Ethernet cables are made of copper wires with four twisted pairs, which are used to transmit data. The cable can be either solid-core or stranded. Solid-core (solid insulated) conductors are used in permanent or semi-permanent installations that require long distance horizontal and backbone cable runs, such as a large office building. These cables are generally not recommended for temporary wiring connections, as they can be damaged or shortened by being kinked or bent too tightly.
Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP)
UTP is an inexpensive cable that can be used in a wide range of applications. It provides low crosstalk, EMI, and electrical interference protection from outside sources and offers a wider bandwidth.
FTP
Foil tape shielded twisted pair (FTP) is similar to F/UTP, but it uses foil around each of the individual twisted pairs to reduce EMI and crosstalk. It also offers better grounding, which can reduce noise and provide an improved electrical connection between adjacent pairs.
Screened Shielded Twisted Pair (SSTP)
SSTP is a variant of F/FTP that uses an overall braided screen encasing foil-screened twisted pairs. Its construction offers greater protection from RFI and EMI than F/FTP because it wraps foil tape around the individual pairs, then encloses them in an overall flexible yet mechanically strong braid screen.
CAT5e CAT6 are high performance twisted-pair cables designed to handle bandwidth up to 100 MHz. These cables can support Fast Ethernet or Gigabit Ethernet operations, and can be used in a wide variety of applications.
