twisted pair cable(Network Cable)
The Network Cable most commonly used for Ethernet is called “twisted pair” because there are pairs of wires twisted together in the cable. This is done to prevent electromagnetic interference from external sources and other nearby pairs.
There are two main classifications of twisted pair cables.the first is shielded twisted pair (STP) and unshielded twisted pair (UTP).
STPs have an extra layer of shielding that makes them more resistant to external interference and therefore have greater bandwidth maximizing capabilities than UTP. The disadvantage of this is that they are heavier and cost more. which is why their main use is in high-end applications where preventing interference is a top priority.
The second classification is related to categories that are separated from each other based on the amount of data transferred per second. The categories used by the standards are Category 5e (1 Gbps) and Category 6 (10 Gbps),
because the performance standards do not meet the modern needs of the IT industry. The category is obsolete.coaxial cable
For those who grew up decades ago, you would have seen these cables used to connect TVs to home antennas and build the first Ethernet networks. They work by covering copper wires with insulation and other forms of shielding. In addition to their heavy weight and thickness.
their less than stellar data transfer rates (10 Mbps) led to their obsolescence when twisted pair cables came into use. These cables are obsolete in use, but they are included in this article because some buildings may still be using these ancient cables.
Optical cable
These cables work in a much different way than those described so far. with a thin glass cylinder surrounded by multiple layers of coating that provide protection and prevent interference. Unlike other cables, fiber optic cables use pulses of light to transmit data. While these cables may cost more, they can transmit information at extremely fast speeds in high-traffic environments.
There are two types of fiber optic cables that you need to be aware of. One of them is single mode. Single-mode fiber allows data to be transmitted over long distances using a single beam of light. Multimode fiber transmits data over shorter distances by using multiple rays of light simultaneously.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable
While these types of cables are typically used to connect external devices to the computer for personal use. But there are special adapters that allow an Ethernet cable to be connected indirectly to a USB port and work properly. These are often used as temporary settings in network cabling. Until more reliable cabling types (such as STP/UTP or fiber optics) can be properly installed.
Learn More：What Are the 4 Types of Network Cables?
