Many people are currently talking about fiber optic cables. This new invention is the future of computer networking, taking over from all-time copper wire cables. If you are looking forward to setting up a new data center, or you just want an upgrade, then optical fiber cable is the way to go. It might seem like a new invention, but the cables are all out there. You can get any networking cable and interfacing cable you need for your application.
We may not exploit all the types of these optical cables out there, but we must bring it to your attention that you will always get what you need. There are two major categories of these cables depending on the core material. We have either plastic or glass cables, but these should not make any difference if you just want a home or office networking.
The two major categories are broken down into small groups of interest depending on the end connectors. The list of subgroups is endless, but we will quickly mention the commonly used ones. On the list, we have LC-LC cable, InfiniBand, ProLiant, Patch cable, and standard fiber optical cables. Please note that the first three items on the list are special-purpose cables commonly used in data centers.
Fiber optical cable or LC cable was invented to replace copper cables because of their limited bandwidth. As technology advances, there is a need for a higher data rate than copper wires can handle. Fiber optic cable has more bandwidth compared to copper conductors of the same diameter. It never matters whether you have single-mode or multimode fiber cables; your applications are always at the top.
Fiber optical cables are also champions when it comes to data speeds. Unlike copper conductors that rely on electrons to transfer data, fiber cables use light. So, the theoretical data rate is the speed of light. It can deliver data at that high speed while maintaining integrity. The resistance of fiber cables to environmental and magnetic interference with the signal is also remarkable!
What turns people away from fiber cables is the initial purchase price, but that is predicted to fall in the coming years. Despite that, these cables are very much cheaper in the end because of almost no maintenance cost. They also come with many advantages over their distant rivals, copper cables, worth the cost. What you actually pay for when you buy an optical cable is the performance and technology used in the manufacturing.