🚀 go-pugleaf

Frank@mindlink.bc.ca (Frank I. Reiter) writes:

>In a recent column in OST James Gaskin suggests that system administrators
>should be converting ethernets from coax to 10BaseT and *not* investing
>anything more in coax.  I put two questions to the readers of this group:
>1) Do you concur with Mr. Gaskin that coax is dead or dying?

No, most certainly not. 10baseT is point-to-point. Which means that you
have to have a separate connection between the HUB and every apparatus
in your office. In my case, this would mean that I'd fill more than one
hub, just for my own equipment!

Coax has the big advantage that a new tap can be easily made by adding
another T and a piece of coax to the existing wiring.

10baseT is best if you have to run an office of non-technical people that
move around a lot and don't know they have to jumper their ethernet tap
if they move. Also, if they are sluggish about their cables and break
one once a while, 10baseT can be a lifesaver. (coax would mean that you
have to hunt for the defective tap every time, like a defect light bulb
in a christmas tree).

However, for an office of techies, often having more than one device
on their bench, I still very much prefer coax.

And then, one should not make an ethernet string too long anyway.
No more than 5 people depend on a single string to work here. Also, those
five are able to fill that segment quite severely so it's no use putting
up much machines.

Coax isn't 'dead'. It's just that for some applications, there are 
alternatives these days.

Geert Jan