Twisted Pair Cable – Types and Properties
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What is a Twisted Pair cable?
A twisted pair cable is a type of cable that is commonly used for carrying data and information over short distances.
Twisted pair cables are made up of two distinct insulated copper wires that are twisted together and run parallel to each other within a wrapping shield.
Furthermore, it aids in the reduction of crosstalk or electromagnetic induction between the two lines. Twisted pair cables are classified as Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) and Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP).
Types of Twisted Pair cables:
1. Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cable is a kind of twisted pair cable that is used in computer and telecommunications media.
Its frequency range is appropriate for data and voice transmission via a UTP connection.
As a result, it is widely utilized in telephones, computers, and other electronic devices.
It is made up of two insulated copper wires that have been twisted together to minimise noise caused by external interference.
It is a wire that does not have any extra shielding, such as aluminium foil, to safeguard its data from the outside world.
Advantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
1. It is a less expensive and less expensive unshielded wire in comparison to other network media.
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2. Its purpose is to minimise crosstalk, RFI, and EMI.
3. Because of its compact size, it is easy to install the UTP.
4. It is primarily suitable for short-distance network connections, such as those found at home or in small businesses.
5. It is the market’s most widely used networking wire. It is regarded as a more rapid copper-based data transfer line.
6. It can carry both data and voice over a UTP connection.
Disadvantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
1. It can only be utilised in segments of up to 100 metres in length.
2. It has a restricted bandwidth for data transmission.
3. It does not provide a secure network connection for data transmission.
2. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP):
A Shielded Twisted Pair cable is a form of twisted pair cable that has an additional wrapping foil or copper braid jacket to protect it from flaws such as cuts, loss of bandwidth, noise, and signal to interference.
Because it is a cable that is typically utilised underground, it is more expensive than UTP. It allows for greater data transmission rates across extended distances.
It is also referred to as a cable with a metal sheath or coating that surrounds each pair of insulated conductors to protect them from external users and to prevent electromagnetic noise from entering.
Characteristics of Shielded Twisted Pair (STP):
1. When compared to UTP, it has a greater data transfer frequency.
2. It is a thick shielded twisted pair cable because the copper conductor is wrapped with plastic material.
3. For a longer distance, insulated twisted pair cable is utilized, which is installed underground.
4. Shielded wire installation is more complicated than UTP (Unshielded twisted pair) cable installation.
Advantages of Shielded Twisted Pair (STP):
1. It has less noise and attenuation than UTP.
2. It is insulated with a plastic cover, which protects the STP cable from the environment and speeds up data transfer.
3. It lowers the possibility of crosstalk and protects against external interference.
4. A modular connector aids in the termination of the STP cable connection.
Disadvantages of Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
1. It is more expensive than UTP.
2. It takes additional maintenance to decrease data signal loss.
3. Despite its thicker and heavier connection, there is no increase in segment length.
4. It is solely used as a grounded wire.
Differences between Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) and Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP):
| Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) | Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) |
| UTP cable is a twisted pair cable made up of twisted wires. | It is protected with a foil or mesh shield. |
| The price of UTP is lower than that of STP. | STP is significantly more expensive than UTP. |
| It does not necessitate the use of a grounding cable. | It necessitates the use of a grounding cable. |
| While transferring the signal to the transmission media, UTP experiences greater electromagnetic interference than STP. | It minimises electromagnetic interference when the signal is transferred to the transmission medium. |
| UTP contains a lot of crosstalk. | STP has very little crosstalk. |
| When compared to STP, the data signal transfer speed is sluggish. | When compared to UTP, the data signal transfers at a faster rate. |
| UTP cables are simple to install since they are lightweight, compact in size, and flexible. | STP cable installation is more complicated than UTP cable installation. It is heavier, larger, and more rigid. |
| UTP does not require much maintenance. | STP needs greater maintenance. |
| UTP cables produce more noise. | STP cables are quieter. |
| The UTP cable is used to create a connection across a limited distance, such as a house or a small enterprise. | In general, it is utilized to build a long-distance connection for businesses. |
Summary:
In this article, we compared the two types of Twisted Pair cables: Shielded and Unshielded. We looked at the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of each, along with a table which directly compared the two cables in various aspects.
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