Copper Cable vs Fiber Optics
Fiber optic cable has many advantages over copper cable. First, it transmits data much faster over longer distances than copper. Fiber cable is also smaller in diameter and lighter than copper cable, making it the ideal choice for a variety of cabling solutions, including Gigabit Ethernet, FDDI, multimedia, ATM, SONET, Fibre Channel, or other networks that demand high bandwidth over long distances.
In copper networks, loss increases with signal frequency. High data rates increase power loss and decrease transmission distances. In fiber optic networks, loss does not change with signal frequency. Fiber optic cables are immune to radio frequency interference (RFI) and electromagnetic interference (EMI). ecause of this characteristic, they are perfect for applications where close proximity to electronic devices can cause RFI and EMI disruption. This provides more reliability and security than copper cables.
When considering the strength of different cables, copper cables are more susceptible to damage via pulling. LAN copper cables have a pull tension limit of approximately 25 lb. On the other hand, even though fiber cables contain glass, they are stronger than LAN copper cables. Standard fiber optic cables may have a pull strength of 100-200 lbs. Rugged fiber cables may have a pull strength up to 800 lb.
Fiber optic cabling is the ideal choice for many applications. It uses less power and provides less signal degradation than copper cables. It is generally non-flammable, unable to be tapped and better suited for data and illumination transmission. Check out Timbercon’s wide range of fiber optic solutions.