Need to find a third cable used prior to UTP. I found...

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Answer by galaxy
Submitted on 8/18/2003
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There are a few possibilities :-)... There were two types of co-axial LAN cables: (1) 50-Ohm 10Base2, also called "thin ethernet"; connected by bare-metal BNC plugs/sockets; transciever drops connected via T-pieces. Good for upto 200 metres. (2) 75-Ohm 10Base5, also called "thick ethernet"; very thick cable, could be used to moor the Titanic; connected by big bulky plastic-sheathed BNC (IIRC) connectors; tranciever drops connected using "vampire taps". Good for upto 500 metres. Or were you thinking of the 15-conductor Attachment-Unit-Interface (AUI) drop cables? Less likely but possible are: STP (shielded twisted-pair); multimode dual-string optical fibre (as per FDDI); or whatever type of cable CDDI LANs use...

Answer by Harvey
Submitted on 1/20/2004
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Assuming you're dealing with Ethernet: Thick Ethernet cables are still 50 Ohm just like Thin Ethernet. They use N connectors that screw on, rather than the push and twist of BNC connectors. Drop cables from this type of backbone baseband cable are called AUI cables. They terminate in 15 pin D connectors, but they don't use all 15 pins. Shielded twisted pair connectors that look like RJ45 connectors with an aluminum coating, are used to some extent in Europe. Last time I used fiber optic cable to interconnect Ethernet was with ST cables. I'm sure something different is used now, like SCs or something. I've never heard of an application where FDDI connectors were used.

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Question by JC
Submitted on 8/10/2003
Related FAQ: Data Communications Cabling FAQ
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Need to find a third cable used prior to UTP. I found Coaxial, TwinAxial and having trouble with the third. Also need to know what the connectors for it would be. I am working on training and any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

Answer by galaxy
Submitted on 2/25/2005
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Re: "I've never heard of an application where FDDI connectors were used." The original poster did not specify Ethernet explicitly, so I assumed that other LAN types may be also suitable. Guess I could also have mentioned IBM twin-axial cable (2 conductors side-by-side in a single outer plastic sheath) as used for Token-Ring LANs.

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