In the 21st century, we live in a truly wired world. Many people use computers, mobile phones, laptops, and more to perform work, communicate, and entertain themselves. Some devices use wireless connections, such as smartphones and laptops, since they are meant to be used on the go. That’s certainly handy, but it’s not the hard and fast rule. Cables are far from obsolete, and in many applications, they are actually preferable over wireless connections. A cat5e ethernet cable or cat6 cables can securely connect a computer to the internet, and cat5e ethernet cables can be found for purchase in nearly any electronic goods store. The same is true of 100 ft HDMI cables, cell phone cables, bulk USB cables, and more. On a more industrial scale, bulk fiber optic cables can connect an office to the internet with incredible speed, and cat5e ethernet cables and the like can form huge data servers.
Cables for the Office
Nearly any place of business today, from a strip mall shop to a huge office building, is likely to use at least a few computers for work. The employees use them to manage inventory and stock, make spreadsheets, and access the internet for many purposes. Wireless connections may do fine for one or two machines, but beyond that, cat5e ethernet cables and the like are essential. Having too many wireless connections in one place means running the risk of signal interference, and that could spell trouble. So, IT professionals will be asked to not only set up the desktop PCs themselves, but also string up all necessary cables, such as cat5e ethernet cables and cables for printers. These ethernet cables will never suffer from interference, and they have four pairs of copper wires for the fast and smooth transmission of data. IT workers will plug those cables into routers and PCs to make a solid internet connection for every worker, and those cables can be arranged discreetly through the office to avoid tripping hazards.
Not only that, bu7t cat5e ethernet cables and cat6 cables can also be used to form data servers. For those unfamiliar with the concept, a data server is a collection of many computers all linked via ethernet cables and switches to form a single entity. This means setting up all those computers in specialized cabinets and shelves in a dedicated room, with space for all those cables to connect everything. This server will have vast storage space and boosted processing power, and desktop PCs can be plugged into that for sharing data and accessing that storage. Connected computers may also enjoy a boost to their processing power.
Care should be taken so that ethernet cables are not a tripping hazard, and holes can be drilled in the floor to allow cables to pass through and reach a different floor. Frayed or damaged cables must be repaired or replaced at once, since the exposed hot wires could easily start a fire. Routine inspections can and should be done. Also, take note that some cables are longer than others, and the longest versions are cat5e or cat6e, as opposed to cat5 or cat6.
Cables in the Home
Many homeowners also make good use of cables, and most households today feature at least a few advanced electronics that need cables beyond their power cords. Many Americans own a smartphone of some sort, which while capable of wireless connections, do need cables. Such phones come packaged with a lighting cable, which plugs into the phone’s port at one end and plug into a USB port at the other. A plugged-in phone will have its batteries recharged, and it can also share data with a PC or even a game console (pictures, videos, songs, etc)..
A PC or Mac at the home may be plugged right into the Internet with ethernet cables, and that allows for a solid online connection. Gaming PCs in particular need those ethernet cables to handle online gaming, and the owner may remove an old keyboard and plug in a fancy gaming keyboard into a USB port on the computer. Video game consoles can also be plugged into a router with an ethernet cable to enable online gaming and video streaming services of all kinds.