Many people go back and forth trying to decide between wireless network vs. wired network systems. Whether you’re looking at a network for your home or for your business, each type of network has its advantages and disadvantages. Continue reading to learn more.

Wireless Networks

If you can connect to the Internet at home, chances are you have a wireless network. Many people refer to this as Wi-Fi. Wireless networks are arguably more common in households than in commercial buildings, but that’s not to say businesses don’t use them. In fact, many businesses use both types of systems. Think about the local coffee shop you visit when you want to get some work done—you’re likely connecting to their wireless network.

Advantages

The main reason people like wireless networks is because they can connect multiple devices to the same network. Think about your home, where you can connect your cell phone, laptop, tablet, and smart speakers to Wi-Fi. However, wireless networks are becoming more popular in commercial settings due to convenience. Additionally, businesses such as coffee shops can bring in extra business by offering free Wi-Fi. In fact, most customers expect businesses to offer free Wi-Fi these days.

Disadvantages

Unlike with their wired counterpart, the main disadvantage of wireless networks is security. Going wireless can be riskier because wireless routers don’t have as many security features. However, many manufacturers have been improving security features over the years. Additionally, wireless networks can be slower than wired networks if the routers are overloaded with devices. Not to mention, typical household items such as walls, ceilings, and microwaves can affect your Wi-Fi connection by causing interference.

Wired Networks

Alternatively, many businesses use wired networks—that is, connecting their devices with Ethernet cables—because they usually have more stationary devices than mobile devices. Wired networks require more maintenance, but they also come with their fair share of advantages.

Advantages

Wired networks are always considered more secure and more reliable. Since you’re connecting your device directly with an Ethernet cable, your download and transfer speeds often skyrocket compared to those on a wireless network. In addition, a wired network offers a more secure connection, which is why most businesses use them alongside a hardware firewall. An added benefit is that the hardware for wired networks generally lasts longer than for wireless, making wired networks more cost-effective options in the long run.

Disadvantages

Wired networks have two main downsides: setup and mobility. If you don’t have an IT team and you’re not experienced in networking, setting up a wired network can be overwhelming. Additionally, the inability to take your device with you throughout the building can be frustrating and inefficient. That’s why so many businesses install both wired and wireless systems.

As you can see, both types of networks have several benefits and downsides. That’s why it’s so important to weigh out the pros and cons of wireless networks vs. wired network systems for your home or business. Here at CableWholesale, we’re a little partial to wired networks because we sell high-quality cables. Then again, we also value reliability, security, and speedy networks. If you’re looking to improve your wired Internet connection, upgrade your Ethernet cables. If you’re not sure which cable you need, most networks will use a cat5e Ethernet cable. Contact us if you have questions—we’d be happy to help.

Everybody enjoys watching television to some extent, and back in the day, many of us watched movies with VHS players. If you can remember setting up your equipment, you probably remember a single round cable with a pin at the end that screwed into your TV and VHS player. That was a coaxial cable, and you likely asked yourself: how does a coaxial cable work,and what does it do? Keep reading to learn more.

The components of a coaxial cable

Before you can fully understand how a coaxial cable works, you need to know what it is. A coaxial cable has four main parts: the core, an insulator, a shield, and the jacket. The core––similar to a copper Ethernet cable––is a single copper wire. The insulator is there for protection and connection, as it’s dielectric. The shield is usually made of copper as well, reducing or eliminating any electromagnetic interference. Lastly, the jack is usually a hard yet still fairly flexible plastic that protects all the previous layers.

The types of coaxial cables

Most people refer to the cable as a coaxial or coax cable, but some may call them radio guide (RG) or radio frequency (RF) cables as well. Most coax cables used today are RG-series cables. In fact, the most common types are RG-6, RG-11, and RG-59, with some others in the mix for other unique needs. Most people use RG-6 cables to connect their televisions or satellite boxes. However, RG-11 and RG-59 cables can be used for high-definition quality or for industrial uses.

How the cable works

Once you attach the coaxial cable to the device—let’s say your television—the cable becomes live and transfers data from the device to the screen. The data signal travels through the core wire and the shield to become a live picture and audio. Without coaxial cables, much of our daily entertainment wouldn’t be possible. Luckily, many of us only need a coaxial cable to connect our televisions to a satellite provider’s box, as opposed to each individual device. For the most part, everything else connects with an HDMI cable nowadays.

