The choice of UTP or FTP can be very important when buying an internet cable . In other words: do you choose an unshielded ('UTP') or shielded ('FTP') network cable? The big underlying question is: how big is the chance of interference?
When UTP cables come into contact with power or coaxial cables, this can cause malfunctions, also known as interference. This can be noticed in the data transfer. The interference can cause a weaker or even no network signal at all. In practice, network cables (UTP or FTP) are often located close to power cables, for example, and shielding is therefore recommended for optimal performance.
UTP stands for Unshielded T wisted P air . Unshielded means unshielded. This means that interference can easily occur. Pretty simple, right? Incidentally, a UTP cable is officially called a U/UTP cable .
FTP stands for Foiled T wisted P air . Foiled means that (aluminium) foil is used as a shield, so to shield. This means that there is much less / no chance of disruptions and is therefore in principle a better choice, also for the future.
The confusing thing is that 'FTP' is a term that is used a lot in common parlance, but in practice it simply means a shielded network cable . And there are quite a few types of those:
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For more information about these differences, read our article Which network cable do I need? .
TIP!
When using shielded network cables from the roll , it is important that you also use shielded accessories, such as shielded RJ45 plugs !
Netwerkkabel.eu sells shielded cables in different lengths, colors and categories (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7). We are happy to leave the length and color up to you, but we are happy to help with the category.
Our UTP cables
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Our FTP cables
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For home use we recommend the Cat6 S/FTP cable . This is more than fast enough for 95% of situations and offers excellent double shielding!
