Ethernet Cable Vs. Phone Cable

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Ethernet and phone cables look alike.

Ethernet and phone cables look alike, and both send and receive information. But the cables differ in many ways.

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Size

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Ethernet cables, also called CAT cables, are wider than phone cables and contain eight wires. Phone cables are narrower and are made up of four wires.

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Bandwidth

Ethernet cables have a larger bandwidth than phone cables. Users can send and receive more data, at quicker speeds, via Ethernet cables. Phone cables have a smaller bandwidth and data takes longer to move across a network.

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Use

Phone cables are most often used for home telephone lines and for Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) connections. Ethernet cables are typically used to interconnect computers and IP networks.

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Plug

The end of the cable, called the plug, is rounder and thicker on an Ethernet cable. A phone plug is smaller and flat. The Ethernet plug is called an RJ45 while a phone plug is called an RJ11.

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