What is a patch cable? A patch cable, sometimes also referred to as a patch cord, is a length of cable with connectors on both ends that are used to connect an end device to something else, such as a power source.
Patch cables and Ethernet have become incredibly common in our daily lives. But there is a great deal of uncertainty among many of us regarding both cable types. We’ll discuss what a patch cable is a today and the technical distinctions between patch and ethernet cables in this post.
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What Is Patch Cable?
Typically, the term patch has been derived from “patch-in,” which means this cable patches a signal from one switch, hub, another hub or the router. It is a kind of cable with two ends that is used to join an end device to a power source or other object.
There are two different kinds of patch cables: fiber patch cables and ethernet patch cables.
Typically in corporate offices, patch cables are widely used for short-distance connections. However, ethernet network cables are ideal for attaching a computer to a network hub or an ethernet switch.
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Types And Uses Of Patch Cables
Patch cables come in a wide range of varieties. Ethernet cables known as CAT5/CAT5e are the most widely used for connecting computers to nearby network hubs, switches, or routers, as well as switches to other network devices.
Building home computer networks can benefit from the use of Ethernet patch cables. Sometimes patch cables are required by guests staying in older hotels without Wi-Fi to set up hard-wired internet connections.
A specific kind of Ethernet patch cable used to link two computers together is called a crossover cable.
Non-networking patch cables could be microphone cables, RCA connector cables, XLR connector cables, TRS phone connector cables, Tiny Telephone connector cables, patch panel cables, etc. They also can be thick “snake cables” that transmit video and amplified signals.
What Does A Patch Cable Look Like?
Patch cables can be any color and are usually shorter than other kinds of networking cables because they’re meant for “patching” devices together. Most are no longer than two meters because that is usually accomplished over a short distance. They may even be a few inches or less in length. Longer cables are typically thicker than their shorter counterparts and are frequently shielded to reduce electromagnetic interference.
In addition to fiber optic, shielded or unshielded CAT5/5e/6/6A, or single-conductor wires, patch cables can also be made of coaxial cable, which is the most common type.
A patch cable always has connectors on both ends, making it less of a long-term fix than other cables like pigtails or blunt patch cords. These cables resemble patch cables but differ in that one end has exposed bare wires that are intended to be permanently connected to a terminal or other device.
What Is Ethernet Cable?
Ethernet is a type of protocol that specifies how data packets will move throughout a particular medium.
Ethernet-related cables include twisted pair, coaxial, and fiber optic cables. Optical network cable and fiber optic cable are the two types of ethernet that are used the most frequently.
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Do Patch Cables Work As Ethernet Cables?
In copper networks, an Ethernet cable and a patch cable are frequently interchangeable. But the later is usually shorter to “patch” in from your patch panel to your switch. To wire a home network, for instance, a 100ft Cat6 Ethernet patch cable is required. The 100ft Cat6 patch cable can be used as Ethernet cable in this scenario.
The main distinction between Ethernet cables and patch cables is the variety of Ethernet cable types.
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