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Chapter 1 Summary:

While reading this chapter, I discovered that not all Local Area Networks (LANs) use the same type of cables, and each has its unique purpose and design. I learned about twisted pair cables, which is one of the oldest and is the one I currently have in my home. It’s made of two copper wires twisted together to reduce electrical interference, a concept I found interesting. This twisting prevents signals in one wire from interfering with the other. I also learned that Category 1 cable, a basic version, was commonly used by telephone companies. It’s slow but cheap, which makes sense for transmitting simple voice signals. Then I learned about fiber-optic cable, which doesn’t use electricity at all. Instead, it transmits data through light, which makes it immune to interference and incredibly fast, however it’s not cheap and challenging to install. Learning this gave me an appreciation for how networks balance cost and performance. Fiber-optic cables are usually used to connect entire networks rather than individual devices. I learned about some of these cables in Professor Dushok’s class about Networking. They’re the foundation of connectivity, and choosing the right one is important. I would like to see more topics related to networks and security covered in future chapters.