Network Infrastructure Blog

Data has become the most valuable corporate asset. How to effectively transmit, store, access, protect and manage critical data is a challenge Siemon has conquered. For more than 112 years, we’ve remained focused on quality, service, innovation and value; providing our customers a connection they can count on.

Ranging from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps, Siemon has the copper and fiber solutions to support all of today’s standard-based application speeds. Our broad range of cable jacket types and construction support installation in a wide variety of environments, including high flex cycling of robotics to noisy EMI of high voltage motors.

Before implementing, it is important to understand the most common cable construction types and their applications. Siemon’s preferred cable terminology is outlined below and is based on IEC 61156-5: Multicore and symmetrical pair/quad cables for digital communications.

The standard abbreviations are as follows:

U = Unshielded

F = Foil shielded

S = Braided shield

TP = Twisted pair

U/UTP: Often referred to as simply UTP cable, this is the most common unshielded balanced twisted-pair cable. UTP cable constructions feature unshielded twisted-pairs enclosed within an overall thermoplastic jacket.

F/UTP: F/UTP cable constructions feature unshielded balanced twisted-pairs surrounded by an overall conductive mylar-backed aluminum foil shield and enclosed within an overall thermoplastic jacket. The foil shield protects the cable from external EMI and alien crosstalk. The category 6A/Class E variety of this cable type is commonly used in 10GBASE-T applications requiring additional headroom.

U/FTP: Category 6A/Class EA versions of this cable are commonly used in 10GBASE-T applications. This cable is constructed with no overall shielding or braiding, but each twisted-pair is foil screened.

S/FTP: This cabling type used primariy for category 7A/Class FA features individually foil-shielded twisted-pairs surrounded by an overall braid and enclosed within an overall thermoplastic jacket. Commonly used throughout much of Europe, this type of cable construction is the highest performing cable that significantly limits the amount of crosstalk between pairs and offers the greatest protection against EMI and external noise sources. Due to the pair-to-pair isolation of this cable, it lends itself well to cable sharing which is a practice of sharing one 4-pair cable to support multiple lower speed 1 and 2-pair applications.

Broken USB phone charging cord in an airport RJ45 outlet

Anyone responsible for network infrastructure probably has stories of  questionable foreign objects stuck in their ports and outlets.  While it may be more of an issue in publicly accessible ports, it can happen wherever you might find childish mischief, malicious intent, or old-fashioned stupidity (in other words, anywhere).

Gum in a grade school computer lab port

I’ve collected a few good examples in my travels, including gum in an elementary school outlet, the remnants of a USB phone charger jammed into an airport kiosk port, and my personal favorite: a half-smoked cigarette in a TR patch panel, left by a tech who obviously intended to smoke the rest of it later.

But I’d be willing to bet that my examples would be child’s play compared to what you contractors and network pros have seen over the years – and we’d love to hear about it.

Share your best “foreign object in a port” story via Twitter @siemoncabling #siemonlockit and we’ll send you a Siemon gift pack, including a few samples of our LockIT outlet lock (which, not coincidently, was designed to help keep all manner of unauthorized things out of your network ports).  Include a picture of the offense and we’ll throw in a Siemon bucket seat and a hard hat*.

LockIT Outlet Lock and locking patch cord

And, once we’ve all had a good laugh, you can check out an easy way to make sure it never happens again – with Siemon’s LockIT outlet locks.

*In US only, while supplies last.