Network Adapter Cards & Cables

Purpose

• NIC/NAC’s are the physical interface, or connection, b/t computer & network cable that:
• Prepares data from computer for network cable
• Sends data to another computer
• Receives data from network & translates it for computer

Components

Cabling & Connectors

• Thicknet: Plenum vs. Teflon
• Plenum grade is used when cable is run in plenum space (the space b/t ceiling & flooring of floor above)
• Teflon thicknet can be used in other situations
• Thicknet vs. Thinnet
• Thicknet is used for longer cable runs, up to 1600 feet.
• Thinnet (similar to coaxial cable) is flexible & easy to work with, but can carry a signal about 600 feet before signal degrades

• RJ-11 vs. RJ-45
• RJ-11 has four cable connections, and is identical in size to standard telephone jack
• RJ-45 is larger, and has eight cable connections. Typically, this is found on twisted-pair (10BaseT) cable line
• Fiber-Optic
• Contains very thin cylinder of glass that carries light pulses instead of electrical pulses
• Not subject to electrical interference
• Ability to carry signals many times faster than electrical cable
• Cable Comparison Chart