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Network cables connected to an equipment patch panel, indicating organized networking.

Cable Shield Types

Jun 29, 2026

Compare Cable Shield Types

Comparison of some old and new abbreviations, according to ISO/IEC 11801.

Old Name New Name Cable Screening Pair Shielding
UTP U/UTP None None
STP U/FTP None Foil
FTP F/UTP Foil None
S-STP S/FTP Braiding Foil
S-FTP SF/UTP Foil, Braiding None
SFTP Foil Shield

Understanding the Shield Type Codes

The code before the slash designates the shielding for the cable itself, while the code after the slash determines the shielding for the individual pairs.

  • TP = Twisted Pair
  • U = Unshielded
  • F = Foil Shielding
  • S = Braided Shielding

Note that different vendors and authors use different terminology. For example, STP has been used to denote STP-A, S/STP, and S/UTP.


Cable Shield Construction Examples

The illustrations below show the internal construction of the most common Ethernet cable shielding types.

What Type of Cable Do I Need?

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