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Fact VS. Myths about Shielded Cable

[Q] Do I need to use Shielded Cat 5 Cable? What is it? [A] We receive many calls from confused cable buyers who are being told to get Shielded Cat 5 Cable. In most cases, it was determined that the client did not actually need this type of cable, and they saved an enormous amount of money. Shielded Cable, as its name indicates, has a protective "foil" that surrounds the cable. The exact material used will vary, but it is generally a light gauge metal of some kind. This shielding material is normally terminated into the specialized RJ45 connectors to ground the cable. The purpose of all this protection is where the confusion begins to set in. Shielded cable was designed to prevent strong sources of Electromagnetic Interference, or (EMI), from effecting the ability of the cable to transmit data. In many buildings, there are common sources of this EMI. Generators, Elevator motors, and many types of lighting will produce strong EMI that can pass through the cable, corrupting your data and shutting down communication. The Shielding in the wire blocks this energy from getting through. We have even had people comment that because they are building a "secure network", that the Information Technology manager specified that they must have shielded cable. This, of course, has nothing to do with the security of the network. There are some specific applications, where certain codes must be followed in order to meet specific requirements for a given job. This does not apply to every situation across the board. CAT 5 Cable Company can make shielded cables on a quoted basis. Please call for more details.   RELATED FAQ QUESTION: What is the difference between CAT 5 and CAT 5e cable? Keywords: Shielded Cable, Cat 5 Cable, Shielded Cat 5 cable