Now that you know how a coaxial cable works, you can double-check that your current cable is in good condition. The only disadvantage of using coaxial cables is that if a single cable goes bad, you lose your connection.

At CableWholesale, we value high-quality products and top-notch customer service—and our track record and reviews prove that. We have a large inventory for you to shop from, whether you’re looking for coaxial cables, HDMI cables, or bulk cables. Additionally, we carry items as specific as a 20-ft. Ethernet cable or custom cables. Whatever you need, we’ve got you covered. Contact us today for more information!

When shopping for cables, all the different types of cables can get overwhelming, especially when so many of them look like one another. During your searches, you’ve likely come across the terms patch cable and structured cables. Keep reading to learn the difference between patch cables and structured cables.

Patch Cables

A patch cable is still a category cable; however, they connect permanent links and other equipment within a network. Additionally, patch cables can be shorter than structured cables because people often run patch cables in shorter lengths. Furthermore, patch cables are much more flexible since they’re commonly used in places with limited space such as closets oThe Difference Between Patch Cables and Structured Cablesr underneath the desks in offices.

Structured Cables

Alternatively, networks often use structured cabling to develop their connectivity infrastructure. The term structured cabling refers to a system that businesses, hospitals, schools, and more use to connect multiple hardware devices. The cables used for structured cabling are generally solid category Ethernet cables. A primary difference among Ethernet cables are their components. For instance, manufacturers commonly make Ethernet cables with solid copper wires (unless you’re using fiber optics) while patch cables are flexible because they use stranded copper wires.

Whether you’ve just begun searching for new cables or you’re ready to update your current cabling structure, you should know the difference between patch cables and structured cables. While some people will confuse the two, patch and structured cables will help you improve your building’s connectivity and improve efficiency.

Here at CableWholesale, we believe in offering the highest quality cables available at a fair price. Between our industry experience and expert team, we can help you find whatever you need for your next project. If you’re ready to begin looking for structured cables, whether you need 1000 ft or a 150 ft. Ethernet cable, CableWholesale has what you need. Check out our extensive inventory today.

In most cases, a standard cable will be fine for your setup. On the other hand, you may benefit from a custom cable setup. By implementing a custom cable assembly, you’ll have a better connection because the manufacturer designed the assembly for you. Keep reading to learn more benefits of custom cable assemblies.

Accuracy and quality

Custom cable assemblies offer impeccable accuracy for your connectivity needs. Since the cables are custom for your application, you’ll receive the best connection possible. Additionally, because you’re customizing your setup, your cables are much more likely to come from high-quality materials. It’s important to have high-quality cables because your connection will be stronger and your cables will last longer.

Versatility

While there are general cable setups that can use standard cables, some industries—such as military, medical, and more—require a unique setup. Custom cable assemblies help these industries stay connected and improve stability. However, the versatility of custom assemblies works for everyone from households to commercial buildings to government buildings.

Eco-friendly

If you choose a custom cable assembly, the manufacturer will only use the necessary materials. This means that, by using a custom cable setup, you’ll reduce excess waste from the manufacturing process. Additionally, when you go to set up your cables, you won’t have a cluster of cables in the way because you’ll customize the length as well. In other words, custom cable setups will help you save the environment and stay organized––it’s a win-win!

Saves you time

When you go to install your new cables, you won’t have to worry about trying to make standard cables fit your application. Instead, the custom cable assembly will allow you to save time and easily install an effective connectivity source.

Again, standard cables probably could work for your current set up. However, if you need a unique connection, or you merely want a better connection, custom cable assemblies are the way to go. In addition to the benefits of custom cable assemblies mentioned, there are plenty more upsides. So why not take the next step?

Here at CableWholesale, we value quality products and expert customer support. Whether you’re looking for a standard 200 ft Ethernet cable or a custom cable setup, we can help. Contact us today for more information.

If someone were to say to you, “Hand me the AV cable,” would you have any idea what they’re referring to? Many people wouldn’t know which cable to grab, even though we use AV cables all the time and have been for decades. Anytime you binge-watch your favorite Netflix show, put a DVD in, or play the latest video game, you’re using an AV output cable. Nobody likes to watch a show with constant interruptions, so to avoid the frustration, you should make sure you’re using the right AV cabling. To avoid wasting precious screen time with interruptions, you need to know the different types of AV outputs.

