Which type of cable is less susceptible to external interference due to shielding?

Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) cable is designed specifically to reduce external interference by incorporating shielding around the individual pairs of wires. This shielding is typically made of metal foil or braided wire mesh, which helps to block electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources, such as electrical equipment and radio signals.

The twisting of the pairs also contributes to minimizing crosstalk between the pairs. The combination of these two factors—twisting and shielding—enhances the overall performance of STP, making it particularly effective in environments where there is a high level of electrical noise.

In comparison, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables lack this additional layer of protection, making them more vulnerable to interference. Coaxial cables have a different construction that includes a central conductor, insulating layer, and an outer shield, but they are primarily designed for carrying signals over longer distances rather than to reduce the impact of interference as effectively as STP. Fiber-optic cables transmit data as light rather than electrical signals and are not susceptible to electromagnetic interference, yet they operate on a fundamentally different principle and are not classified in the same category as STP in terms of shielding effectiveness.

Thus, STP is specifically suited for situations where shielding