What type of cable is typically used for connecting devices to an Ethernet network?

Twisted pair cable is the most commonly used type of cable for connecting devices within an Ethernet network due to its effectiveness, cost, and ease of installation. There are two main categories of twisted pair cables: unshielded twisted pair (UTP) and shielded twisted pair (STP). UTP is widely used for networking because it offers good performance for standard Ethernet applications, such as 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet), and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet).

The design of twisted pair cables—where pairs of wires are twisted together—helps to reduce electromagnetic interference and crosstalk, thus maintaining signal integrity over distances typical in local area networks (LANs). Furthermore, twisted pair cables are capable of supporting data transfer rates that are sufficient for most networking needs within businesses and homes.

In contrast, coaxial cable is mainly used for cable television and some Internet connections, fiber optic cable, while offering high-speed transmission capabilities over long distances, is often more expensive and complex to install, making it less common for standard Ethernet connections. Serial cable is primarily used for point-to-point communication between two devices, such as connecting a computer to a router for initial configuration, but it is not suitable for general