Shielded or Unshielded Cat5e?
UTP stands for Unshielded Twisted Pair and FTP Cat5e stands Foiled Twisted Pair. As the name suggests UTP cable do not have any shielding. The cables have a single plastic sleeve of insulation around the wires. In contrast, FTP Cat5e cables have a metal shield around all pairs. Additionally, the cables also have an outer plastic sleeve insulation. The additional shielding provides extra security for the cable and then foil protects the wires from EMI and crosstalk. When choosing between the two options, the focus should be on outside interference that may be present. Generally, most installations for FTP Cat5e and Cat6 are undertaken with UTP Data cabling. In certain situations, some manufacturers will specify that a shielded cable should be used. In this article we will explore FTP Cat5e vs UTP Cat5e.
Cat5e cables (general outline)
FTP cat5e cables have the ability to transmit data speeds of 100MBps over 100metres. Furthermore, this allowance is commonly for a 90m permanent cable link, with an allowance for 5m patch leads at each end. FTP cat5e cables contain four twisted pairs, unlike newer categories such as Cat6, Cat7 and Cat8. FTP cat5e has no additional separation inside the cable between the pairs.
As the first major standard for data cabling installations, with the ability to handle 1 Gigabit traffic. FTP cat5e was a suitable choice for various hardware uses such as, computers, CCTV, telephones, Wi-Fi, access control and many others. However, with the advancement in technology, modern installations are better suited with Cat6, cat6a and even Cat7 cables. These newer cables offer better transmission speeds and better crosstalk protection.
Features of FTP Cat5e
- They form part of a structured cabling design
- The cables are rated for 100MHZ, high speed data applications
- Capable of Gigabit Ethernet
- Consists of 4 pairs of coloured cores
- Cost effective
- Cable lengths of 90m or 100m