The Right PC Hardware in the Office

The Right PC Hardware in the Office

By now, in the 21st century, electronic devices such as smartphones and tablets, PCs, and more are widely used for both work and entertainment, and they can be either plugged into something with a cable, or get a wireless internet connection. Most often, it is smartphones and laptops that make use of wireless tech, which is convenient for using these devices on the go. But while wireless tech is useful, it has not made the likes of cat6 cables, bulk USB cables, or 100 ft HDMI cables obsolete. In an office or home, these cables are more useful than ever, and they can securely and smoothly transmit data all day long. Other cables may include siamese cables for video cameras, or 4K cables for very high-def visuals on a TV or computer monitor. When is it time for siamese cables or 4K cables? And what about surge protectors?

Cables in the Office

Computers are staples for businesses both large and small, and this means having all the right hardware on hand to make them run. Not only will IT professionals set up the desktop PCs, but these crews will also set up routers, and thread all the necessary cat5 and cat6 ethernet cables throughout the office. Such cables are set up so that they are not a tripping hazard, and holes can be drilled into the floor to allow cables to pass right through. An ethernet cable will plug into a router on one end, then plug into a PC on the other, securing an Internet connection. Any number of routers and cables may be used in the office to provide secure, smooth internet connections for all employees there. A typical ethernet cable has four pairs of copper wires inside, allowing data to transmit very fast, and without any risk of interference.

On top of that, an office manager may find and hire crews to install fiber optic cables for the office. First invented in the late 1980s, fiber optic cables are thin glass tubes that use pulses of light to transmit data at incredible speeds, and these cables can easily provide enough high-speed internet access for an office. When such cables are installed, bonus “dark” cables are added, which may be turned online as the office’s internet use expands. They might also come online if any of the main cables malfunction or get damaged.

An office should also feature a number of surge protectors for the PCs there. A surge protector is a long plastic device that plugs into a wall socket, and it features many ports where PC power cords can be plugged in. The surge protector gets its name from the fact that if a sudden power surge arrives, that protector will absorb the excess voltage and prevent it from reaching the PCs plugged into it. Sudden surges of voltage have been known to fry computers beyond repair, so the surge protector acts as a sort of filter that only allows safe levels of electricity to reach the computers.

Cables in the Home

Many homeowners also make good use of all these different cables for both work and entertainment. Video cameras often make good use of siamese cables, and a siamese cable is one that combines power and video into one, reducing the number of cables needed to operate the camera. A home PC can be plugged into a router with an ethernet cable, and also plugged into a printer or fax machine for home office work. Surge protectors are also an option for home PCs, and these are an effective way to protect expensive, high-spec gaming PCs from power surges that would ruin them. High-end gaming PCs have been known to cost thousands of dollars, after all.

Cables can also create a home entertainment system, such as plugging in the speakers and sub woofer, not to mention plug a laptop or game console to an HDTV or digital projector with an HDMI cord. An ethernet cord will plug a game console or PC into the router for video streaming and online gaming, too. A 4K cable can plug into a 4K TV or computer monitor to enable ultra high-def, 4K visuals if desired. A golf simulator also uses cables for its computer and laptop.