What is an AV output?

AV stands for audio visual—in other words, these cables make your televisions, speakers, and more come to life for entertainment. AV output cords have helped families and individuals entertain themselves in their households with gaming consoles or sound systems. In addition, many businesses, like movie theaters, employ AV output cables as an integral part of their operations. In other words, without AV cables, life as we know it would not exist.

The types of AV cables

Most people are familiar with some of the following cables, while other cables might be unfamiliar. Regardless, you probably have at least a couple of these cables in your home or business currently.

Composite AV cable

The most common type of composite AV cable is the traditional RCA cable. Most of you have likely seen this cable on your parents’ or grandparents’ televisions or VCRs because older televisions have RCA jacks. The RCA cable is the traditional white, yellow, and red one. Most people and devices don’t use RCA cables anymore because they don’t transfer high definition signals. Instead, most applications nowadays use HDMI cables––more on those later.

Super-video

Sometimes referred to as S-video, these types of AV output cables were widely popular for older DVD players, VCRs, and TVs. In the past, manufacturers made S-video cables as an upgrade from the composite cables. However, super-video cables didn’t last very long for typical use because television manufacturers ceased the installation of S-video jacks. You can still get S-video cables if you want that retro experience. However, you’re probably going to need extra attachments since most televisions won’t come with the appropriate jacks anymore.

Component video

People often confuse component video cables with RCA cables because they’re similar. Component cables also have colored shields; however, they’re red, green, and blue, each with their own single prong. However, they’re also an upgrade to RCA cables. Similar to S-video cables, manufacturers designed component cables to offer a high definition connection––or what people considered high definition at the time.

Coaxial cable

Anytime you have an installer from a satellite cable company over, a coaxial cable is one of the cables they’ll likely use. Years ago, televisions used to connect to a cable box directly with a coaxial cable; however, the quality wasn’t very good. Today, many coaxial cables will connect to a modulator, the modulator to the cable box, then the cable box connects to the television with an HDMI cable.

VGA/digital visual interface (DVI)

If you’ve ever connected your computer to an additional monitor or television, you may have used a VGA (video graphics array) cable. While VGA cables were the only way to connect a computer for many years, they’re not quite as common anymore.

Another option is a DVI cable, which is like a VGA cable, only it’s a digital-to-digital connection. The reason that a digital-to-digital signal is significant is because there’s minimal interference, allowing for a sharper image and better color saturation. However, nowadays most computers would connect to additional monitors or TVs using an HDMI cable.

High definition multimedia interface (HDMI)

So you may have picked up on where all these previous AV output cables have been leading––high definition multimedia interface cables, better known as HDMI cables. With the rise in technology and video quality, the previously mentioned cables simply couldn’t keep up. Now people are regularly watching movies in HD, and even 4K. That said, consumers and businesses needed higher quality cables that were capable of showing HD and 4K video, and HDMI has been the best option available so far. An added benefit of HDMI cables is the fact that they can support audio in addition to video. Many of the previous cables could not, or for those that did, they weren’t very good quality.

How to know which is right for you

Let’s say you’re connecting a television to a separate device such as a cable box or DVD player. The easy way to find out which cable is best for you is by looking at the back of your television. Most televisions will have the available inputs clearly marked and easily accessible. If you happen to have an older television, you’ll probably need a composite cable or super-video cable. On the other hand, if you have a new or relatively new television, it’s safe to assume that you’re going to need an HDMI cable. In other words, the only AV output cord most TVs and DVD players will need is an HDMI cable. That said, you need to decide which HDMI cable you’ll need. Many of them will work fine with your setup; however, if your main television is a smart TV, that means you’re connecting to the internet. To ensure the best audio and video quality, in addition to internet connection, you should get a high speed HDMI cable with Ethernet.

Whether you’re tech savvy or not, you’ve probably come across many of these different types of AV outputs. It’s important to remember to check your particular television and devices prior to updating your cables.

Here at CableWholesale, we believe in offering high-quality cables for individuals and businesses. Whether you need to update your cables or need help deciding which cable is right for you, we’re here to support you. We have an extensive inventory for you to shop from, and we can help you replace all your cable or just a single one. For more information, contact us today.