another network cable or two to make this work. Below are steps to make network cable.

- Cat 5 cable. you can buy a 1000 feet roll of Cat 5 cable at computer stores and industry supply houses for somewhere between 6 and 10 cents a foot, depending on the quality. Don't be cheap, get the decent quality stuff. You don't want to end up with network problems due to bad cables. Check to make sure that the color-coding on the wires is easily recognizable.

- Turn off all of your devices. Carefully remove the outer jacket of the cable. Be careful when stripping the jacket as to not nick or cut the internal wiring. One good way to do this is to cut lengthwise with snips or a knife along the side of the cable, away from you, about an inch toward the open end.

- Turn off your modem, router and computer. Keep all of your devices switched off for some time, then turn on your devices and wait till your modem and router pick up Internet signals. If you see lights blinking, it is an indication that your router and modem are working.

- Configure the settings on your router. Insert your start-up-wizard disc in your computer CD-ROM drive; the disc will guide you through the set-up process. Open your browser and type in the IP address. Once the homepage is displayed, enter your user name and password. You can also use the default user name and password settings given in the manual.

- Enter the IP address and subnet mask. This will consume some time, but it will make your home network secure. To make it more secure from being hacked, you need to change your password and SSID settings. Though most of the routers available today have built-in firewall systems and other security options, it is better to change your password and SSID settings to make your network secure.

Now, you can get these network cables online also. There are many such stores, which deliver you these product rights at your doorstep. Most of these stores have huge stocks of network cables like cat cable, patch panel, cat 6 cable, rj45 cable, crossover cable etc.

Router Cables Explained

It is a very good idea to understand Router cables when deciding to purchase a new one for your home or business. Standard of category are important specifications to consider when choosing this type of cable. Cat5, Cat5e, and Cat6 are a few examples of types to choose from. The different categories offer difference in network speed. When choosing your new Router cable it's important to choose the category of cable that suits your networ. Cat5e are the industry standard.

The Ethernet cables connect directly from your router or modem to your computer. A common mistake made by many people when shopping for an Ethernet cable is to buy an RJ11. It's important to remember you the difference between an RJ11 cable and an RJ45 cable, the latter being the correct for a modem. RJ11 plugs connect from your telephone wall point into the back of your modem. An RJ11 plug is smaller in size than an RJ45. RJ45 is the standard plug used on all Ethernet Router cables, they are twice the size of an RJ11 and will not fit into the telephone wall point.

Router cables or network cables to give them another name are categorized into various cable types. It is important to purchase cables that meet or even go further than the specification standards when considering which cable to buy. A Cat5e cable is capable of speeds up to 100 mbs, whilst the newer and higher specified cat6 cables are capable of much higher Gigabit speed which is 1000 mbs. The plugs on the a cat5e and a cat6 cable are identical. The only difference is the speed they have been designed to work at. The higher speed lead will have a thicker core with less resistance. Higher speed router cables are also suitable for internet television which uses your broadband internet connection to stream video over the internet.

Shielding is another think to consider, a shielded cable will not suffer from crosstalk which is interference picked up from other electrical cabling in the area. You can get individually shielded or even a fully shielded ethernet cable. This is particularly useful if you are using longer runs which can act like aerials picking up interference from other equipment nearby. A good rule of thumb is to consider shielding if the distance is going to be longer than 5 meters or around 16 feet. Shielded Ethernet cables should not cost that much more to purchase and will offer a better and more stable connection for your network.

Types And Advantages Of Computer Networks

You must know that a network consists of more than one commuter that is linked in order to share resources. It is advantageous in that you can exchange files; allow electronic communications, even printers and CD-ROMs). There are three basic types of network that are normally used:

1. Local Area Network (LAN)
2. Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)
3. Wide Area Network

Local Area Network is confined to a small area and is generally limited to a geographical area about a mile apart to other computers. The configuration of LAN consists of software that controls the network and also the software that is shared by other computers that are attached to the network. It consists of a file server, a workstation and cables.

Metropolitan Area Network covers larger geographic areas and covers cities. They are used by local libraries and Government agencies to connect to citizens and private industries.

Wide Area Network connects larger geographic areas all over the world. It works with transoceanic cables or satellite uplinks.

