Cat6a S/FTP potential issue

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Jeroen1000

Limp Gawd
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Sep 17, 2010
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I've just realized a potential issue. I've bought Cat6a patch panels and keystones and I'm going to connect it all using U/UTP in wall cable.

However, it appears it is quite hard to find UNshielded Cat6a patch cables so I just bought what the store had. The cables say SSTP which is the same as S/FTP. Is it an option to just use them since nothing else is grounded or should I return them and search for unshielded Cat6a UTP cables?
 
pretty sure cat6a by definition, is shielded...

this all depends on why you're using shielded cable...
 
No no it is definitely not shielded by definition. Don't need shielded at all. It it just hard to find unshielded patch cable.
 
if everything in the wall is UTP and your jacks aren't grounded or anything it doesn't matter, cuz it won't connect to anything... the only cat6a i've ever seen is shielded, but you're right, you can get it in UTP...

just seems like a waste of money, even regular cat6/cat5e patch cords (depending on length) would probably still get you 10gbps connectivity... of course it all depends on what's in the wall (lengthwise) ..

yea, cat5e is good for 10gbps to 40 meters, a lot of people don't realize that...
 
I'd also use it for HDMI means so Cat6a might be useful in the feature.

I can't however unground everything. Things like a TV and some devices have a 3 prong plug. So those devices are grounded at the source, which would then also ground the shielded cable.
But what this does for the remaining devices...

I think you mean cat6a is good up to about 40 metres? If not, please provide a source for that claim.

@ Liger88 below this post. edit: yeah, sorry I meant cat6 is good for 40 metres. Got my wires crossed:).
 
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Pretty sure the Cat6 was rated for 40m, Cat5E around 20m and Cat6a the full 100m.

In the home environment usually this isn't a problem. Except if you got keystones, then I'm assuming it can be, especially if you follow the 10' rule.
 
Leaving the debat between cat5e, cat6 and cat6a alone, I've been googling the effect of not grounding a shielded cable or hours on end and I can find both 'evidence' that not grounding:

- Will cause the shielded cable to pick up significantly more noise, inducing it into the twisted pairs inside the cable easily pushing the cable out of spec. in such a way you can tell 10 gigabit goodbye
- Will cause some signal degradation but would still easily out perfom U/UTP regardless.

Where are the Physicists at [H] :))
 
Jeroen1000 said:
Leaving the debat between cat5e, cat6 and cat6a alone, I've been googling the effect of not grounding a shielded cable or hours on end and I can find both 'evidence' that not grounding:

- Will cause the shielded cable to pick up significantly more noise, inducing it into the twisted pairs inside the cable easily pushing the cable out of spec. in such a way you can tell 10 gigabit goodbye
- Will cause some signal degradation but would still easily out perfom U/UTP regardless.

Where are the Physicists at [H] :))
Click to expand...
Not a Physicist but am a non-practicing EE.
It depends on the environment, it can range from acting like an antenna
and killing even GB to none at all.
Bottom line if it is ungrounded there is no good that can come from it and maybe a downside.
Have you checked monoprice for the patch cables?
 
Jeroen1000 said:
I live in Europe where it appears to be more common to go shielded all the way and make it thus hard to get unshielded patch cords. I'm bothering some large distributors to please sell me some ^^

What is your opinion on this article. For the uninitiated they present a good case:)
http://www.gocsc.com/UserFiles/File/Siemon/WPShieldedMythCUS.pdf
Click to expand...
There are serious issues with it.
re: ground loops.. often ground loops grow over time or are intermittent.
For example one building when the power went out and the generators kicked in bad grounds on the generators took out 10s of thousands of dollars of networking equipment.
Wire connections corrode over time generating ground loops that did not exist at install time.
Ground loops are a huge problem!

RE. Acting as an antenna, I have measured 40+ volts induced noise on lines in industrial environments where plasma cutters and or arc welders were being used. No amount of shielding is going to help, the lines had to be moved or replaced with fiber.
 
Interesting reading...

I'm also courious if it's smart to ground everything from rack to PC or will that cause my network to work slower...

I'm only concerned for speeds up to 1gbps.

Matej
 
Here is the thing in my opinion if your environment is bad enough that you need shielding the shielded wire is not going to do much of anything you need to run it in grounded conduit or move the lines or run fiber.
 
Jeroen1000 said:
Leaving the debat between cat5e, cat6 and cat6a alone, I've been googling the effect of not grounding a shielded cable or hours on end and I can find both 'evidence' that not grounding:

- Will cause the shielded cable to pick up significantly more noise, inducing it into the twisted pairs inside the cable easily pushing the cable out of spec. in such a way you can tell 10 gigabit goodbye
- Will cause some signal degradation but would still easily out perfom U/UTP regardless.

Where are the Physicists at [H] :))
Click to expand...

my point was, cat5e/cat6 patch cords will do fine, not saying anything about what's in the wall.. the 6a that's in the wall plus the 5e 6 short patch cords would do you just fine, i thought our discussion was surrounding the patch cords more than the lack of grounding on each end...

i would just order a grounded cat6 patch panel from monoprice and be done with it... you only need to ground one end... don't need to worry about it on the keystone side...
 
I went with Cat6 in wall as Cat6a cable is very hard to come by apparently. At least not when you requires less than 300+ metres. I chose Belden Cat6 U/UTP as a good brand will likely help.

I'm awaiting delivery now. My patch panel and keystones are rated Cat6a so that should not pose an issue.
 
ok well cat6 doesn't really have any real world improvement over 5e, so i hope you didn't pay too much more...
 
Except 10 gigabit will probably not work over Cat5e. Neither will 4K video. I paid, roughly, 100 dollar for 100 metres of Belden Cat6

I'm talking about the in wall stuff. Still have the Cat6a shielded patch cords I have to exchange:)
 
Jeroen1000 said:
Except 10 gigabit will probably not work over Cat5e. Neither will 4K video. I paid, roughly, 100 dollar for 100 metres of Belden Cat6

I'm talking about the in wall stuff. Still have the Cat6a shielded patch cords I have to exchange:)
Click to expand...

Cat5e can do 10gbe, and $100 for 100m of Cat6 is way too much. It should be more like $100 for 300m of Cat6.
 
Believe it or not, that is the price in most Euro countries. That is often the reason why we import stuff from the US. But I needed it fast so some ripping off was to be expected.

I'm still a bit weary about that claim regarding Cat5e doing 10 gigabit. Any reputable source?
 
Jeroen1000 said:
Believe it or not, that is the price in most Euro countries. That is often the reason why we import stuff from the US. But I needed it fast so some ripping off was to be expected.

I'm still a bit weary about that claim regarding Cat5e doing 10 gigabit. Any reputable source?
Click to expand...

I've done 10gbps over 5e but only on short runs, 25ft or less patch cable. When I've tried it with 50 or 100ft it wouldn't always negotiate at 10gbps. That's anecdotal evidence, obviously, but that's what I've got. I wouldn't trust 5e for an in-wall installation and would just pay the miniscule difference to go to cat 6.
 
Eickst said:
I've done 10gbps over 5e but only on short runs, 25ft or less patch cable. When I've tried it with 50 or 100ft it wouldn't always negotiate at 10gbps. That's anecdotal evidence, obviously, but that's what I've got. I wouldn't trust 5e for an in-wall installation and would just pay the miniscule difference to go to cat 6.
Click to expand...

that's what i'm saying, cat6 is pretty much held to the same standards as 5e, with regards to 10gbps transmission...

there really isn't any point in going with 6 over 5e..... now 6a is something else entirely...
 
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