Hard to tap

Question

This is a matter from a computer book:Optical fibers are immune to electromagnetic interference, have very low signal attenuation up to 100 kilometers, and very hard to tap.What does that "very hard to tap" mean please?

Teechr · Accepted Answer

It means to spy on.

Look at meaning 3 for the verb "tap" here:
http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/tap

CalifJim · Answer

khoshtiptap

Also, attach another optical fiber cable illegally to steal the signal.

CJ

Khoshtip · Answer

@teechr: From the content of the sentence, the word "tap" is to be a verb, as you have said it too. And # 3 says about an instrument. I think the answer # 2.1 is more correct. Thank you

@CalifJim: Thanks.
PS: Optical fibers are not cables!

CalifJim · Answer

khoshtipOptical fibers are not cables!

They are bound together in cables. The implication is that you tap the cables.

See https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q=%22optical+fiber+cable%22

CJ

Teechr · Answer

khoshtip@teechr: From the content of the sentence, the word "tap" is to be a verb

That's why I pointed you to meaning #3 of "tap" as a verb. Look further down that page!

Khoshtip · Answer

CalifJimThey are bound together in cables.

I agree. They are bound together (sometimes) in cables.

CalifJimThe implication is that you tap the cables.

In fact, taping the cable, as it is so in wire cables, is not hard. And I don't think that the hardship of stealing data from fiber optics is because of their cables. I think it's because stealing data when it is light is hard.

CalifJim · Answer

khoshtiptaping the cable

You mean "tapping". "Taping" is completely different.

khoshtipas it is so in wire cables

The technology is quite different, and you need special equipment. It's quite tricky to splice optical fiber cable compared to electric wire, which is what you need to do to tap the line.

CJ

Khoshtip · Answer

CalifJimYou mean "tapping".

Yes, correct.
By "In fact, tapping the cable, as it is so in wire cables, is not hard." I meant tapping the cable which can be occurred also in wire cables, is not that hard.

CalifJimThe technology is quite different, and you need special equipment

Yes, especially for tapping the fiber optics which makes it harder compared to tapping the other types of media.

CalifJimIt's quite tricky to splice optical fiber cable compared to electric wire, which is what you need to do to tap the line.

Look, fiber optics, as I said, can don't have that so-called cable that you mean. For example for illumination. There, they have only the fiber which is made up of silica or plastic. So that cable that you care about too much can don't exist.

In the filed of wire cables, there are some types that are more robust compared to the cable of fiber optic, like coaxial cable.
Note the main difference between these media. The technology used in wire cables is electrical and metallic, while in fiber optics it's silica/plastic and light/photons. There is no electrical radiation from fiber making it hard to tap. further more, stealing those photons is hard (and requires special instruments) not the electrical bits.

PS: By fiber optic cable I mean the cable that bounds a group of fiber optics not the fiber itself.

Hard to tap

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