Cat 5 Cable

Shielding Cat 5 Cable

There are a variety of different methods used for shielding Cat 5 cable.  The reason for adding a shielded layer to network cable is to minimize the interference with network signals.  Adding a foul shielding consists of wrapping to plain aluminum mylar layer around conductor pairs.  This shielded layer provides protection from EMI/RFI interfering.  This method doesn’t, however, provide the most sound protection for all the frequencies , despite the fact that 100% of the cable pairs are covered by foil:

Another method of shielding Cat 5 cable is by using a braided shield.  When your cat 5 cable demands more flexibility with this technique, a smaller percentage of the network cable is covered.  The braided shield has a crosshatch design which offers stronger protection from interfering elements.  The braided shield is extremely durable and can withstand the cable being flexed constantly.

I mentioned earlier a fail method for shielding cat 5 cable.  There is also a method which includes foil shielded-pairs of wiring.  In this particular set up of shielding, each of the four pairs of twisted wires inside the cable has an individual shield of foil all to itself.  In this way noise cannot cross over from pair to pair within the same cable.

This pair shielding cat 5 cables has most become widespread yet but when it does it will likely be used in speedy networks.  In light of the fact that 10G Ethernet is steadily on the rise, methods will be needed for cutting down on interference that is created inside and outside the cable.  This method will undoubtedly come into play in the near future.

One can also use a double shield scheme when shielding cat 5 cables.  This consists of a combination offers high quality protection to keep out a broad range of EM/RFI interfaces.  Often times, when a cable is double shielded, the foil is used as the inside layer and the brand is above the foil.  In order to gain better electrical contact, the conductive side of this foil is turned towards the braid during the assembly process.  The dowel-shielded method is the most prominent one found in military on industrial uses.

There are several advantages to shielding Cat 5 cables as opposed to using bundled coax.  These advantages include the following:

1. Cat 5 offers thinner form factor
2. You can find less expensive cable.  Plenum is cheaper than the type used in bundled coax.
3. Shielded Cat 5 offers much simple soldering (to an HD-15 connector) with bundled coax, shield terminators are needed when you are soldering.  Also, large mouth back shells are required so that the layer diameter of the cable will have ample space to exit.

There is no requirement for break-out BNC to HD-15 cables.