ADVANTAGES

Speed is one of the advantages. Sharing and transferring files are very fast and saves a lot of time. It does not allow any fraud connections and is very safe. Another advantage is the cost. If the copies are made individually licensing each copy becomes very expensive.

If Networkable versions are used it saves cost. The upgrading of the program becomes easier in shared programs instead of upgrading individual work stations. Security is another factor. You must know that sensitive files on a network are password protected. They are termed as copy inhibit. This does not allow illegal copying. Another advantage is the Centralized Software Management. This can be loaded on just one computer which is the file server and time and energy in installing updates and tracking them on individual computers can be eliminated. Other advantages are Resource Sharing, Electronic Mail use, flexible access and Group Work computing.

Looking through all the advantages what does a technological person think? Yes, he feels nice that communication which the most important part of todays knowledge based work has developed very fast and is also helpful not only for science and technology but also for the common man who can connect himself to different people and places.

It is because of this fast paced communication network that globalization has become easy. The modern world has come closer to each other and each country is not an island by itself. Even continents have come closer because of the advent of information technology. Due to this economy have also improved and different types of businesses have come into being.

Another major advantage of this is that many new jobs have got created in the technical field and has provided opportunities for the new generation to earn more and have a better standard of living.

The present generations including young adults who are still in the field of education are also aware of file sharing and storage of major knowledge that they acquire. Even families have now learnt to have different modems if each member has a computer and they get interconnected using a network with just one modem and printer. Networking has resolved the problem of purchasing expensive soft wares available in the market. Software can be stored in one system or server and it can be used by different work stations.

Basics Of Ethernet Cables

There are many articles online, teaching you how to make a cat6 network cable. It will be a great help for you if you at least know the basics for further understanding of your network. To buy cables especially, you have to familiarize yourself what those technical terms are, like fiber optic cables, network cabling, and other common ethernet cables you will be using in your network.

There are almost 100 ethernet cables available. However, not all of them are well known. Basically, ethernet cables assist in connecting your computers hardware devices to transmit the data using this ethernet protocol. And you have to be able to identify these types for a better selection.

Every computer device, like your keyboard, mouse, your CPU, the modem and other computer paraphernalia are connected by using an ethernet cable. These ethernet cables or some fiber cables are being distinguished through their quality. Below are some of the common ethernet cables.

Ordinary Ethernet Cables
These are straight-through cables in which smaller cables within the ethernet cable at equal ends have the same color orders, starting from left up to the right. Two standards are arranged with these normal cables, namely T-568A and T-568B. Such variations of their order in colors does not indicate their performance, it is just with their standard. Commonly, this kind of ethernet cable is being utilized in connecting your computer to the router, to the switch or to the hub.

Ethernet Crossover Cable
This type of ethernet cable is being used in connecting computer devices all together, even without the utilization of a switch or a hub. Such cables though have various plugs on every side. The wires inside an ethernet crossover cable may be reversed to transmit, as well as receive signals. Beginning from the left side, 1st together with the 3rd wires as well as the 2nd and 6th wires are made crossed. These can be seen also via the RJ-45 connector in every end of crossover cable.

Ethernet Cable (Cat) Categories
Following categories are from Cat 3 up to Cat 7 ethernet cables. Cat3 is used for voice cabling, cat4 is used for token ring networks, cat5 is utilized for 10/100Mb ethernet, and cat6 is like cat5e and cat7, which is a standard ethernet.

Following are the tips on how to make network cabling.

Should you need your network cable to be future-proof, it is recommended you go for UTP CAT6 standard or CAT5, except for Gigabit Ethernet.

You have to be aware as well that when you buy plenum cables, CMP is more expensive. There is a requirement in codes during installations since cable will go through the ducts.

You have to note that there are types of fiber patch cables and it is based on how wires are being connected. Patch cable in favor of straight through and crossover cable also. They both utilize RJ45 connectors, but there is distinction in each of their wiring as well as their use.

You have to familiarize yourself with the color codes also. Two layouts for colors are specified with the standards of ethernet (586a and 586b).

Take note that for straight through cables, ensure to make both ends accurately the same, and only use one of these two color codes for the ends of your cables.

For crossover cables these should have different ends; one must have 568a while the other 586b. These crossover cables have dissimilar ends because they have its send as well as receive pairs.

Remember always that the orange and green pairs are made to be swapped just to create a crossover cable.

