Shielded Cable - bad?

[nikleb]

As part of my networking issues I ended up getting a Netgear GS108 switch. Works great, all my problems are gone. However, I was surprised to see in the manual to uses UNSHIELDED Cat 5 cable. Can shielded cable cause any harm? I figured it would be better. the only issue I could see introducing a ground loop. But that seems rather unlikely

 

[MR2Di4]

Your only issue with using shielded cable vs. unshielded cable will be making sure that you can actually use the shielding properly with it grounded to one end and using proper jacks that are able to bond to the AC ground at the endpoint. Only if your AC grounding system is good will you be able to avoid a ground loop. Otherwise you can always bond one end to ground and leave the other end unbonded, losing much of it's effectiveness in the process.

This article explains it well...

Your equipment won't care whether the cable plugged in is shielded or not, but without having all the proper facilities in place using shielded cable is just a waste of time and merely introduces more possibility of noise into your wiring. If you're just going from point to point without going through any kind of rackmounts, bonding points or grounded blocks you'd be better off NOT using shielded cable.

MR2Di4

 

[nikleb]

Interesting. I would think that my switch will make the ground connection if I grounded itself? The metal jacket of the plug will connect with the metal receiver in the switch?
But this would only work if I grounded the switch as well? There is in fact a grounding screw on the switch...

 

[stevech]

Direct burial cat5 - resists damage- unlikely to "leak"

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,16998343

http://www.pccableonline.com/150ft-...src=froogle&utm_medium=CSE&utm_source=froogle

also

Any shielded cable has the issue of ground loop current in the shield if connected at both ends - bad if is strong mains freq.
But 10/100/1000BT common mode rejection (twisted pair differential) eliminates a great deal of such.

 

[claykin]

As part of my networking issues I ended up getting a Netgear GS108 switch. Works great, all my problems are gone. However, I was surprised to see in the manual to uses UNSHIELDED Cat 5 cable. Can shielded cable cause any harm? I figured it would be better. the only issue I could see introducing a ground loop. But that seems rather unlikely

Did you terminate with CAT5e shielded plugs? If not, don't worry as you are essentially using unshielded cable.

 

[claykin]

Interesting. I would think that my switch will make the ground connection if I grounded itself? The metal jacket of the plug will connect with the metal receiver in the switch?
But this would only work if I grounded the switch as well? There is in fact a grounding screw on the switch...

Correct, the switch ground lug would need to be grounded to the same ground plane used by your other electronics (to avoid ground loops).

The latest versions(s) of the GS108 no longer have a ground lug on the rear. I have one I received the other day from newegg. Probably simply cost reduction. If the switch body is connected to ground, the shield of the shielded plug would ground (if the drain wire is connected correctly).