L&C Tech Talk

The exact definition of voice cabling is the wiring of a building for basic telecommunications systems to be enabled including phone lines, modems, or analog lines. These cables are made from copper or fiber which carry data across long distances and are designed mainly to transmit greater amounts of data at higher speeds.

Function

For installing a phone line, modem or analog line the primary step is installing a voice cable. Telephone landlines and local communication systems are connected by voice cabling which uses voice grade wire and standard telephone jacks.

Types

To comply with the national and global communication standards several types and newer varieties of voice cabling have been developed.

Category 1: This type of was a common type of land line cable which was used for basic telephone communication and doorbell wiring.

Category 3: This is a copper, unshielded tested pair cable used to transmit up to 10mb of data per second and it is the current voice cabling standard.

Category 5: This category is unshielded twisted pair cable designed for high signal reception for far end communication.

History

Over the years voice cabling has evolved in compliance with telecommunication standards and to ensure higher performance. Category 3 cabling was commonly used with computer network administrators but recently category 5 cabling was updated to comply with standards and is commonly referred to as Ethernet cable.

Identification

Category 3 is a typical voice cable in which there is a bundle of four individually twisted cables which are unprotected by a outer layer. A connector at each end allows the cable to be plugged easily into a device. Most voice cabling is covered by plastic or synthetic in order to prevent breakage due to corroding from the elements.

Considerations

While setting up a new voice cable the most important thing you must consider is proper installation and telecommunications compliance. Advise are given by experts to get a warranty on your voice cabling network as well as a guarantee that proper technical support is available.

Data Cabling

Wires that connect the different computers on a network are called data cables. A computer requires a data cable to access the internet and the local network. There are several types of data cables which allow different speeds of communication.

Significance

Wireless networks have some kind of data cable connection. Computers cannot communicate without data cables. Even the infrastructure of wireless networks has some kind of data cable connection.

Features

The composition of a data cable consists of the inner wires, a thick cover encasing the wires and an RJ45 connector at the end. The end connector RJ45 is inserted in to the computer.

Types

The types of data cables are Ethernet, coax, fiber and ribbon cables. The Ethernet cable is the most popular type.

Identification

Data cables and voice cables look similar. To avoid confusion each type is labelled. However the visible difference is that data cables have eight wires in the RJ45 jack while voice cables have a smaller connector and only four wires.

Considerations

Telephones and microwave devices can corrupt data cables even though they are protected by an outer cable. Always keep data cables away from other devices that emit strong signals when wiring a home or office.