CablesAndKits Blog

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Technology Explained

Top 5 Places you Could Work but Shouldn’t!!

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Access Points bring many advantages to working wireless with high-speed internet. We’ve surveyed our coworkers here at CK and came up with the Top 5 places you definitely wouldn’t work, but you could with the help of an Access Point.

1. Bathroom
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A room containing a toilet and sink which is usually a location to relieve yourself. We typically wouldn’t go to a bathroom to work, but you most certainly could. Just think, you could kick back, relax and enjoy a day of work in the comfort of your own bathroom stall.

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Interview: The Super Speedy OM4 Fiber Tells All

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We recently had the opportunity to catch up with the fast-moving OM4 Fiber and sat down for a rather interesting interview. We feel like we got to know OM4 Fiber a lot better, and we wanted to share our findings with you.

MeetOM4_1

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Top 9 Reasons You Need Ethernet

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Nowadays, we are always looking for the greatest and fastest technology.  Regardless of the ever-changing landscape of that industry- we will always need Ethernet.  Ethernet is one of the most important forms of networking cable used on wired networks.  Here are the top nine reasons you will need Ethernet for your company or home network.

  1. Achieve high speeds on stabilized internet

With wired Ethernet, you will see a much more stable connection and increase in speed. Ethernet eliminates the possibility of Wi-Fi interferences or drops and gives you a piece of mind.  We all know what it is like to drop a connection and run around frantically until the bar goes up on the Wi-Fi signal.

  1. Ethernet Friendship Bracelets

You can make friendship bracelets for all of your co-workers with the many different Ethernet colors. Relive your childhood and show those “special someone’s” at your office how much they mean to you by giving them their very own Ethernet friendship bracelet. It is the gift that will last forever. (Remember that Lifetime Warranty?)

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  1. Direct file sharing

Transferring files over WiFi may not be the most efficient way to move large files. Instead, consider direct file sharing with Ethernet to increase stability and speed. If at least one of the computer’s network card supports auto-crossover, you can connect both with a direct cable.

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Heartburn…or Heartbleed?

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As you may have heard, there is a new widespread security vulnerability out on the interwebs called “Heartbleed”.

Let me start out by saying that cablesandkits.com was not / is not vulnerable. We were aware of the Heartbleed vulnerability and took steps to confirm our status within 24 hours of when the vulnerability was made known to the public.  Our on-going promise is to take every precaution possible to keep our site and your information safe not only from Heartbleed, but any other attack.

Now that we have that out of the way, you are probably wondering, “What in the world is Heartbleed?”

HeartBleed

Well, we can help with that. Since this is an ever-evolving situation, we will stick to the facts and the best ways to protect yourself and your personal data.

First off, what exactly is Heartbleed? (Ok, this is going to get VERY technical, but only for a moment…)

From cnet.com:

Heartbleed is a security vulnerability in OpenSSL software that lets a hacker access the memory of data servers. That means a user’s sensitive personal data — including usernames, passwords, and credit card information — is potentially at risk of being intercepted. The vulnerability also means an attacker could steal a server’s digital keys that are used to encrypt communications and get access to a company’s secret internal documents.

Now, most importantly, what do you need to do about it?

  • If you think you might have visited a site that is infected or is vulnerable to Heartbleed, you need to change your password, please wait until you get confirmation from the specific website/online store that the vulnerability has been patched. You can check a site with a tool called LastPass. We would recommend even if you use the tool to check with the company itself to confirm that they are safe and not vulnerable to Heartbleed.
  • You should be cautious about visiting websites that you do not trust.  Generally the risk is [Read more…] about Heartburn…or Heartbleed?

Untangling Network Cable Types

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(This blog is an updated and extended version of a post, by our CEO, we released in September 2009)

 

If you’ve ever installed a network, either for your home, office or business, you’ve probably asked yourself- With so many different types of network cabling, what do I really need?  Is it a CAT5, 5E, 6, 6A, shielded or unshielded, UTP or STP? Do I need a patch/straight through cable or a crossover cable?  With so many different kinds of network cables to choose from, which one is right for your needs?

What types of network cable are available currently?

Cat5 has been replaced by Cat5E as the general standard networking cable in new installations, with the improved signal carrying capacity being the primary reason.  A Cat5 cable can support Ethernet and Fast Ethernet. Cat5E (Cat5 enhanced) supports Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet speeds over short distances and is backward compatible with Cat5.  Cat5E cable also has improved durability, due to improvements in the quality of the PVC protective jacket. It is more than suitable for most data cabling requirements.

Cat6 is one of the newest versions of network cabling, and is very similar to Cat5E, but specifically designed to consistently deliver 1 Gigabit Ethernet. It is used in installations where a Cat6 Certified Network is required.

While Cat5E and Cat6 can support Gigabit speeds, Cat6A (Cat6 Augmented) is certified to 10 Gigabit speeds and is backward compatible with the all the existing standards, and is suitable for industries utilizing high-performance computing platforms to support very high bandwidth-intensive applications. 10G/Cat 6A applications would be server farms, storage area networks, data centers & riser backbones.

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Plug into Power Cord Know How!

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Navigating the jungle of terminology, acronyms and part numbers can be daunting in the field of telecommunications. Anyone attempting to determine and buy cabling can attest to this.  Improper data cabling will cause a logical error. With power cables, using the wrong type can cause physical failure such as fires and electrical shock. The stakes are higher. Luckily the abundance of documentation and regulation assure that anyone seeking direction to deploy the correct cord can find the information they need to choose the right cord and avoid common pitfalls, damage and injury that comes with electrical failure.

Common Terminology:

Amperage (amp): This term refers to the amount of electrons that are moving in the circuit. This is also “how much” electricity there is.

Voltage: This refers to how much force is behind the electrons, or how fast the electrons are moving.

Attributes:

When choosing a power cord there are (3) main attributes to be aware of:

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