The dawn of Ethernet cables

Ethernet cables are the cables you often entangle with in your daily life these are the simple cables which connects your desktop computer or may be your laptop with the router and switches. So basically they are networking cables used on wired form of network not the wireless one which joins devices on local area networks like your desktop computers, routers e.t.c.

These cables from their advent in back in 1970’s the IEEE has introduced many standards each one with better specifications than the previous one. It moved up the hierarchy from cat3, cat4, cat5, cat6, but constantly evolving back in 1987 IEEE introduced a standard IEEE 802.3i it worked at 10 Mbps but now recently Ethernet Alliance, an industry group that promotes IEEE Ethernet standards has developed a standard that works at 25Gbps but still it is not efficient for their cloud data centers so now they are working on to develop a standard with 50Gbps specification.

Back to the basics Ethernet cables are designed to connect one computer with router or switch. But there are specially designed Ethernet cables available in the market known as crossover cables they have the capability to connect two computers to each other. So on grass rote levels we can differentiate Ethernet cables into two distinct forms on the basis of their physical manufactural attributes one is solid Ethernet cables and the other is stranded Ethernet cable. The solid Ethernet cables provide a better performance and they can protect itself as well the data against electrical interference, so no wonder these are the one used in business networks and they are fixed in the office walls or floors. On the otherhand the stranded Ethernet cables have trade of its performance with the reliability. These cables are strong and reliable they do not get easily cracked or break so they are preferred choice for travelers and for general home users.

Even though in this era of fast WiFi enterprises still prefer Ethernet cables over the wifi access because it is more reliable mood of data transfer. Now the Ethernet world has taken a new turn as world is not just relying on getting the best speed in the world on a piece of a copper wire but there are now looking forward to new prospects. They are looking to sove multiple problems. As in Ethernet alliance annual Technology Exploration Forum which held recently in Santa Clara, California whose main job is to set standards for the Ethernet, it was discussed that what to build for the future and how? keeping in mind the Optical and electrical signaling, fiber strands and copper wires, processing power, energy consumption, heat, cost, and other issues regarding it.

The state of the art technologies which are being used or are in the process of development includes 25-Gigabit Ethernet which is already being used by the cloud data centers, 50 Gigabit which is in the developmental stages will be launched at the end of 2016. 2.5-Gigabit Ethernet it will target companies and enterprises to fill their buildings with high speed wifi. The 400-Gigabit Ethernet standard will establish a new top speed in the field of Ethernet and it is expected to be completed in the march of the next year.