Shielded Twisted Pair (STP)
Shielded twisted pair (STP) provides extra protection against interference and crosstalk.
- often used for 10G Ethernet and higher within datacenter networks because it is more reliable than UTP
- Shielding may also be a requirement in environments with high levels of external interference
- such as cable that must be run in proximity to fluorescent lighting, power lines, motors, and generators
- referred to generically as STP
- several types of shielding and screening exist:
- Screened cable has one thin outer foil shield around all pairs
- designated as screened twisted pair (ScTP) or foiled/unshielded twisted pair (F/UTP), or just foiled twisted pair (FTP)
- Fully shielded cabling has a braided outer screen and foil-shielded pairs
- referred to as shielded/foiled twisted pair (S/FTP)
- are variants with foil outer shield (F/FTP)
- U/FTP has foil-shielded pairs but no outer shield
- Screened cable has one thin outer foil shield around all pairs
- Legacy STP is complex to install
- screening/shielding elements of shielded cable must be bonded to the connector
- prevents the metal from acting as a large antenna and generating interference
- screening/shielding elements of shielded cable must be bonded to the connector
- modern F/UTP and S/FTP use cables, connectors, and patch panels that incorporate bonding in their design