Network Cabling and Installation

Have you ever wondered what it is that connects computers and networks to one another? Network cable in conjunction with the associated hardware (network switches, hubs, demarcation equipment) is responsible for computers being able to connect and transfer data across intranets (internal network) and the internet. Network cabling today is used for many other purposes besides computer networking. It can be used to carry video for security camera systems as well as video for cable TV and AV (Audio/Visual) applications. Network cabling is also used as control cable in Building Maintenance Systems and Access Control Systems. There are several different types of cables that are used for this purpose, including unshielded twisted pair, shielded twisted pair, fiber optic and coaxial. In some cases, only one type of cable is used in a network, while in other cases, many different types are used. Wireless systems are becoming more and more popular but always remember you still need network cabling for the wireless system. There is still two things that make network cabling better than a wireless network: it is much more secure and reliable.

Understanding Cable Type

Before you can really understand how cable networking works, you need to know about the various cables and how they work. Each cable is different, and the type of cable used for a particular network needs to be related to the size, topology and protocol of the network. Here is a rundown of the cables that are most commonly used for network cabling:

Unshielded/Shielded Twisted Pair - This is the type of cable that is used for many Ethernet networks. There are four sets of pairs of wires inside the cable. There is a thick plastic separator that keeps each pair isolated through the run of cable. Each pair of wires are twisted so there will be no interference from other devices that are on the same network. The pairs are also twisted at different intervals so they will not cause interference between themselves. In an application where there is a lot of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI), such as a mechanical space, you may choose to use shielded twisted pair, which has an outer shielding that adds extra protection from EMI. Category 5e, 6, 6A and 7 are the general choices today. Twisted pair cable is limited to 295' on a horizontal run. Twisted pair cable is used for many applications. Standard station cabling for computers and VOIP phones, wireless access points, network cameras, access control and building maintenance systems are just a few. This is one of the most reliable types of cables, and when used, network failures are less common than when other cables are used.

Fiber Optic - Fiber optic cable is primarily used as backbone cable although it is being used more and more as station cable (think FIOS). By backbone cable I mean it connects Telecommunication Rooms within a space to each other. Fiber optic cable has huge broadband capacities which allow it to carry large amounts of information as super fast speeds. Fiber cables can cover great distances(hundreds of meters) as opposed to copper cable. Because these cables must work so hard and the information travels such distances, there are many layers of protective coating on fiber optic cables. Fiber cables transmit light as opposed to electrical current. Fiber optic cable requires much less power than high speed copper does. Fiber optic cable is a great choice for high speed reliable communications.

Coaxial Cable - Coaxial cable usually falls under the scope of work of the network cabling installation contractor. Coax will be used for the cable television locations within the space you are cabling. The service provider will drop off the outdoor cable at the point of entry. The contractor will run an extension (usually RG-11) to the local telecom closet within the space. The individual station runs(RG-6) will terminate on a splitter to connect to the service cable. The center of this type of cable has a copper conductor and a plastic coating that acts as an insulator between the conductor and the metal shield. This cable is covered with coating, which can vary in thickness. The thicker the coating, the less flexible it is going to be. There are a few types of terminations for coax. Compression, crimp and twist on are the three types of terminations. The best method is compression as long as they are performed correctly. Crimp terminations are also reliable and require the right tool for the particular connector you are using. I would not recommend twist on as they are not reliable and prone to problems. A few types of coax connectors are F connectors, BNC connectors and RCA connector.

Network Cabling Components

Patch panel - This is the panel where all of the station cables terminate within the Telecommunications Room. They are usually mounted on a wall mount or floor mount telecommunications rack. Typically there are 24, 48 or 72 ports on a patch panel. There are a few different styles such as angled or straight. Panels also have the option of having the 110 type pins attached to the back of the panel or you can terminate jacks and snap them into the empty panel.

Data Jack - This is the connector where each individual cable is terminated out at the station side. The jacks are snapped into a faceplate ranging from 1 to 8 ports typically. Data jacks can be terminated in a 568A or 568B pinout. Check with the customer or designer for the correct pinout.

RJ 45 Connector - The RJ-45 connector is installed on the end of a network cable. They are 8 pin connectors. The most common place to find the RJ 45 is on a cable terminating at a wireless access point. The RJ 45 is a male connector and would plug into the port on the WAP.

