- Unshielded twisted pair cables, 22-24 gauge (UTP)
Advantages -- Inexpensive, may be in place in some places; familiar and simple to install.
Disadvantages -- Subject to interference, both internal and external; limited bandwidth, which translates into slower transmissions.
Somewhat vulnerable to security breaches; may become obsolete quickly because of new technologies.
- Shielded twisted pair cables, 22-24 (STP)
Advantages -- Easy installation; reasonable cost; resistance to interference; better electrical characteristics than unshielded cables;
better data security; easily terminated with modular connector.
Disadvantages -- May become obsolete due to technical advances; can be tapped, breaching security.
- Coaxial cables
Advantages -- Familiar and fairly easy to install; better electrical characteristics (lower attenuation and great bandwidth than
shielded or unshielded cables; highly resistant to interference; generally good data security; easy to connect.
Disadvantages -- May become obsolete due to technological advances; can be tapped, breaching security.
- Optical fiber cables
Advantages -- Top performance; excellent bandwidth ( high in the gigabit range, and theoretically higher); very long life span; excellent
security; allows for very high rates of data transmission; causes no interference and is not subject to electromagnetic interference; smaller
and lighter than other cable types.
Disadvantages -- Slightly higher installed cost than twisted -pair cables.