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Objectives

Understanding Wired
and Wireless Networks
Lesson 3

Twisted-Pair Cable

Twisted-Pair Cable

Wired networks are still the most common type

of physical connection that computers make.
Twisted-pair cable is the cable most commonly
used in local area networks.
Its relatively easy to work with, flexible,
efficient, and fast.
A single twisted-pair cable has eight wires; they
are copper conductors that transmit electric
signals.

These eight wires are grouped into four

pairs: blue, orange, green, and brown.
Each pair of wires is twisted along the entire
length of the cable, and all of the pairs are
twisted together as well.
The reason the wires are twisted is to reduce
crosstalk and interference.

Twisted-Pair Patch Cable

Twisted-Pair Cable with the Wires Exposed

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Twisted-Pair Cable with the Wires

Straightened

568B, 568A, and BOGB standards

Types of Patch Cables

Tools Used with UTP Cables

Straight through cable

Most common type of patch cable.
Used to connect a computer to a central
connecting device like a switch.

Crossover cable
Used to connect like devices to each other,
for example, a computer to another
computer, or a switch to another switch.

MDI and MDI-X Ports

Patch Panel and RJ45 Jack

Network adapters normally have an MDI port; this

stands for medium dependent interface.
However, in order for computers to communicate
with other devices, the wires have to cross
somewhere.
But instead of using crossover cables to connect
computers to central connecting devices such as
switches, these central connecting devices are
equipped with MDI-X ports (medium dependent
interface crossover), which take care of the cross.

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Tools

Tools

The tools necessary to make the

connections between patch panels and RJ45
jacks include a cutting tool, a wire stripper, a
punch down tool, and a testing device
known as a continuity tester, which tests all
of the pins of a connection one by one.

Attenuation

Twisted Pair Categories

Generally, twisted-pair cables can be run

100 meters before the signal degrades to
such a point that it cannot be interpreted by
the destination host.
If a cable needs to be run farther, a signal
repeater, a hub, or switch can be used.

Twisted-pair cables are categorized

according to the frequency at which they
transmit signals and their data transfer rate
or speed.

Otherwise, fiber optic cable is the solution

because it can be run much farther than
twistedpair cable.

Interference

Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)

Interference can be a real problem with

twisted-pair networks, or any networks for
that matter.
Interference is anything that disrupts or
modifies a signal that is traveling along a
wire.

This is a disturbance that can affect electrical

circuits, devices, and cables due to
electromagnetic conduction and possibly
radiation.
Just about any type of electrical device causes
EMI: TVs, air conditioning units, motors,
unshielded electrical cables (Romex), and so on.
Copper-based cables and network devices should
be kept away from these electrical devices and
cables if at all possible.

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Shielded Twisted-Pair (STP) Cables

Radio Frequency Interference (RFI)

example shielded twisted-pair (STP) cables.

STP cables have an aluminum shield inside
the plastic jacket that surrounds the pairs of
wires.

This is interference that can come from

AM/FM transmissions and cell phone
towers.
It is often considered part of the EMI family
and is sometimes even referred to as EMI.
Filters can be installed on the network to
eliminate the signal frequency being
broadcast by a radio tower, although this will
usually not affect standard wired Ethernet
networks.

Data Emanation

Data Emanation

One serious issue with data networks, especially

networks with copper-based cabling is data
emanation (also known as signal emanation).
This is the electromagnetic (EM) field that is
generated by a network cable or network device,
which can be manipulated to eavesdrop on
conversations or to steal data.
Data emanation is the most commonly seen
security risk when using coaxial cable, but it can
also be a security risk for other copper-based
cables such as twisted pair.

There are various ways to tap into these (EM) fields in

order to get unauthorized access to confidential data.
To alleviate the situation, you could use shielded
cabling or run the cabling through metal conduits.
You could also use electromagnetic shielding on
devices that might be emanating an electromagnetic
field.
This could be done on a small scale by shielding the
single device, or on a larger scale by shielding an entire
room, perhaps a server room.
This would be an example of a Faraday cage.

Crosstalk

Crosstalk

Another common type of interference is

crosstalk.
Crosstalk is when the signal that is transmitted
on one copper wire or pair of wires creates an
undesired effect on another wire or pair of wires.
This first occurred when telephone lines were
placed in close proximity to each other. Due to
the fact that the lines were so close, the signal
could jump from one line to the next
intermittently.

