STP Cable or Shielded Twisted Pair Cable is a pair of wires wound around each other and each pair is placed inside a protective foil wrap to protect it from crosstalk. It is cheaper than fiber optic cables but more expensive than UTP. Shielded Twisted Pair Cable provides better protection from crosstalk and other interference as compared to Unshielded Twisted Pair Cable. The STP Cable price is approx Rs 50/meter.
Types of STP Cable (Shielded Twisted Pair Cable)
Category 5e: Defines a shielded cable that operates at 350 MHz and carries data up to 1000 Mbps. It carries high-quality signal while traveling across high voltage or power cables. Cat 5e cables are used in networking, data transfer, and telephone lines.
150 Ohm Shielded Cable: Defines a cable in which twisted pairs are individually covered in a foil shield and again enclosed in an outer braided wire shield. The shielding helps minimize EMI and crosstalk. The maximum signaling frequency is 16 MHz.
Characteristics of STP Cable
| Characteristics | Description |
| Maximum cable length | 100 meters |
| bandwidth | 100 Mbps |
| Connector type | RJ-45 |
| Cost | Costlier than UTP but cheaper than fiber optic cable |
| Interference protection | Better protection from crosstalk and external interference |
| Signal transmission mode | Baseband |
| Resistance | 50 ohms |
Advantages of STP Cable
- Better protection from crosstalk.
- Better protection from external interference.
- Secured data transmission.
Disadvantages of STP Cable
- Costlier than UTP
- Difficult to install as compared to UTP.
