cabled

Cabled is the past participle and an attributive adjective form of the verb cable. It describes equipment, systems, or infrastructure that are connected by cables rather than by wireless means. In practice, something described as cabled relies on physical conduits—such as electrical wires or optical fibers—for transmission of data, power, or control signals.

Usage and contexts

In information technology and telecommunications, a cabled network uses physical media such as Ethernet twisted pair, coaxial, or fiber optic cables to carry data. In power and industrial settings, cabled installations transport electrical power or signals through cables to machines, sensors, and controllers. In robotics and instrumentation, devices may be described as cabled when their sensors, actuators, or control interfaces are linked by cables rather than wireless links.

Etymology

The term derives from the noun cable, which refers to a strong flexible line or bundle of wires, and the suffix -ed to form an adjective and past participle.

Related concepts

Cabled contrasts with wireless or untethered configurations, such as wireless networks, cordless devices, or Wi‑Fi-enabled systems. It is also used in discussions of infrastructure, such as submarine fiber-optic cables and other fixed communications or power networks.

See also

Cable, cable television, Ethernet, fiber optic cable, coaxial cable, twisted pair.