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IT accessories that will make your work more efficient
In today's dynamically developing world of technology, IT accessories play a key role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our devices. In this blog, we will take a closer look at the various components that can significantly impact the performance and functionality of your computer hardware.
Ethernet cables
Ethernet is a technology that allows multiple computers to be connected into a local area network (LAN), using protocols to manage data flow and prevent transmission collisions.
An Ethernet cable, often called a network cable, connects your computer directly to the Internet. This cable runs from your router, modem, or network switch to your computer, providing a stable connection to your local area network (LAN).
There are many different cables available for Ethernet and other telecommunications and networking applications. These cables are classified into different categories such as Cat 5, Cat 6, Cat 7 and Cat 8, which are often recognized by TIA (Telecommunications Industries Association):
| Category (CAT) | Description | Maximum data transfer (at 100m) | Maximum frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Not recognized by TIA/EIA. This is a form of cabling used for standard telephone (POTS) or ISDN cabling. | - | - |
| 2 | Not recognized by TIA/EIA. This was a form of cabling used in 4Mbit/s token ring networks. | - | - |
| 3 | This cable is defined in TIA/EIA-568-B. It is used in data networks using frequencies up to 16 MHz. It was popular in 10 Mbps Ethernet (100Base-T) networks, but has now been replaced by Cat 5 cable. | 10 Mb/s | 16 MHz |
| 4 | This cable is not recognized by TIA/EIA. However, it can be used in networks carrying frequencies up to 20 MHz. It was often used in 16 Mbps token ring networks. | - | - |
| 5 | Not recognized by TIA/EIA. This is a network cable that is widely used in 100Base-T and 1000Base-T networks because it provides the performance to transfer data at 100 Mbps and slightly faster (125 MHz for 1000Base-T) Ethernet. The cable replaced the Cat 3 version and became the standard for Ethernet cabling for many years. Cat 5 cable is now obsolete and therefore not recommended for new installations. | 10 - 100 Mb/s | 100 MHz |
| 5e | This form of cable is recognized by TIA/EIA and is defined in TIA/EIA-568, last revised in 2001. It has a slightly higher frequency specification than Cat-5 cable, as its performance reaches 125 Mbps. | 1 Gb/s | 100 MHz |
| 6 | This cable is defined in TIA/EIA-568-B and provides significant performance improvements over Cat5 and Cat 5e. When manufactured, Cat 6 cables are wound more tightly than Cat 5 or Cat 5e and often have an outer foil or braided shield. Shielding protects the twisted pairs of wires inside an Ethernet cable, helping to prevent crosstalk and interference. Cat-6 cables can technically support speeds of up to 10 Gbps, but they can only do so over distances of up to 55 meters - yet this makes them relatively long Ethernet cables. Cat 6 Ethernet cables typically have over 2 twists per cm, and some may include a nylon gusset to reduce crosstalk, although this is not required by the standard. | 1 Gb/s | 250 MHz |
| 6a | The letter "a" in Cat 6a stands for "Augmented", and the standard was revised in 2008. Cat 6a cables can handle twice the maximum bandwidth and are able to maintain higher transmission speeds over longer network cable runs. Cat 6a cables use shielding that is sufficient to eliminate crosstalk. However, this makes them less flexible than Cat 6 cables. | 10 Gb/s | 500 MHz |
| 7 | This is the informal designation for Class F cabling according to ISO/IEC 11801. It consists of four individually shielded pairs within a general jacket. It is intended for applications where transmission rates of up to 600 Mb/s are required. | 10 Gb/s | 600 MHz |
| 8 | Cat 8 cables have already been introduced to the market and provide a huge increase in data rates/bandwidth. As a result, Cat 8 cables are generally more expensive than older versions such as Cat 6 and even Cat 7. | Cat 8.1 - 25 Gb/sCat 8.2 - 40 Gb/s | 2000 MHz |
Manufacturers can further increase efficiency by placing shielding around all conductors in the cable just below the cable sheath. There are different codes used to indicate different types of shielding:
| U/UTP - unshielded cable, unshielded twisted pair |
| F/UTP - foil shielded cable, unshielded twisted pair |
| F/FTP - foil shielded cable, shielded twisted pair |
| U/FTP - unshielded cable, foil-shielded twisted pair |
| S/FTP - braided shielded cable, foil shielded twisted pair |
TP = twisted pair, U = unshielded, F = foil shielded, S = braid shielded.*
HUBs
A USB hub is a device that expands a single USB port into several additional ones, allowing more devices to be connected to a host system, much like a power strip. All devices connected to a USB hub share the bandwidth available to that hub.
Some USB hubs support power delivery (PD), which allows you to charge your laptop battery if properly powered and certified. They can function as simple docking stations, requiring only one connection to charge the battery and connect peripherals. Hubs can also be equipped with power switches for individual ports, which allows you to conveniently turn off unresponsive devices.
Expansion cards
An expansion card, also known as an add-on card, is hardware that can be inserted into a computer's expansion slot to increase its functionality. These cards add new capabilities that your basic computer setup may not have.
There are many types of expansion cards, such as sound cards, graphics cards, network cards, and others. Each of them improves specific functions of your computer. For example, graphics cards improve the quality of the displayed image.
Our product range also includes expansion cards for M.2 SSD drives.
Switches
A USB switch is a device that allows you to connect one or more USB peripherals to multiple computers, but only one at a time. For example, a USB switch allows you to share a printer or external storage between two or more computers. The computer is selected manually using buttons or software.
An AV switcher is a more advanced device that collects audio and video signals from various sources and sends them to a single output. At home, a typical AV switch allows you to connect a game console, cable box and Blu-ray player to one HDMI input on the TV. Professional AV switchers, used in large media, support multiple sources, different input types and resolutions, switching between them seamlessly. Some of them have a scaling function that adjusts the resolution of the output image to a specific value.
