Today’s world is often called a “wired world,” and for good reason. More than ever, consumers and business professionals are using electronic devices such as laptops, PCs, smartphones, and more to communicate and perform work. Some of these devices, such as laptops and smartphones, have wireless technology so that they can get signals without the use of cables, a convenient feature for sure. But wireless tech has not made cables such as cell phone cables, cat6 cables, or bulk USB cables obsolete. Many electronic devices make good use of those cables, and wireless tech might not work so well for what those cables do. Many advanced cables such as cell phone cables can be found in modern households, and it’s not just cell phone cables. Today’s 4K cables allow for extremely high definition videos, and ethernet cables can plug a device into a router for an internet connection. And at the office, countless cables are used every minute of the day. How does this work?
Cables for Offices
Nearly all businesses today make use of at least one or two computers, if not dozens of them, for work. Often, these computers are connected to the Internet for research, accessing online Cloud storage accounts, and more, and this means cables. In a large office, using wireless internet connections for dozens of work PCs would be impractical, as all those signals would interfere with one another. Instead, IT professionals will install all desktop PCs and hook them up to routers with ethernet cables. Cables can wire a computer to the router or other computers as needed, and a typical ethernet cable has four pairs of copper wires inside to transmit data quickly and easily. This makes for a solid, smooth, and reliable internet connection, and these cables never suffer from interference. Ethernet cables can be threaded carefully around the office so that they are not tripping hazards, and holes can be drilled in the floor to allow those cables to pass right through.
In an office, fiber optic cables may allow for an even faster internet connection. The manager may hire outside crews to install bundles of bulk fiber optic cables, which are thin glass cables that transmit data at incredible speeds with pulses of light. When these cables are installed, bonus “dark” cables will be installed too, to act as backups if any of the main cables fail. As the building’s internet usage is increased, some of those dark cables may be brought online.
Don’t forget surge protectors. A surge protector plugs into a wall socket, and its long body will have a number of slots so that several computers can be plugged in for power. The idea is that if a sudden power surge flows through the system, that surge protector will absorb the excess power and only allow safe levels of voltage to reach the computers. So, the surge protector acts as a sort of filter, or dam, and prevents excess power from frying the components of work PCs.
Cables in the Home and Everyday Life
Meanwhile, all sorts of cables are used in the home and everyday life, too, such as cell phone cables. Often known as lightning cables, these cell phone cables will have a USB plug at one end and a specialized plug for the phone at the other. This allows the phone to plug into a computer to share data, not to mention recharge the phone’s battery. Adapters allow these phones to be plugged into an ordinary wall socket, too.
Ethernet cables will not only connect work PCs to the internet, but also connect a game console or a gaming PC to the internet for online games and video streaming services. This may be a part of a home entertainment system, and cables will also connect a sound system’s speakers. An HDMI cable will connect a game console or PC to a monitor, HDTV, or a digital projector for high-definition visuals. A 4K cable, meanwhile, allows for ultra high-def video displays if all involved devices are 4K compatible. A home entertainment system can combine any number of devices through cables, so long as all involved devices are compatible with cable types.
