Coaxial Cable and Fiber Optics

 

Coaxial Cable

With ``coax'', the medium consists of a copper core surrounded by insulating material and a braided outer conductor. Co-axial cable has superior frequency characteristics compared to twisted-pair and can be used for both analog and digital signaling. Coaxial cables are used both for baseband and broadband communication. One of the most popular use of co-axial cable is in cable TV (CATV) for the distribution of TV signals. Another importance use of co-axial cable is in LAN.

Advantages:

✅ High Bandwidth

✅ Better noise Immunity
✅ Easy to install and expand
✅ Inexpensive

Disadvantages:

✅ Single cable failure can disrupt the entire network

Fiber Optics

In fiber optic technology, the medium consists of a hair-width strand of silicon or glass, and the signal consists of pulses of light. For instance, a pulse of light means ``1'', lack of pulse means ``0''. It has a cylindrical shape and consists of three concentric sections: the core, the cladding, and the jacket. Optical fiber cables are finding widespread use in long-distance telecommunications. Fiber optic cables are also used in high-speed LAN applications.

Advantages: 

✅ Increased capacity and bandwidth 

✅ Light weight 

✅ Less signal attenuation 

✅ Immunity to electromagnetic interference 

✅ Resistance to corrosive materials 

Disadvantages: 

✅ Difficult to install and maintain 

✅ High cost

✅ Fragile

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