19 March 2020

Advantages and disadvantages of shielded twisted pair cable

STP stands for shielded twisted pair cable. It is one type of twisted pair cable. It is basically similar to the UTP. It is similar to  UTP in which the wire pair are twisted around each other. Here this post gives the advantages and disadvantages of shielded twisted pair cable (STP) are listed below.

Advantages of shielded twisted pair cable (STP):

  • Shielding reduces the chance of crosstalk and provides protection from interference.
  • It offers better electrical characteristics than unshielded cables.
  • It can be easily terminated with a modular connector.

Disadvantages of shielded twisted pair cable (STP):

  • It has a higher cost per foot of wire.
  • Shield of STP cables must be grounded properly otherwise it acts as an antenna and picks up unwanted signals.
  • More expensive than UTP.
  • Difficult to and maintain.
  • Much thicker diameter and not as flexible.
  • It has a high attenuation rate.
  • While we are using this cable, there is no improvement in segment length despite its thick and heavier construction.
  • Shielding is increased the overall diameter and the weight of the cable. Hence it is more difficult to install compared to UTP cables. The larger thickness makes them unfit for narrow cable ducts.
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