Wireless Access Points - These are devices that transmit network access wirelessly. Typically they are mounted on the ceiling or wall. A wireless survey would need to be performed to maximize the correct placement of WAP's. Contrary to popular belief wireless devices STILL need to be fed with network cabling.

Cable Supports - (Commonly called J-Hooks) Cable supports are mounted in the ceiling as a support structure for your cable bundles. Main path cable supports should be mounted to the concrete deck ceiling within the space. You are no longer permitted to hang j-hooks from ceiling supports, electrical or plumbing pipe or any other system infrastructure.

Wire Managers - Wire managers are installed between patch panels and switches to manage patch cables. They serve a very important purpose as they keep law and order in a Telecommunications Room. Nothing irks me more than finishing a brand new beautiful install and having the IT group come in and not use the wire managers. It ruins the aesthetics of the job. In addition it sets a bad precedence from the birth of the Telecommunications Room that others are sure to follow.

Firestop Sleeves - Firestop sleeves are a vital part of any network cabling installation these days. Gone are the days of just banging holes into sheetrock and passing cables through. When you penetrate any firewall on a job you must install a firestop sleeve. There are specific products made for this. EZ Path and Hilti both make excellent versions in varying sizes. You can install a sleeve of EMT pipe through a wall also as long as you use firestop putty or firestop silicone to seal off all openings. This can save lives and minimize damage in the event of a fire.

Cable Labels - All cables and termination points should have a unique label. This makes installation, maintenance and troubleshooting much simpler. For a professional all labels should be computer generated. Hand written labels are just not acceptable today.


Network Cabling Installation

Network cabling installation drawings should be designed by a BICSI certified RCDD (Registered Communication Distribution Designer). There are a few things that need to be considered.

The type of cabling solution to be implemented - The cabling vendor or customer will need to select a solutions manufacturer. Siemon, Leviton, Ortronics and Panduit are some of the more common choices. The type of cabling solution will need to be discussed. Cat 5e, Cat 6, Cat 6A or Cat 7 are the copper types of network cables that can be offered. The style of the racks, data jacks, faceplates, patch panels and wire managers will also need to be discussed and chosen. Make sure this is done early as lead times can be long for certain manufactures and styles.

The location of the network equipment and racks - The room where they are housed is commonly referred to as MDF (Main Distribution Frame) Data Room, Telco Room or Telecommunications Room. All cables runs need to be within 100 meters. If cable runs are going to be over 100 meters you will need to add a second Telecommunications Room. This is also called an IDF(intermediate Distribution Frame). The IDF will often need to be connected to the MDF via fiber optic backbone cabling. The MDF will house the service provider feed from the street, which will feed the network. Typically you will also find security equipment and access control equipment here. It is a better design to have all the low voltage systems housed in one location. Measure all equipment and racks that will be required based on cabling quantities. Include access control, security, electrical panels and air conditioning units. The room needs to be large enough to accommodate all equipment.

The pathways of the cable trunks above the ceilings - Cable paths need to steer clear of electrical light fixtures or other sources of EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference). Keep cable paths in accessible areas of the ceiling for future cable runs and ease of maintenance. All paths should be run above hallways or corridors and cables enter individual rooms on sweeping 90 degree turns. Install a firestop sleeve or putty for all penetrations of a fire wall. Be careful when pulling cables so as not to bend them beyond their bend radius. This will cause a failure when testing. DO NOT tie cables to ceiling hangers or sprinkler pipes. They need to be tied at least every 5' on horizontal runs, and even more on vertical runs. J-hook supports should be anchored to the concrete deck above. Use velcro wraps every 5' or so when finished running cable to give your cable bundles a great looking finish.

Terminating Network Cabling - When terminating cable make sure to check the floor-plan numbering to each cable label to make sure the cables are in the correct spot. If something is not matching leave that cable on the side to be "toned out" later on. Use a cable stripping & cutting tool to get a uniform cut on the cable jacket and to be sure you won't nick the copper conductors inside. Always keep each pair twisted as tight as possible right up to the pins where you terminate the cable. This will ensure you won't get a NEXT or Return Loss failure. Before you start any terminations inquire weather the pinout will be 568A or 568B. This will determine which order the conductors are terminated in and is very important before you start. All cables should be dressed nicely and uniform. The project manager should make a termination chart of the patch panels for the technician that will perform the terminations. This will show the back of the patch panels and where each cable gets terminated with it's label number.

