Unshielded twisted pair
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Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling is the most common cable used in computer networking. It is a variant of twisted pair cabling. UTP cables are often called ethernet cables after Ethernet, the most common data networking standard that utilizes UTP cables, although not the most reliable.
In contrast to FTP and STP cabling, UTP cable is not surrounded by any shielding. It is the primary wire type for telephone usage and is very common for computer networking, especially in patch cables or temporary network connections due to the high flexibility of the cables.
[edit] Advantages
- It is a thin, flexible cable that is easy to string between walls.
- Most modern buildings come with CAT 5 UTP already wired into the wall outlets or at least run between the floors.
- Because UTP is small, it does not quickly fill up wiring ducts.
- UTP costs less per foot than any other type of LAN cable.
[edit] Disadvantages
- It is more susceptible to interference than most other types of cabling. The pair twisting does help, but it doesn't make the cable imprevious to electrical noise.
- Its unrepeated length limit is 100 meters.
