A wire is a single strand of metal capable of transmitting power or data from one area to another. Wires are often protected in a plastic covering that is sometimes color-coded to aid in identification. The picture shows an example of a Cat 5 cable that was stripped to expose the wires. As shown in the image, a cable is composed of multiple wires.

The term wired refers to the use of a Cat 5 Ethernet cable to connect a computer to the Internet. Wired is also the name of a magazine dedicated to computers and computer-related information.

A cable often has several wires.

Wireless is the use of Wi-Fi technology to connect to the Internet. The network signal is transmitted via radio waves and microwaves to the computer, giving the user access to the Internet. See our wireless page for further information.

Cable, Connection, Electronics terms, Hard wired, Wire strippers

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  • List of wire and wire companies and links.