This article will compare fiber optic and copper cables in terms of performance, durability, security, cost, and typical uses. Understanding these differences will help you pick the best option to meet your network's specific needs. PoE Required? Why Fiber: At 50m, fiber optic. At the heart of this choice lie two primary contenders: fiber optic cables and traditional copper cables. Each cable type serves as a conduit for data, yet they operate on fundamentally different principles. Whether you're looking at an HDMI cable, a USB cable, Ethernet patch cable, or any other kind of network of data transmission cabling, they are all built using copper or fiber optic internal wiring.