
Any cable attached to this access of network is called especially as “Ethernet cable” and generally as “network cable”. Opposite to WLAN (WiFi, wireless local area network), Ethernet is a wired LAN access technology. This evolution makes the concept of Ethernet cable and network cable more close to each other.įigure 2: This photo shows the most popular used Cat5e and Cat6 cables. However, modern technology has developed Ethernet, allowing it to run on coaxial and fiber optics cables, which is beyond the early Ethernet technology. All the above specially mentioned as Ethernet cables are also network cables. Other updated Ethernet cables are Cat6a, Cat7a for higher performance. For example, Cat5e Ethernet cable and Cat6 cable are two most popular used Ethernet cables in the current market. Ethernet cable is also commonly classified by standard categories. An unshield one – UTP is the most identified type and thus be called as Ethernet cable. Modern Ethernet usually operates on twisted pair cables with 8P8C modular RJ45 connectors. In fact, any cables that applied to networks are network cables. However, network cable refers to a large range of cable types such as patch cable and glass optical fiber. Ethernet cable usually exclusively refers to a copper or aluminium cable. Only network cables that used in Ethernet environments (LAN, MAN, WAN) are called Ethernet cable. Range InvolvedĮthernet cable is a branch of network cable.


Ethernet Cable vs Network Cable: What’s the Difference? Ethernet crossover, twisted pair, coaxial and fiber optic are four of the most frequently used network cables. There are a variety of network cables in the market, and different network cables are required for different network conditions. It is used to connect and transmit data between a network and computers. Network cable is a wide concept of all types of cables used in various network.

They are of great concern while setting up wired networks, for both bad cabling and low-quality cable leading to low network performance.įigure 1: This photo shows the installation of Ethernet cable in the network center.

In actual application, cables that installed in Ethernet to connect with devices like switches, routers and PCs and used as a common network medium for data transmission and power supply (Power over Ethernet, PoE) are called Ethernet cables. What Is Ethernet Cable?Įthernet cable is a concept of cabling network wire that specified to be used in LAN (local area network), MAN (metropolitan area network) and WAN (wide area network). We can easily get confused by these terms and questions like Ethernet cable vs network cable: What’s the difference? Whoever you are as long as you are network users, you need the basic knowledge to figure one from the other. With the ever-increasing popularization of network applications in our daily life, people frequently hear words like “Ethernet cable” and “network cable”.
