Data Cabling FAQs

CKC Data Solutions designs and installs telecommunications infrastructure for your company, including all of the data and network cabling for your business. Today, our expert team answers frequently asked questions about data cabling.

What is data cabling used for?

It transmits electronic information from one destination to another, such as from one computer to another via a server. Data cables can run long or short distances.

What are the types of data cabling?

There are three main types of data cables available to transmit information from one source to another:

Coaxial cables. These are the types of cables typically associated with transmitting television signals. There is a single copper wire in the middle surrounded by an insulating layer and then conductive shielding on the outside to prevent damage.

Twisted pair cables. Two small copper wires twist together and then run parallel to each other in the same sheath. You see these cables everywhere, and you might not even realize it. Unshielded twisted pairs (UTP) happen eight at a time, with very small wires, in Ethernet cables. Ethernet cables work best for short distances of less than half a mile (approximately 1 kilometer).

Fiber optic cables. Rather than copper, fiber optic cables are made of very fine and pure strands of glass. Light travels through these strands very efficiently. Fiber optics work best over long distances of over half a mile (around 1 kilometer)

What are the three main parts of data cables?

The three types of cables all have three main parts, including:

Conductors, or the innermost part that moves the signals.

Insulation to help prevent electrical interference and signal degradation.

A protective jacket to help prevent physical damage due to water or breakage.

All cables are flexible, to a point, for easy installation and transport.

What are data cables made of?

The innermost part is made of metal or glass.

The outermost part is either made of rubber or metal.

If there is any insulation inside, it can be made of foam, paper, or another dielectric medium that can be polarized to make data cables virtually free of any electric current to prevent signal degradation.

What are some examples of data cables?

Major types of data cables in use today are:

Fiber optics

Serial

Coaxial

Ethernet

Token rings

Telephone cords

Submarine communications cable

USB

HDMI

Who can help my company install data cabling in Springfield, MO?

Contact CKC Data Solutions or call (417) 812-5251 for more information on how we can help take your business to the next level with world-class telecommunications infrastructure, including various data cabling solutions.