Fiber optic cable, twisted pair cable, and coaxial cable are the three main types of network cables used in communication systems. Each of them is different and suitable for various applications.

Coaxial Cable

Coaxial cable, or coax cable, is a type of copper cable which has an inner conductor surrounded by foam insulation, symmetrically wrapped by a woven braided metal shield, then covered by in a plastic jacket (as shown in the following image). This unique design allows coaxial cable runs to installed next to metal objects such as gutters without the power losses that occur in other types of transmission lines.

Fiber Optic Cable

Fiber optic cable consists of a core, cladding, buffer, and jacket. The core is made from thin strands of glass or plastic that can carry data over a long distance. The core is wrapped in the cladding; the cladding is wrapped in the buffer, and the buffer is wrapped in the jacket.

Fiber optic cables send digital data at the speed of light. A fiber optic cable can contain a varying number of these glass fibers -- from a few up to a couple hundred, so optical fiber is the core part of optical fiber cable.

Twisted-pair cables

The twisted-pair cable was primarily developed for computer networks. This cable is also known as Ethernet cable. Almost all modern LAN computer networks use this cable.

The TIA/EIA 568 divides the twisted-pair cable into several categories. The following table lists the most common and popular categories of twisted-pair cable. The easiest way to select a cable is to pick one with the range and performance you need.