Testing your network cabling - There are a number of cabling testers out on the market. The tester we prefer to use is the Fluke DTX-1800 Cable Analyzer. This is an amazing tool. It will give you a detailed report of each cable that is tested. It tests for wiremap, insertion loss, NEXT, PSNEXT, ACR-N, Insertion Loss and many others. The best part about these new age testers is their troubleshooting skills. The Fluke will tell you where a cable is damaged and which particular conductor is damaged. If you terminated a pair out of sequence the tester will tell you which pair and on what end the error was made. The Fluke does everything but fix it for you! Most clients want to see verified test results. The new testers will provide cleaned up PDF files of the test results. These can be emailed directly to the client.

How to Set Up a Home Computer Network

Many people want to know how to set up a home computer network so that they can benefit from having one link for their computers, external storage devices, printers, gaming consoles, files, telephones and home entertainment systems that have wired or wireless networking capabilities.


Network Architecture

The first stage is to decide on your network architecture, i.e. the network type: wired, wireless or mixed, the devices you would like include into your network and how they will be connected. Three main aspects to keep in mind are:

The network speed
The ease of cabling (for non-wireless devices)
The cost
The three most common network types are (1) Ethernet (wired connectivity using special cable), (2) Wireless Ethernet (Wi-Fi) or (3) Phone Line (HPNA). Also, there are networks that use a home electrical wiring for communication. Wireless (Wi-Fi) based network can operate in one of two radio bands - 2.4 or 5 Gigahertz or in both - 2.4 and 5 Gigahertz radio bands on dual-band wireless networks.

Ethernet Network Setup
If good speed is your main concern, then Ethernet is a good option. The standard Ethernet router's speed is 10/100 Mbps (Mega bits per second) and now you can find 1000 Mbps routers. It is also the least expensive of the network types. Once everything is connected, however, all three networks work the same.

Each home computer network that has more than two devices (computers and/or peripheral devices) consists of central device - a network router (wired and/or wireless) and a few network adapters - that connect network peripherals such as computers, printers, and storage devices to the network.

After choosing right type of network router, the next step is an adapter selection, of which Ethernet has three options - USB, PCI and PC Card. USB adapters plug straight into your computer or any peripheral device with USB port but the USB connection usually has a limit of 54 Mbps. PCI adapters (wired and wireless) less expensive and very fast but are inserted internally so you'll need to open the computer. PC Cards are for laptops.

After this come the cables for connections between the computers. Ethernet cables are of different CAT numbers which are an indication of quality. CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6 are of good quality. Connecting two computes will require a crossover cable. Connecting three or more computers requires an Ethernet Router, Switch or Hub.

Next, install the network drives and the network card that came with it on your PC, following the installation procedures instructions. When network drivers are properly installed the link lights for the nub and Ethernet cards come on. Link lights will not come on until everything is properly connected.



Determining the number of routers or hubs, cables and adapters you need depends on how many computers and peripheral devices you are linking up. Two computers will require a cross-over cable, two adaptors and one router, hub or switch (optional). Three or more computers require one router, hub or switch plus adapters and cables for each machine. Afterwards you must configure the network and this stage has four main elements and two levels.

4 Configuration Elements:

NetBEUI
Network Adapter Driver
Microsoft Windows Client
Microsoft Windows File and Print sharing
2 Configuration Levels:

The first level of configuration is the protocol levels which refers to the language that computers use to 'talk' with each other. For basic home networks NetBEUI is a good protocol as it is fast, non-complicated and easy to configure.
The second level of configuration is in regards to how Windows 'talks' to other Windows during file and print sharing through the first protocol level. The second level has two parts: 'Client for Microsoft Windows' and the 'File and Printer' sharing for Windows.
After the Network's Setup

Once the configuration is complete then you move into troubleshooting. This means clicking on the "Network" folder in Windows Explorer to ensure you can see all the other computers on your network. If you get a "network inaccessible" message, try again after a minute or so as it takes a while the first time for the network to completely initialize the router and peripherals. If still it doesn't work, switch off the router or hub and reboot, then reboot computer, followed by the other computer and all other peripherals (if applicable).

Home network is a complicated technical system, thus it requires some kind of of home networking software for easy managing, troubleshooting and repairing of the network.