Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer
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Is there a big difference in cost between shielded and unshielded cables? I would think you would always want to go with shielded unless the cost difference was pretty significant.
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it is a pain in the ass to work with shielded cable. the entire spec for ethernet cabling is designed around mitigating interference.
Shielded cable rarely needs used.
The cost of the cable is not excessively higher, but the labor is.
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Shielded cable is better but about 25% more expensive.
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
It's not the size of the company but in larger environments cables are more likely to be run into areas with lots of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for instance from speed controlled motors, fans in ventilation systems, elevators etc. In industrial environments, factories, manufacturing, production there are also lots of EMI. It's also more likely that the enterprise have lots of cables run together for instance in cable trays and cable ladders in which case shielded cables make more sense.
For newer cable types, like cat 7, unshielded don't exist anymore as they are all shielded.
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@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
Shielded cable is better but about 25% more expensive.
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
It's not the size of the company but in larger environments cables are more likely to be run into areas with lots of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for instance from speed controlled motors, fans in ventilation systems, elevators etc. In industrial environments, factories, manufacturing, production there are also lots of EMI. It's also more likely that the enterprise have lots of cables run together for instance in cable trays and cable ladders in which case shielded cables make more sense.
For newer cable types, like cat 7, unshielded don't exist anymore as they are all shielded.
And if you are in Texas, with all that air duct cleaning and plumbing going on, you're bound to run in to frequent abnormal interference.
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@mary said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
Is there a big difference in cost between shielded and unshielded cables? I would think you would always want to go with shielded unless the cost difference was pretty significant.
Big difference, no. Basically they are identical except one costs more, is harder to bend, and shields some interference... which only matters if you have enough interference to matter, but not so much that shielding cannot protect you.
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@Obsolesce said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
Shielded cable is better but about 25% more expensive.
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
It's not the size of the company but in larger environments cables are more likely to be run into areas with lots of electromagnetic interference (EMI) for instance from speed controlled motors, fans in ventilation systems, elevators etc. In industrial environments, factories, manufacturing, production there are also lots of EMI. It's also more likely that the enterprise have lots of cables run together for instance in cable trays and cable ladders in which case shielded cables make more sense.
For newer cable types, like cat 7, unshielded don't exist anymore as they are all shielded.
And if you are in Texas, with all that air duct cleaning and plumbing going on, you're bound to run in to frequent abnormal interference.
But no air pollution in our buildings!
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Basically everyone uses UTP. In the "real world", even discussing or thinking about STP is limited to courses like the Network+. It's good to know about it, but likely you will never see or deal with it.
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@scottalanmiller said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
Basically everyone uses UTP. In the "real world", even discussing or thinking about STP is limited to courses like the Network+. It's good to know about it, but likely you will never see or deal with it.
You say that, then there's this post by @Pete-S
@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
Shielded cable is better but about 25% more expensive.
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
But I'm more with Scott - I've never seen STP installed save one place where I ran it through a metal shop.
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@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
For newer cable types, like cat 7, unshielded don't exist anymore as they are all shielded.
CAT 7 is UTP. That CAT system is a designation of unshielded.
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@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
Never seen an enterprise run STP. Someone, somewhere does, but even in 2000 we were using fiber anytime UTP couldn't handle the interference in the enterprise. Every enterprise I've seen since 2000 was UTP for last "mile" and fiber in the long runs.
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I'm seeing a lot of shielded cable used in AP installations in new construction. The architect/engineers are requiring it and calling for 2 cables per AP. I don't feel its necessary but they won't allow any deviations from their plans.
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@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
I'm seeing a lot of shielded cable used in AP installations in new construction. The architect/engineers are requiring it and calling for 2 cables per AP. I don't feel its necessary but they won't allow any deviations from their plans.
I wonder if this is a UK thing? I've definitely not hear anything like that around here.
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@Dashrender No. I'm in Texas. I've had multiple different architectural firms require this in new schools and other commercial buildings. Its never on the normal data drops or for cameras, etc. Only on AP locations.
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@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Dashrender No. I'm in Texas. I've had multiple different architectural firms require this in new schools and other commercial buildings. Its never on the normal data drops or for cameras, etc. Only on AP locations.
that's even more stupid! All those cables likely run through the same space.. yet somehow the APs are special? is that because they are fully expected to be POE and perhaps Texas has passed new laws surrounding usable levels of power?
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@Dashrender My opinion is that the contractors charge more for for shielded cable drops therefore the architect makes more money. Yes, they are in the same cable trays and same j-hooks. They don't require shielded patch cords though. It all comes down to money.
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@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Dashrender My opinion is that the contractors charge more for for shielded cable drops therefore the architect makes more money. Yes, they are in the same cable trays and same j-hooks. They don't require shielded patch cords though. It all comes down to money.
So it's a shame.. yeah kinda figured!
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@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Dashrender No. I'm in Texas. I've had multiple different architectural firms require this in new schools and other commercial buildings. Its never on the normal data drops or for cameras, etc. Only on AP locations.
Sounds like maybe one regional architect that is all screwed up?
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@Dashrender said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Dashrender No. I'm in Texas. I've had multiple different architectural firms require this in new schools and other commercial buildings. Its never on the normal data drops or for cameras, etc. Only on AP locations.
that's even more stupid! All those cables likely run through the same space.. yet somehow the APs are special? is that because they are fully expected to be POE and perhaps Texas has passed new laws surrounding usable levels of power?
yeah, something is messed up
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@brandon220 said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Dashrender My opinion is that the contractors charge more for for shielded cable drops therefore the architect makes more money. Yes, they are in the same cable trays and same j-hooks. They don't require shielded patch cords though. It all comes down to money.
Yup, now THAT is more of what I would expect.
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@scottalanmiller said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
@Pete-S said in Copper Cabling - CompTIA Network+ N10-007 Prof. Messer:
From what I've seen only residential and small office installations run unshielded. Enterprise runs shielded and fiber.
Never seen an enterprise run STP. Someone, somewhere does, but even in 2000 we were using fiber anytime UTP couldn't handle the interference in the enterprise. Every enterprise I've seen since 2000 was UTP for last "mile" and fiber in the long runs.
I work with a few enterprises on a regular basis. Global 500 companies. None of them use unshielded cables.
They commonly use air blown single mode fiber anywhere you have some distance (100m) and shielded copper to the network devices. Now, this is for the campus network, not in the datacenter.
That said, it's what I've seen. But none of these companies have just a sales office.
