Cat8 vs Fiber: Which one is best for you? Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Advisor, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT, BICSI INST1, INSTC, INSTF Certified   In today's rapidly advancing technological landscape, the debate of Cat8 vs fiber optic for your networking needs is more relevant than ever. Cat8, a recent addition to the copper cable lineage, stands out for providing high-speed connectivity with a notable transmission frequency of 2GHz. On the other side, fiber optics, renowned for its pivotal role in elite data transmission, showcases unparalleled capacity in tran ..read more

Improve Your Home WiFi: When to Use Extenders vs Access Points for Signal Issues Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Advisor, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT, BICSI INST1, INSTC, INSTF Certified   In this third part of the series “How to Improve Your WiFi Signal”, we are going to cover the most troublesome device of them all, the evil and despised range extender. Have great electrical storms, global warming and my missing socks all resulted from the indiscriminate use of this devilish yet innocent looking device? We will investigate! We will talk about the best way t ..read more

Ethernet Splitter vs Switch: What’s the Difference? Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Advisor, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT, BICSI INST1, INSTC, INSTF Certified   Have you taken a look at your family lately? Using the Internet has become far more than a luxury. Internet access is at the point of becoming a necessity due to the connected online world. There are tasks that just 10 years ago you could accomplish offline that have been moved exclusively online. Don’t have the Internet? You might be out of luck. Nearly everyone in the family has a need for a high speed con ..read more

RJ45 vs. RJ11: What's the Difference? Written by Don Schultz, trueCABLE Senior Technical Advisor, Fluke Networks Copper/Fiber CCTT, BICSI INST1, INSTC, INSTF Certified   If you were born before 1985, you likely still recall old style telephones. Remember those? You went to the store and bought one (hey, it could even be a wireless handset!) and then plugged it into the “phone line” in your home. You likely also recall the short silver satin colored cord with plastic plugs on either end that came with your phone. Those telephone patch cords came with every new phone, kind of like USB charg ..read more

Fiber Optic Splicing: Examining the Factors that Affect Splice Performance Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI Are you looking for ways to improve the performance of your fiber optic splices? If so, you've come to the right place. In this blog post, we'll examine the factors that affect splice performance, including intrinsic factors, extrinsic factors, and core diameter mismatch. We'll also discuss the different types of fiber optic splices, such as mechanical splices and fusion splices. Finally, we'll provide some tips on troubleshooting fu ..read more

Bend-Insensitive Fiber – What Is It? Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI One of the important considerations when looking at optical fiber is that it is sensitive to stress, particularly bending. When optical fiber is stressed by bending, the light that is transmitted through the core will start to scatter and escape causing some of the light to be lost from the core into the cladding, creating an even higher loss in the stressed section of the fiber. If you put a visible laser in a fiber and stress it, you can see the light lost by the stress ..read more

What is a Fiber Optic Pigtail, and What Is It Used For? Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI A fiber optic pigtail is a type of fiber optic cable with only one end that has a factory-terminated connector and the other end exposed as bare fiber. A fiber optic pigtail is typically used for field termination with a mechanical or fusion splicer. When compared to field-installed rapid termination or epoxy and polish connections, pre-terminated optical pigtails with connectors save time while providing improved performance and reliability. The manner ..read more

A Discussion About The Benefits Of Using A Fiber Optic Media Converter Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI   Have you wondered about the purpose of a fiber optic media converter? Read on, and then dive even deeper as you watch an interview with our very own Fiber Optics Technical Specialist, Ben Hamlitsch. Ben sits down with Chuck Bowser and the “Let’s Talk Cabling" podcast, titled “A Discussion about Fiber Media Converters.” What is a fiber optic media converter? A fiber optic media converter, simply put, converts electrical signals to l ..read more

Comprehensive Guide to Fiber Optic Safety Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI   Introduction to Fiber Optic Safety Fiber optic technicians and telecom workers are in charge of installing, maintaining, and fixing fiber optic network systems. This can involve working with lasers, precision equipment, micro-scale glass fragments, heights, tools, and working near or with utility or electrical infrastructure. It is important for fiber optic technicians to follow safety practices to avoid injuries and accidents. Even though this article talks a ..read more

The Ultimate Guide to Plenum Rated, Riser Rated, and LZSH Cables: Know the Difference Written by Ben Hamlitsch, trueCABLE Technical and Product Innovation Manager RCDD, FOI     When it comes to the low-voltage wiring requirements for an office or data center, it is all too simple to greatly underestimate the challenges involved. A lot of individuals aren't familiar with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), so they think that any cable will do for their purposes. As a result, they neglect to check whether or not their cables genuinely satisfy the standards of the National ..read more