When you turn on a computer ...

When a computer is turned on, power goes first to a power supply which lowers the voltage. From the power supply come numerous wires which go to different components. These components use different voltages varying from about 1 to 12 volts.

One of the first things that happens is that information is read from a small computer chip (CMOS) which gives instructions to the BIOS on how to start the computer. Part of these instructions are to check if components are present and in working order. From there the BIOS reads the master boot record (MBR) which is information stored at the beginning of the hard drive, which then gives control to the operating system (OS), (such as Windows XP), which finishes the boot process.

BOOT - The boot process is from when the switch is turned on until the computer is running normally.

POST (Power On Self Test)

CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) - a small memory chip which stores system settings. These settings can be changed by entering the CMOS/BIOS setup utility. The CMOS uses a battery to hold information when the computer is turned off.

BIOS (basic input/output system) - The BIOS contains information which enables the computer to start. If there is a problem the BIOS will emit a series of beeps in code. If there is a update for a BIOS, it can be downloaded from the motherboard manufacturer. This update would then be copied to the BIOS ROM chip. This update process is called "flashing" the BIOS.

ROM (read-only memory) Holds information even when the computer is turned off. Doesn't require a battery.

RAM (random access memory) Memory used while the computer is on. When the computer is turned off, all information in RAM is lost.

What is Patch cable?
Ethernet cable systems use two types of conductor wire types. The main ‘trunk’ cable uses a solid piece of wire as the conductor (solid conductor), this conductor is not flexible and will break after repeated flexing. It is suitable for installation purposes only in long cable run lengths. This ‘trunk’ cable is often referred to as the ‘Backbone cable’. A ‘Patch’ cable uses stranded conductors which is flexible and is used to interconnect (or Patch) the Backbone cable to the ‘Desktop’ equipment in short cable run lengths.

What is the difference between 10Base 5, 10Base T, 100BaseT and 1000BaseT? These are IEEE standards that define different physical requirements of the Ethernet cable. The prefix number refers to the signaling speed; i.e. ‘10’ means 10 Mbps. ‘Base’ refers to ‘Baseband’. The suffix number was originally intended to refer to the maximum length of an unrepeated segment of cable in hundreds of meters. This convention was modified with the introduction of ‘T’-Twisted pair, and ‘F’-Fiber.
CAT3- 10Base5
CAT5- 100Base T
CAT5E- 1000BaseT

What does the abbreviation ‘Base’ mean?
‘Baseband’. A Baseband network is one that provides a single channel for communications across the physical medium e.g. cable, so only one device can transmit at a time. Devices on a Baseband network are permitted to use all available bandwidth for transmission.
The opposite to ‘Baseband’ is ‘Broadband’. A typical example of a ‘Broadband’ network is Cable TV. ProPlex PCCAT5P and PCCAT5EP are both Baseband cables.

What is the maximum length of Ethernet cable runs?
For Stranded wire conductors (Patch cable, 10BaseT, 100BaseT, 1000BaseT; 10 meters (33 feet)
For Solid wire conductors, 10BaseT, 100BaseT, 1000BaseT; 100 meters (328 feet)