subject: When Should I Use Shielded Cat5e Cable? [print this page] If you're in any situation where you want to make sure that you get the most speed and efficiency out of your network, you'll probably want to use shielded Cat5e patch cable. It's hard to know when and where you'll run into enough EMI to cause a problem, but if you use shielded CAT5e cable in the first place you won't have to worry about tearing the cable from the wall to replace it if you do run into that problem.
Making sure your network operates properly is especially important in your business or office building, but can also be just as important to you on your home network.
What type of shielded CAT5e cable should I use?
Shielded Cat5e patch panel is generally referred to as STP CAT5e or Shielded Twisted Pair CAT5e. This term, however, is used to refer to many different styles of shielding. The most common type of shielding uses what is called a screen. This screen is a metal covering that goes around the entire set of 8 wires found in CAT5e cable. This can be done by a single solid foil wrap around the wires, braided strands of cable wrapped around all the wires, or a combination of the two. This type of cabling is very effective at blocking any EMI that could cause problems in most installations.
If you want to ensure the proper operation of your network, we would recommend using STP cable like this for all in wall and other critical runs of cable. This way you can rest easy knowing youre getting the most speed that you can out of your network.
