A twisted pair cable is a network cable made of two insulated copper wires twisted together to transmit data signals.
The twisting reduces interference and improves communication quality.
• The wires are twisted to reduce electromagnetic interference (EMI) from external sources.
• Twisting also reduces crosstalk, which is interference between adjacent wire pairs.
• This design ensures that both wires are affected equally by noise, allowing the receiver to cancel it.
There are two main types of twisted pair cables used in networking.
• No metallic shielding
• Most common LAN cable 🏠
• Cheap and flexible 💰
• Affected by interference 📡
• Metallic shielding 🛡️
• Better EMI protection
• Used in industrial areas 🏭
• Expensive & grounding required
7. Key Differences Between UTP and STP
| Feature | UTP | STP |
| Shielding | No shielding | Metallic shielding |
| Cost | Low | High |
| EMI Protection | Moderate | Very high |
| Installation | Easy | Complex |
| Usage Area | Homes, offices | Industrial areas |
 |  |
• Twisted pair cables use copper wires.
• Interference is reduced mainly by twisting of wire pairs.
• UTP is the most commonly used LAN cable.
One-Line Memory Trick 🧠
UTP → Cheap, common, office cable
STP → Shielded, strong, industrial cable
If the interviewer asks:
👉 “Why do we use twisted pair cables?”
Answer confidently:
Twisted-pair cable is a copper network cable in which two wires are twisted together to reduce interference and provide reliable data transmission in LAN networks.
