Occasionally customers want to reuse their old internet equipment when setting up service with DC Access. Minimizing e-waste is great, but not all equipment is the same and can work with DC Access. Let’s clarify the main types of data connections used on devices that work with DC Access equipment.
Ethernet is the standard for data transmission. This is the type of cable DC Access uses to connect rooftop antennas to routers and routers to home plugs or other “hard-wired’ devices. They have 8 conductors terminated in a clear plastic housing (often with a black or colored boot over the clear part) that will give an audible click when installed properly. You may see terms such as Cat5, Cat 5e, Cat 6; these are standards which define the maximum speed the cable can pass.
Here you can see the icon for Ethernet connections, an Ethernet port and cable termination for Ethernet cable.
Coaxial is most often used to deliver video in the form of cable television services or from an antenna, and may also be used for passing data. When used for data, this type of connection and cable is most often used by cable companies such as Comcast, Charter, Cox, Frontier etc. It is terminated in a threaded metal connector with a single conductor or wire extending from the middle of the cable. It must be screwed onto the terminal on the back of a device such as a cable modem or television. This type of connection will not work with DC Access equipment.
Here you can see a coaxial cable.
Fiber Optic uses bursts of laser light to carry data. An example of a typical fiber interconnect is shown below. This type of cable is used with a Fiber connection such as Verizon/AT&T’s FIOS or Google Fiber. Usually, once the fiber connection terminates in the user’s home, an Ethernet cable is used to interconnect the router. If you are switching from a fiber provider, your current router will not work with DC Access.
Examples of a combination cable modem/router, an ethernet router:
Note the round, shiny bottommost post on the router on the left, this is for a coaxial connection. The router on the right shows ethernet connections in blue and yellow (along with white usb ports for additional devices).
That loud sound you heard last week might have been the crack from the feared KRACK attack hitting the internet. KRACK can invade all wifi connected, wireless devices (laptops, tablets, phones, etc.) and allow hackers to spy on your personal data and interactions online. The good news is that the vendors we use to power the DC Access network equipment have already created patches and we have already patched our core network equipment. Other tech companies and manufacturers are responding quickly to this security hole and are rapidly working on patches to protect our online security and safety.
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, I grew up in Wilson, NC and different parts of Maryland and D.C. I enjoy going to concerts, museums, arts shows and cooking…. sometimes I’ll binge watch old episodes of Iron Chef and Chopped, and then challenge myself to whip up something similar to what I just watched.
At DC Access we spend most of our time getting our customers connected quickly and hassle-free. But even we know it’s important to unplug every once and awhile and appreciate the real world around us. We are happy to celebrate the 
Mike Ryan, a longtime member of the team, wears many hats at DC Access. You might find him working on equipment repairs, systems installations, or assisting on various other projects around the company.