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Copper vs Fiber

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Copper vs. Fiber
Category 6 cable: Cat 6, is a standardized cable for Gigabit Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards.
Advantages
• Speed and Performance
• Similar Structure with Cat 5 Cable
• Backward Compatible
• Upgradable
Disadvantages
• Expensive
• Does Not Guarantee Full Speed
Fiber Optic Cable:
This is a cable made up of super-thin filaments of glass or other transparent materials that can carry beams of light. Because a fiber-optic cable is light-based, data can be sent through it at the speed of light
Advantages
• High bandwidth
• Long distance between terminals.

Disadvantages
• Fiber optic cable is more expensive to install than using metal wire.
• Fiber optic cable is much more fragile than metal wire.
• fiber optic cable is more difficult and more expensive to "split" because de-modulation from light back to electrical signals and then re-modulation back into light for each new branch is necessary using an electronic "splitter unit".

A Real World Example
Fiber-optic cables are used extensively in the business world in local area networks (LANs). These independent networks use large quantities of fiber-optic cable to connect up campuses, business complexes, closed-circuit security systems, interstate business divisions, and workplace PCs from cubicle to cubicle. Data-intensive businesses want ever-faster networks to improve employee productivity.
Resources
• http://www.doityourself.com/stry/the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-using-a-category-6-cable#.UuGq603nbIU
• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_some_advantages_and_disadvantages_of_using_fiber_optic_cable
• http://www.ehow.com/info_8188686_uses-fiberoptic-cables.html
• http://www.techterms.com/definition/fiberopticcable

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