There is no question that Americans and many other people around the world are living in an age of electronic devices and Internet communication, and the use of the Internet and computers has spread to both business and entertainment purposes. Many offices today are fully equipped with computers for workers to use, and these computers are often connected to the Internet and data servers, as well as Cloud storage online. IT professionals are often hired to get all this computer hardware and software set up, but private consumers can also make use of computers, entertainment systems, and the auxiliary hardware associated with them. Many computers, digital projectors, flat-screen TVs, and more connect to each other and the Internet with physical cables, which come in a useful variety of models and function. Category 5 (Cat5 cables) and Category 6 (cat6 cables) are common Ethernet cables, and they come in extended and improved versions such as cat5e network cables. An office may make use of cat5e network cables and similar bulk USB or Ethernet cables, and cat5e network cables can be great for an office that has a lot of computers in it. Other places such as a church or school that needs a digital projector can use cat5e network cables and others to get their work done.
The Wired World of Today
Computers, laptops, video game consoles, flat-screen TVs, digital projectors, and home entertainment systems all make use of cat5e network cables and other models to share information with each other and the Internet, and as home computers and the Internet have expanded over the past 30 years or so, so has the demand for the hardware that goes with them. Companies such as Apple, Microsoft, IBM, and others pioneered computer technology in the 1970s and beyond, and this includes many innovations from them and other manufacturers for the hardware that makes all this possible. Today, a consumer can take it for granted that he or she can buy ready-to-use computers at major retailers, and a computer or laptop will have all the necessary hardware inside alongside the operating system (OS) and other software. But what about cables?
Modern computer and digital technology offers the advantage of a person being able to design and set up their own network of devices as desired, but this also means that the consumer will have to know how to get everything connected properly, and for some consumers, this may involve research or consulting staff members at an electronics store retailer. Many consumers today may be looking for a computer and connect to the Internet for the first time, and they are joining a vast community. As of 2016, there were around 3.5 billion Internet users, around half of the entire global population, and in that year in particular, 45% of humanity was using the Internet for business, news, or entertainment. Americans are often going online; the Pew Research Center has found that 77% of Americans log on to the Internet every day, and about 43% log on several times per day. Another 26% say that they are online almost constantly during the day. Where does hardware fit into all this?
Cables make electronics work possible. Ethernet cables allow a computer, laptop, or game console to connect to the Internet, and this is an alternative to wireless Internet connections, or WiFi. Although WiFi can remove the hassle of physical wires in a person’s home or work space, WiFi connections may sometimes be weak or faulty, while an Ethernet cable provides strong, steady Internet for a plugged-in device. For example, cat5e network cables can be useful for this, and they have four wires inside that connect to the Internet. Category 6 wires are a bit more expensive, but they can carry even more information with their four wires and may be desired by workers in a large office space or by homeowners with a dedicated online gaming computer. Also, a home entertainment system can be set up with USB cables, connecting a flat-screen TV, digital projector, sound system, DVD player, game console, or anything else. The only real limit here is that all involved devices must be compatible with each other.