Do you want to know the difference between Fiber optic cable, Twisted Pair cable, and Coaxial cable? This question is often asked in many examinations. Stay with us if you want to know more about the difference between Fiber Optic vs Twisted Pair vs Coaxial Cable.
Fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable and coaxial cable are the three main network cable types used in communication systems. Each of these are different from each other and are used for different purposes.
Therefore, to use these three correctly, you first have to understand them and the differences between them well. So, without any delay, let’s start and learn about them.
What is Fiber Optic?
Fiber optic is also called optical fiber cable. This is a type of Ethernet cable in which one or more optic fibers are used to transmit data.
Fiber optic cable transmits data through light pulses, which pass through these thin glass tubes. According to one estimate, the transmission capacity of optical fiber cable is more than 26,000 times more than that of twisted pair cable.
What is a Twisted Pair?
The twisted pair is most commonly used in telephone communications and modern Ethernet networks. This is a type of wiring in which two conductors of a single circuit are twisted together.
This pair of wires easily forms a circuit in which data can be transmitted easily. At the same time, these pairs are also twisted together so that it provides us protection from crosstalk, the noise that is generated from adjacent pairs.
What is Coaxial Cable?
Coaxial cable, or coax cable, is specifically designed to transmit high-frequency signals. This wire is made of a circular copper conductor and three layers of insulation and shielding which keeps away crosstalk from motors, lighting and sources of EMI.
Due to this shield construction, this coaxial cable can easily support longer cable lengths between two devices.
Coaxial Cable Types
- RG59: RG59 is a basic coax cable. It is quite thin and has very little shielding. It is most suitable for cable TV transmissions and short cables.
- RG6: RG6 coaxial cable is a heavier gauge and has thicker insulation and better shielding. It is most suitable for digital video signals and satellite TV.
| Characteristics | Twisted pair cable | Co-axial cable | Optical fiber cable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Signal transmission | In this, the signal is transmitted in electrical form and that too through metallic conducting wires. | There is power loss in this, which is mainly due to conduction and radiation. | In this, the signal is transmitted in electrical form and that too through glass fiber. |
| External magnetic field | These are greatly affected by external magnetic fields. | These are not much affected by external magnetic fields. | These are not affected at all by external magnetic fields. |
| Cause of power | There is power loss in this, which is mainly due to conduction. | There is power loss in it, which too mainly due to absorption, scattering and bending. | The twisted pair cable has low bandwidth. |
| Bandwidth | Coaxial cable has a slightly higher bandwidth. | In this, the EMI is reduced significantly because of the shielding. | Optical fiber cable has the highest bandwidth. |
| Electromagnetic interference(EMI) | The effect of EMI is clearly visible in this. | The highest attenuation is found in it. | There is no EMI at all in this. |
| Installation | Installation is quite easy. | The installation process is a little less easy. | The installation process is quite difficult. |
| Attenuation | It supports a Moderately high data rate. | Less attenuation is found in it. | The least attenuation is found in it. |
| Data rate | It supports a very high data rate. | Twisted pair cable supports a low data rate. | It supports very high data rate. |
| Noise immunity | Twisted pair cable has the lowest noise immunity. | Coaxial cable has more noise immunity. | Optical fiber cable has the highest noise immunity. |
So this was the gist of all the major differences, that too between fiber optic cable vs twisted pair cable vs coaxial cable. Among all these, fiber optics is now being used the most because technology has started increasing gradually. There is a need for speed everywhere.