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Short note: STP versus UTP
Short answer
UTP cables have twisted pairs with only a plastic jacket, low cost, easy installation, but higher susceptibility to noise; they support up to 10 Gbps. STP adds a metallic shield around pairs for better noise immunity, higher cost, stiffer, requires grounding, and supports up to 10 Gbps+.
Write a short note on STP versus UTP.
UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) has pairs of insulated copper wires twisted together, with only a plastic jacket and no metallic shield. STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) has the same twisted pairs wrapped in a metal foil or braided shield (around each pair and/or the whole cable) before the jacket.
| Point | UTP | STP |
|---|---|---|
| Shielding | None | Metal foil / braid shield |
| Noise (EMI, crosstalk) | More susceptible | Much better immunity |
| Cost | Low | Higher |
| Size and weight | Thin, light, flexible | Thicker, heavier, stiffer |
| Installation | Easy | Harder; shield must be grounded |
| Attenuation | Higher at high frequency | Lower |
| Data rate | Up to 1 Gbps (Cat 5e) and 10 Gbps (Cat 6A) over 100 m | Higher, up to 10 Gbps+ (Cat 7) |
| Use | Ethernet LANs, telephone | Noisy factories, token ring, high-speed links |
UTP is the most widely used cable for LANs because of its low cost, while STP is chosen where interference is high.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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