Ethernet is the most popular standard for transmitting network signals from one computer to another.
Ethernet can be carried on a variety of different media
- Cable types: Coaxial (10Base5) “thick” or “thinnet (10Base2)” which are largely obsolete, optical fiber, power line, and twisted pair (10BaseT)
- Wireless: 802.11 wireless Ethernet or WiFi, in several different speeds, the most popular from slowest to fastest are 802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n and the newly introduced 802.11ac
RJ45 plugs on an Ethernet CAT5E cable
The most common Ethernet cabling is Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) which uses four conductors out of a 8 conductor twister pair copper cable (stranded or solid). It uses RJ-45 type plugs on the connection ends. The RJ-45 connector looks like an overgrown telephone plug.
Ethernet UTP cable can be rated as Category 5 (CAT5) for 100 Mbps Ethernet and CAT5E or CAT6 for 1000 Mbps Ethernet (Gigabit Ethernet). The maximium cable run for UTP is generally 100 m (300 ft).
Wall plate with RJ45 jack and RJ11 jack for telephone
CAT5E and CAT6 cable is relatively inexpensive, and increasingly it is being pre-wired into office and residential construction. Solid core UTP cable can be run inside walls and in ceiling spaces, and brought to RJ-45 wall jacks.
Although twisted pair cabling rejects interference, it is best to keep communications cables separated from AC power cables. Where possible, Ethernet and telephone cable should be run in different conduit from power cables.