Twisted pair cabling gets its name by having four pairs of wires that are twisted to help reduce crosstalk or Electromagnetic interference from outside electrical devices. There are two forms of twisted pair cabling, unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP).
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
The typical twisted pair cable for network use contains four pairs of wires. Each member of the pair of wires contained in the cable is twisted around the other. The twists in the wires help shield against electromagnetic interference. The maximum distance of UTP is 100 meters. UTP cabling typically has only an outer covering (jacket) consisting of some type of non-conducting material. UTP cabling seems to generate the lowest expectations of twisted-pair cable. Its great popularity is mostly due to the cost and ease of installation. With every new generation of UTP cable, network engineers think they have reached the limits of the UTP cable’s bandwidth and capabilities. However, cable manufacturers continue to extend its capabilities.
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
STP cabling is a type of copper cabling that is used in networks where fast data rates are required. STP cabling includes metal shielding over each individual pair of copper wires. This type of shielding protects cable from external EMI (electromagnetic interferences). STP cables are also referred to as Ethernet cables. STP cables provide additional protection to the internal copper, thus data rates are Increased and more reliable.
Cable categories
Twisted pair cable comes in various grades called categories. These categories are specified by the ANSI/EIA standard 568. (ANSI stands for American National Standards Institute; EIA stands for Electronic Industries Association.) The standards indicate the data capacity, also known as the bandwidth, of the cable. Although higher-category cables are more expensive than lower-category cables, the real cost of installing Ethernet cabling is the labor required to actually pull the cables through the walls.
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