The best method for fiber ending Fiber is no longer the cable of the big guys alone. Things have changed and fiber is more affordable and more popular than in the past—it has even reared its head in the home networking market. Like the tortoise, fiber has taken the slow-but-steady approach. READ MORE
Jennifer Leah Stong-Michas
Freelance Writer
Jennifer Leah Stong-Michas is a freelance writer who lives in central Pennsylvania.
Articles by Jennifer Leah Stong-Michas
August 2004
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Money usually decides this debate One of the great debates that affects contractors—especially those dealing with communications systems—may be the question of shielded twisted pair (STP) or unshielded twisted pair (UTP). There are four main types of cable on the market—coaxial, UTP, STP and fiber optic—but this article will focus on the two that share the most characteristics. READ MORE
August 2004
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‘Hotspots’ provide high return on investment In our connected world, seeing people frantically check their e-mail before boarding a plane has become commonplace. Instantaneous communications are par for the course, which is why public wireless LANs have come into their own. Public wireless LANs have their own lingo associated with the technology. READ MORE
July 2004
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Price and preference play a part The feeling of satisfaction you get when a project is complete, is accompanied by one of accomplishment, whether it’s your first installation or your thousandth. Despite that, you need to be certain you did the job right, and you need to back it up with cold, hard facts. This is where testing comes into play. Just having an active, operating system is not enough. READ MORE
July 2004
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School systems are big spenders in the land of LANS Certain industries adapted to LANs quicker than others, but almost everyone eventually jumped on board. Nowadays, you would be hard-pressed to find a business that operates without some sort of LAN in place. The educational market has always been a little behind the times when it comes to state of the art. READ MORE
June 2004
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A minor decision that can prove costly Cabling choices are abundant; there are so many options these days that it is almost impossible to list them without leaving a few out. Throughout the years, the variations have continued to grow, and vendors even have their own “lines” of cable depending upon your preference. READ MORE
June 2004
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Enter the National Cyber Alert System One of the newest “systems” on the government block is the early warning system that alerts those in the know to potential Internet risks. It is not only timely, but also much needed. With the rampant use of Web-based applications and computer networks, government agencies, and those doing business with them, need to be alert to such security risks. READ MORE
May 2004
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VPNs offer privacy over a public backbone From a systems standpoint, security always seems to make its way to the top of any task list. Hackers, disgruntled ex-employees, unscrupulous competitors—there’s always someone somewhere who enjoys (or even makes a living at) sabotaging networks and thus crippling business. READ MORE
April 2004
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Choices include surveillance, access control and location Safety and security systems for any healthcare facility are complex. There are so many “systems” available that it is quite daunting to decide which ones are worth the investment. READ MORE