How to choose Cat6a Shielded vs Unshielded Ethernet cables

Choosing between shielded and unshielded cables for your Ethernet network can be a difficult task until you understand the differences between the two. And even more so when you are buying augmented category 6 cables.

To help you make an informed choice we have put together this article that looks at what shielded and unshielded cables mean, the differences between them, and how you can choose between them. Read on to find out.

What is a Shielded Ethernet Cable?

A shielded Ethernet cable is designed to protect the integrity of your network connection by preventing outside interference. Traditional Ethernet cables are unshielded, which increases the likelihood of electromagnetic interference (EMI) passing through the cable and affects the integrity of your signal.

These Ethernet cables have a metallic mesh or a foil around the four pairs of wires in the cable to protect against interference. It also helps to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI) from affecting other electrical systems. The shielded twisted pair cables are ideal for use in networks with a high-performance requirement.

What is an unshielded Ethernet Cable?

Unshielded Ethernet cables are often used in small networks, as they are more cost-efficient. Cat6a 1000ft Unshielded cables are more flexible and durable than their shielded counterparts. However, they are relatively more vulnerable to external interference, which may result in data transmission errors.

It is worth noting that shielded cables are not necessarily better than unshielded ones, as the latter tend to be more flexible, making them easier to install.

What is Cat6a Cable

Now that you know what shielded and unshielded cables are, let’s dive into the nuts and bolts of the 6th augmented category cable.
This cable is an upgrade of the category 6 cable and it is manufactured only with a plenum and riser jacket. Because these two jackets are the finest of all, out there.

At the core of the cable, you will find 4 twisted pairs of conductors, which are mostly made out of bare copper. It has a bandwidth capacity of 750 MHz and a data transfer rate of up to 10 Gbps over a length of 100 meters.

Cat6a Applications

For business networks, this cable is ideal. It supports all high-speed ethernet applications such as ANSI X3T9.5 TP-PMD (FDDI), ATM PMD 155 Mbps IEEE 802.3 Fast Ethernet:10 Base-T, 100 Base-T4, 100 Base-X IEEE 802.5:4/16 Mbps Token, Ring, IEEE 802.12:100 Base-VG, PoE, PoE+/++, etc.

Cat6a Shielded Cable

Safety: The shielding of the cable prevents it from overheating due to EMI.

Performance: Seamless performance and better than its shielded counterpart.

Quality: Finest quality. So much so, comes with only the top-notch cable jackets (Plenum and Riser) to ensure the best quality.

Cost: Affordable but a little more costly than unshielded.

Cat6a Unshielded

Safety: Perfectly safe due to high-quality jackets that are fire-retardant and waterproof. But lacks the added safety of a metallic shield.

Performance: Delivers data at gigabit speeds without losing the signal integrity but not as resistant as its shielded counterpart to EMI and external noise.

Quality: Top-notch quality. Exactly the same as its STP counterpart.

Cost: Affordable.

How to choose the right cable?

Shielded Cat6a cable or Unshielded? Which one you need depends on your network setup. For most situations, a shielded cable is the best choice. Unshielded cables are more flexible and less expensive, but they’re more susceptible to external interference and crosstalk.

Conclusion

Choosing between UTP and STP Cat6a cable may seem too difficult a task at first, but it is pretty simple. In short, you have to decide if you can make do with an unnoticeable amount of EMI and crosstalk? If you can, you can get the unshielded one. And if you like your signals, neat and clean, which most businesses do, you should get the shielded ones.