NASCLA Accredited Commercial General ContractorMechanical, Electrical, Plumbing (MEP)Hard
During the installation of a new data network in a commercial office, a contractor needs to ensure that the cabling infrastructure supports high-speed data transmission and is resistant to electromagnetic interference (EMI). Which type of twisted-pair cable would be most appropriate for this application?
- AUnshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Category 5e
- BFiber Optic Cable Multimode
- CShielded Twisted Pair (STP) Category 6A
- DCoaxial Cable RG-6
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Category 6A
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Category 6A cables offer superior performance for high-speed data (up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet) and excellent resistance to EMI due to their shielding, making them ideal for environments where EMI is a concern.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. UTP Cat5e is less resistant to EMI and supports slower speeds (1 Gigabit Ethernet) than Cat6A.
- B. Fiber optic cable is excellent for speed and EMI resistance but is not a 'twisted-pair' cable and is generally more expensive for horizontal runs within an office.
- D. Coaxial cable is typically used for video or older network technologies, not modern high-speed data networks.
Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
A type of twisted-pair cable that includes an outer metallic foil or braid shield to protect the internal wire pairs from electromagnetic interference (EMI) and crosstalk, enhancing data integrity and speed.
- Offers excellent EMI resistance.
- Supports higher data rates over longer distances.
- More expensive and harder to install than UTP.
- Requires proper grounding for shielding to be effective.
Memory trick: Shielded Twists Stop Static, Speeding Data Safely.