- 2070 Chaitra · 3 marks
Coaxial cable vs optical fiber
Short answer
Coaxial cable uses electrical signals over copper, has higher attenuation, limited bandwidth (up to 500 MHz), and is susceptible to EMI. Optical fiber uses light over glass/plastic, offers terahertz bandwidth, very low attenuation, immunity to EMI, and longer repeater spacing.
Differentiate between coaxial cable and optical fiber.
| Point | Coaxial cable | Optical fibre |
|---|---|---|
| Signal | Electrical | Light |
| Core material | Copper conductor | Glass / plastic |
| Bandwidth | Up to 500 MHz (hundreds of Mbps) | Terahertz range (Gbps-Tbps) |
| Attenuation | High (7 dB/km at 10 MHz) | Very low (0.2-0.5 dB/km) |
| Repeater spacing | 1-9 km | 40 km or more |
| EMI / crosstalk | Affected (reduced by shield) | Immune |
| Security | Can be tapped easily | Hard to tap |
| Cost | Cheaper | Costlier |
| Installation | Easier | Needs skilled work; fragile |
| Weight | Heavy, thick | Light, thin |
| Use | Cable TV, old Ethernet | Backbones, FTTH |
✓ Answer checked by Claude Sonnet 5.5
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