Final answer:
The common minimum requirement for twisted-pair copper cabling in Ethernet networks is Category 5. However, Category 6 is more common in new installations. Other wiring materials include aluminum, with lower conductivity and strength, and fiber optics, offering high speeds and interference resistance.
Step-by-step explanation:
The common minimum requirement for twisted-pair copper cabling in modern Ethernet networks is Category 5 (Cat 5). While there are other categories such as Category 3, Category 6, and Category 7, Cat 5 is the minimum standard that supports up to 1000 Mbps or 1 Gigabit per second at 100MHz.
However, Category 6 (Cat 6) is commonly used in new installations for its higher performance, supporting 10 Gigabit per second speeds up to 55 meters, which is why it's often the recommended category in modern installations.
Other materials used for wiring besides copper include aluminum and fiber optics, each with their advantages and disadvantages. Aluminum has lower conductivity and tensile strength than copper, making it a less ideal conductor.