When it comes to twisted-pair cabling,

crosstalk is broken down into two categories:
Near end crosstalk (NEXT) occurs when there
is measured interference between two pairs
in a single cable, measured on the cable end
nearest the transmitter.
Far end crosstalk (FEXT) occurs when there
is similar interference, measured at the cable
end farthest from the transmitter.

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Plenum-Rated

Fiber Optic Cable

Cables that are installed inside walls or above drop

ceilings where they cannot be accessed by
sprinkler systems in the case of a fire should be
plenum-rated or low-smoke rated.
Plenum-rated cables have a Teflon coating that
makes them more impervious to fire.
They are used in these situations because
standard twisted-pair cables have a PVC jacket,
which can emit deadly gas into the air that
ultimately gets breathed in as hydrochloric acid.

Fiber optic cable transmits light (photons)

instead of electricity, and this light is
transmitted over glass or plastic.
Glass is known as the media for fiber optics,
just like copper is known the media for
twisted-pair cabling.
The glass or plastic strands in fiber optic
cabling are extremely small; in fact, they are
measured in microns.

Types of Fiber Optic Cable

Types of Fiber Optic Cable

Single-mode

Multi-mode fiber optic (MM)

Fiber optic (SMF) is a cable with an optical

fiber that is meant to carry a single ray of
lightone ray of light, one mode.
This type of cable is normally used for longer
distance runs, generally 10 km and up to 80
km.

Fiber Optic Cables

Cable with a larger fiber core, capable of

carrying multiple rays of light.
This type of cable is used for shorter distance
runs, up to 600 meters.
Though much shorter than single mode fiber
runs, this is still six times the distance of
twisted-pair cable runs.

Wireless Networks
Wireless devices might allow for central
connectivity of client computers and handheld
devices.
Or, they might offer an extension of connectivity
to a pre-existing wireless network and could be
used to connect entire local area networks to
the Internet.
In addition, some wireless devices can be
connected directly to each other in a point-topoint fashion.

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Wireless Access Point

Wireless Network Adapters

By far the most well-known wireless device is

the wireless access point or WAP.
This device quite often also acts as a router,
firewall, and IP proxy.

Wireless network adapters allow for

connectivity between a desktop computer or
laptop and the wireless access point.
They come in many shapes and sizes,
including USB, PC Card, ExpressCard, and of
course, as an internal PCI or PCI Express
adapter card for a personal computer.

Wireless Repeater

Wireless Bridge

A wireless repeater is used to extend the

coverage of a wireless network.
Due to the fact that most WLANs only have a
range of about 100 feet or so (depending on
the standard), wireless repeaters are often
needed to extend that signal further.

A wireless bridge is similar to a wireless

repeater, but the bridge can connect
different 802.11 standards together; this is
known as bridge mode.

Wireless LAN (WLAN)

WLAN Standards

Wireless LAN or WLAN is a network composed

of at least one WAP and at least one computer
or handheld device that can connect to the
WAP.
Usually these networks are Ethernet based, but
they can be based off other networking
architectures.
In order to ensure compatibility, the WAP and
other wireless devices must all use the same
IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard.

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Wireless Encryption Options

Wireless Modes
There several different ways to connect to a
wireless network
Infrastructure mode - It occurs when wireless
clients connect to and are authenticated by a
wireless access point,
Ad-hoc mode - All of the clients communicate
directly with each other.

Service Set Identifier (SSI)

Wireless Settings

When utilizing infrastructure mode, the base

unit (normally a WAP) will be configured with
a service set identifier (SSID).
This then becomes the name of the wireless
network, and it is broadcast over the
airwaves.
Thus, when clients want to connect to the
WAP, they can identify it by the SSID.

Summary
To recognize wired networks and media types. This
includes identifying twisted-pair cable, cabling tools,
and testers. You also learned what can interfere with
twisted-pair cabling and how to avoid it, and you read
about a slew of wiring standards you should know for
the real world. You also learned some of the basics
about fiber optic cabling and some of the standards
attached to these extremely quick cables.
To comprehend wireless networks. This included
wireless devices, wireless settings and
configurations, wireless standards, and encryption
protocols.