The table below shows the different types of copper Ethernet cable and gives a brief description of each type. Electromagnetic shielding/screening can be made from a metallic or polyester foil, or metallic braid, either around individual conductor pairs, all 4 pairs, or both. Cat5e, Cat6 and Cat6a are available in unshielded and shielded formats, Cat7 is only available as a shielded cable.
| UTP | Unshielded Twisted Pair | The UTP cable consists of pairs of wires twisted together. This is one of the most basic methods used to help prevent electromagnetic interference. |  |
| STP/FTP | Shielded Twisted or Foiled Twisted Pair | STP and FTP offer an additional layer of protection with shielding (also called screening) wrapped around the individual twisted wires. This protects against EMI/FRI and crosstalk. | |
| S/UTP & F/UTP | Shielded/ Screened or Foiled Unshielded Twisted Pair | This has an overall foil or braid screen encasing the 4 pairs of unshielded twisted pairs. | |
| SFTP | Shielded and Foiled Twisted Pair | A combination of the two above, with foil shielding around the individual twisted wires and an overall screen which can sometimes be a flexible braid.This provides the maximum level of protection from interference and is found in the highest performance cables. |