Using Cat 6 UTP connector on Cat 6a STP wire?

[SDISB]

I already have a bunch of cat 6 UTP connectors but the contractor actually installed cat 6a STP instead of UTP. Any cons to installing UTP connectors on STP cables? And should I buy some STP connectors instead?

 

[fryedchikin]

Ideally you should use STP connectors with STP cables to ensure the shield doesn't act like a giant EMI antennae. STP connectors with UTP cable is not usually an issue.

 

[SDISB]

Ideally you should use STP connectors with STP cables to ensure the shield doesn't act like a giant EMI antennae. STP connectors with UTP cable is not usually an issue.

Thanks. I did crimped a few with UTP for testing. If it is for testing then it is fine right?

 

[tgl]

I think @fryedchikin 's point is that you risk causing radio interference to yourself and your neighbors if you don't have the cables' shields grounded properly. UTP cable is designed to be okay without a ground, but STP not necessarily. I'm fuzzy on whether both ends need STP-specific connectors, but certainly at least one does, or you have no ground.

 

[degrub]

If there is a shield, either overall or each twisted pair, or both, the shielding must be earthed correctly. Otherwise it will pick up electrical noise and or potential . This can cause communication errors and in the extreme case, damage. Use the correct termination connector for the cable type.

Universal Networks

www.universalnetworks.co.uk

 

[NXIL]

Thanks. I did crimped a few

Hi--by crimped do you mean RJ45 connector on the end, or you are using "punch down" keystone jacks?

These are "crimped" connections.

This is a keystone jack and generally it's referred to as "punch down" instead of crimping.

If you are trying to crimp Cat6a with Cat6 RJ45 connectors, I don't think that's going to go well. Hard enough to just crimp Cat6 cable onto Cat6 RJ45 connectors--a keystone jack is the best terminator for structural cable (like the contractor installed), then use patch cables (with machine installed rj45 connectors on the end) to plug in your devices.

Also, UTP best for home installation unless you have a hydroelectric generator, heavy machinery, car assembly line robotics, etc...STP/F/shielding causes more problems than it solves at home.

 

[SDISB]

Hi--by crimped do you mean RJ45 connector on the end, or you are using "punch down" keystone jacks?


View attachment 66944
These are "crimped" connections.




View attachment 66945

This is a keystone jack and generally it's referred to as "punch down" instead of crimping.

If you are trying to crimp Cat6a with Cat6 RJ45 connectors, I don't think that's going to go well. Hard enough to just crimp Cat6 cable onto Cat6 RJ45 connectors--a keystone jack is the best terminator for structural cable (like the contractor installed), then use patch cables (with machine installed rj45 connectors on the end) to plug in your devices.

Also, UTP best for home installation unless you have a hydroelectric generator, heavy machinery, car assembly line robotics, etc...STP/F/shielding causes more problems than it solves at home.

Thanks but I do meant crimped, I use a pass through connectors which ease up installing them for testing.

The contractors hasn't installed the keystones yet and most wires are just dangling in the air. They just left for a few weeks due to scheduling and basically said we are free to test the wires ourselves or inspect anything so I did.

 

[SDISB]

I think @fryedchikin 's point is that you risk causing radio interference to yourself and your neighbors if you don't have the cables' shields grounded properly. UTP cable is designed to be okay without a ground, but STP not necessarily. I'm fuzzy on whether both ends need STP-specific connectors, but certainly at least one does, or you have no ground.

Thanks for explaining this further for me. But I do have a question, how do I "ground" them? Most electrical sockets in my country are two pronged, so even if I did use STP connectors would that mean it is not grounded? I will have to ask the contractors about this.

 

[SDISB]

If there is a shield, either overall or each twisted pair, or both, the shielding must be earthed correctly. Otherwise it will pick up electrical noise and or potential . This can cause communication errors and in the extreme case, damage. Use the correct termination connector for the cable type.

Universal Networks

www.universalnetworks.co.uk

Thanks. After visiting that website I realized I have F/UTP. Weird that I remembered from my classes years ago that having a foil and grounding wire mean that the wire are STP not UTP.
Still there is also a problem that the grounded wire basically doesn't exist in my country which I will probably have to ask my contractors to install a ground wire near where all the rj45 cables are.

 

[tgl]

F/UTP is outside my experience, but some quick googling suggests that it's supposed to have its own connections to building ground. I'm really wondering why your contractor chose that; it seems way overkill for residential construction. If he put it in without a plan for grounding it, he's incompetent.

 

[ColinTaylor]

FWIW Here's a fairly good explanation. Pay particular attention to Method #3.

Residential Bonding and Grounding of Shielded Ethernet Cable Systems

Learn how to properly bond and ground shielded Ethernet cable in residential settings with various methods including the truePLUG adapter, DIY options, and tips for mixed shielded/unshielded installs.

www.truecable.com

I'd say that the thing to remember is that you don't ground the ethernet cable itself (or its outlet socket). You sometimes ground the equipment the cable is connected to. Most of the time that will only be the frame of the patch cabinet, and possibly a switch in that cabinet. Most home network equipment that you plug an Ethernet cable into is not grounded and is isolated from the mains ground. Think about a home router, it uses an ungrounded power adapter with a switch mode power supply providing isolated DC. This means that most of the time a shielded ethernet cable is effectively floating. If you look at the ethernet sockets of most home routers there is no connection to the metallic shell of a shielded cable, they're plastic sockets.

 

[tgl]

FWIW, I believe it is possible to ground a shielded cable via the connected equipment. But that requires a continuous ground path from cable shield to RJ45 plug shield to equipment case to ground lead of equipment's 3-wire AC power cord to 3-prong electrical outlet with a proper ground connection. If you'll be using a 2-prong outlet there is zero chance of success, no matter what the equipment is.