Network Cables connect the PC to the Internet or any other network. There are different types of network cables. The network cables commonly used are Shielded Twisted Pair (STP), Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), Coaxial cable, and Fiber Optic cable.
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable - UTP is a very popular type of network cable. It is widely used in small networks. The UTP consists of four pair of wire inside a covering jacket. The pairs of wire are twisted. The twisting protects the wires from interference effects. The amount of twisting is different from one cable to another. Better quality cables have a higher amount of twisting. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable - STP cable is a shielded version of the UTP cable. UTP cable is prone to interference effects. The interference can be radio interference or electrical interference. The shielding in STP cable protects it from most of the interference effects. STP is heavier and larger than UTP because of the covering. Coaxial Cable - Coaxial cable provides high degree of protection from external interference. The coaxial cable consists of a copper rod in the center. The copper rod is a conductor. A plastic layer covers it. A metal shield covers the plastic layer. The plastic layer provides insulation between the copper rod and the metal shield. The metal shield provides protection against interference from other devices. The complicated design of the coaxial cable makes it difficult to install. The high level of interference resistance makes it popular in use. There are two types of coaxial cable called thinnet and thicknet. Thinnet is thin coaxial cable and thicknet is thick coaxial cable.Fiber Optic Cable - Fiber Optic Cable provides total immunity to electrical interference. This is because it consists of a glass core. A protective layer of plastic covers it. The plastic offers a cushioning effect for the glass. Metal wires cover the plastic. Fiber optic cable emits light and not electrical signals. As a result, electric interference is impossible. An external insulating layer covers the cable. The resistance from electric interference makes it immune to electricity hazards like lightning. These features make the optic fiber cable highly popular in external environments and places that have high electric interference. Fiber optic cable has high speeds of data transmission. It can transmit information over long distances
