Which cables do you need?

A “road warrior” is stocking up their laptop computer case for a road trip, and they’ve asked you for a set of cables that could be used for hotel Ethernet links and the occasional dial-up connection. What kind of cables/connectors do they need? Pick two.

A) USB

B) RJ-45

C) RJ-11

D) FireWire

E) Delicate Copper Wire

The answers: B) RJ-45 and C) RJ-11

RJ-45 is the worldwide standard for Ethernet connections and RJ-11 is the common dial-up modem phone connection in the United States (and elsewhere).

Want to know more? Watch “Network Cabling.” The cable is the important component that links all of our networked devices together, but it’s a critical link that’s often overlooked. In this video, we’ll learn the importance of plenum-rated cable, explore the differences between copper and fiber, and examine network cabling types such as RS-232, USB, and FireWire. We’ll also examine the most common network connector types and discuss some troubleshooting methods you can use to keep your network cabling working perfectly.