The Belden Blogs You Liked and Read Most This Year

After we examined the most-read blogs from 2020, as well as the most-read Belden blogs of all time, we’re sharing your favorites here. Did you catch these blogs the first time? If not, now’s a great time to check them out!

Most-Read Belden Blogs Published in 2020

1. Go the Distance: 4 Considerations for Extending Cable Reach

In this blog, we tell the story of a customer who wanted to connect a roof-mounted fan to the network to receive communication about on/off status. The location was just far enough away that a telecommunications closet was needed … but this infrastructure investment didn’t seem to make financial sense for a low-speed, low-bandwidth fan. Couldn’t we go just a little beyond the 100 m TIA standard? Find out here!

2. 3 Benefits of Using Hybrid Copper-Fiber Cable to Provide Data and Power

Fiber cables have long been known for their ability to carry data over long distances; they can literally go for miles without a decrease in performance. But there’s one issue: They lack the ability to carry power and data over a single cable. In recent years, the advent of hybrid cables changed this by combining optical fibers and metallic conductors in the same cable so you can reap the benefits of both. Discover the benefits of using hybrid cable instead of running fiber for data and utilizing a separate local power source.

3. Wi-Fi 6E in the 6 GHz Band: 4 Things to Know About This New Standard

This blog covered big news in the world of wireless. In April 2020, the Federal Communications Commission unanimously voted to open up a new, unlicensed spectrum in the 6 GHz band for wireless devices. The standard that incorporates 6 GHz is called “Wi-Fi 6E.” We map out four important things you need to know about Wi-Fi 6E and the 6 GHz band.

4. The Importance of Managing Data Center Fiber

Data centers are experiencing revolutions so they can keep up with increased connectivity and the bandwidth demands of new technologies and applications. Today, they need to be fast, dense, scalable, cost effective and energy efficient. For these reasons, speeds are transitioning from 40G to 100G and emerging 400G Ethernet technologies. As speed increases, cable performance becomes increasingly critical to ensure link quality – which is why data center fiber is becoming crucial. Find out why fiber is becoming the go-to option for data center architecture.

5. Network Infrastructure: How is it Impacted by COVID-19?

If connectivity wasn’t already increasing at a rapid pace, then the COVID-19 pandemic spurred even faster growth. Once things return to “normal,” it’s likely that some of the new habits we created out of necessity during this pandemic will lead to changes moving forward. This global emergency gave us all the opportunity to discover – and re-discover – the advantages of the digital world. To take full advantage of this connectivity, however, a robust network and cabling infrastructure is needed to support it. Get the details here.

Most-Read Belden Blogs Ever

These five blogs were published before 2020, but they make up our most-read Belden blogs since we began blogging in 2012.

1. 11 Types of Networks Explained: VPN, LAN & More

Once again, this blog tops the list. Every year, it’s No. 1 on our annual round-up of most popular Belden blogs. First written in 2016, it’s been updated over the years and features a reference guide that clearly explains the types of networks in use today and how/where they’re used. Find easy-to-understand definitions for PAN, LAN, WLAN, CAN, MAN and more in this most popular blog!

2. 3-Phase Power – Why it Matters

This blog was first published in October 2013. Per your request, we updated it in June 2019 to include additional relevant links, as well as more information about 3-phase power, 3-phase wiring and 3-phase Wye. We also took a closer look at why 3-phase Wye is increasing in popularity and being used in data centers. Explore 3-phase power here!

3. What’s the Real Cat 6A Cable Distance Limit (and Why Does It Matter)?

This topic makes our list for the second year in a row! It was published in 2018, but it’s already one of our most-read blogs. Learn about the factors that negatively impact Category 6A cable distance limit, including outside diameter and heat/power, and what can be done to minimize those impacts. This blog also lets you in on a secret: It tells you which cable is the industry’s only Category 6A cable proven to reach distances of up to 100 m despite high heat levels while maintaining promised performance.

4. 3 Reasons Why Power over Ethernet Demands Cat 6A Cable

This blog is still hanging out at the top, reminding us that you want to learn more about cable that can support the demands of Power over Ethernet (PoE). The cabling you select makes a major difference in terms of how heat inside the cable is managed, which ultimately impacts performance. This blog explains why Category 6A is a good choice for a number of reasons when you’re deploying PoE technology.

5. APC vs. UPC: What’s the Difference?

This blog was originally published in 2014 and updated again in 2019 to include information about fiber connector loss (per your request). If you’ve ever wondered what the difference is between ultra-physical contact (UPC) and angled physical contact (APC) singlemode fiber connectors – and which one to use – then start here.