What is an Ethernet Cable?

Remember the old days when we had to dial up a number to get access to the internet? Should we even call that the internet? It was just a minefield of text and was nothing compared to the behemothic world wide web that we all have instant access to today.

Nevertheless, accessing the internet still requires some type of connection. While Wi-Fi and mobile data might have become synonymous with internet connections, there is another way to get on the web, and that is via an ethernet cable.

Connecting to the internet via an ethernet cable is the protocol in most schools and offices and yet it is something that most people don’t know about. You’re probably reading this article on a computer that has an ethernet cable connected to it. Look towards the back of your desktop’s chassis, and you’ll see it.

What Does An Ethernet Cable Look Like?

Don’t know what you’re looking for? Well, let us help you out. While it has no particular color, an ethernet cable looks just like a telephone cable. The connector, however, is a bit bigger and is shaped like a plug. One end of the plug goes into your device, while the other is plugged into the internet modem.

There is a lever on top of the connector that you can push when inserting or plugging the cable out. Please don’t think about pushing it right now as plugging the cable out of your computer will instantly disconnect you from the internet, and that would be a shame, no?

The Benefits Of Using An Ethernet Cable

So, unplugging the ethernet cable equals disconnection from the internet. Seems rather old-school, no? So, what’s the benefit? Why do people use this bad boy when Wi-Fi connections are getting ever more convenient? Well, here are two benefits of connecting to the internet via an ethernet cable:

Faster & more reliable

It would be an understatement to say that wired connections are faster than wireless. The difference is mind-blowing. Since you’ll be directly connected to the internet with zero blockage from walls and other objects, an ethernet connection will give you super-fast connectivity and stability.

Those of you who like playing multiplayer games would be more appreciative of the stability part. You’ll get a better ping when your PC or console is wired in, which would result in faster load times and minimal lag. So, no more blaming the internet when you choke your next game of FIFA or COD, okay?

Security

By connecting all the devices in their office or school to a single wired network, the administration gets control over who can and cannot access the net in their building. This ensures that the confidential information of their organization doesn’t get out or becomes available to hackers.

What Are The Different Categories of Ethernet Cables?

Ethernet cables are categorized by numbers in a format of Catx where “Cat” stands for “category” and “X” is the number. Sometimes a letter follows the number to denote the cable’s advanced nature. Some popular categories include:

• Cat5
• Cat5e
• Cat6
• Cat6A
• Cat7
• Cat7A
• Cat8

As the numbers after the “Cat” start to increase, so does the connection speed. This speed is calculated in terms of how much data can be transferred in a second. So, 10Mbps would mean the cable can move 10 megabits of data per second.

A Cat5 cable, which, by the way, is quickly becoming obsolete, can transfer up to 100 Mbps. A Cat6 cable has speeds of 1 Gbps while a Cat7 cable is a lot faster at 10 Gbps. Then comes Cat8 and it brings with it the future with a rocking speed of 40 Gbps!

So, in a nutshell, an ethernet cable may have a dash of old-school touch to it – what with the limited mobility that it affords the user – but thanks to its breakneck speeds, the ethernet cable is still here and it is here to stay.