Shielded network cables

I've been reading here and elsewhere about how using a shielded network cable can sometimes result in a higher sync speed and/or a more stable connection. I would be very glad to hear people's views of such cables, please. This would not be to deal with any existing problems on my line; it's more a matter of trying to squeeze the last ounce of performance out of it.

I would also be glad to know of a UK supplier. So far the only one on whose website I've found such cables listed is Cables4All, who are out of stock. I've also drawn a blank on eBay. By the way, my router stands close to the ADSL wall socket, so even a 3m cable would be on the long side, although I could live with that if it was bringing some benefit.

Many thanks.

Highly unlikely to make any difference on such a short difference.

Do you have an iPlate?

Thanks for responding. Yes, I do have an iPlate.

If the screen on the cable isn't grounded then it won't make the slightest bit of difference.

I don't know if it's a true shielded cable (though it did use the word on the packaging), but I've replaced a ~15m telephone extension line (a low-profile flat cable) with a 15m 'broadband extension cable' from Maplins. It's quite a bit thicker, and has RJ45 connectors at either end. It cost £20, which is probably a total rip off, but I'm happy - my router stats are almost as good as when I'm connected to the master socket!

I ended up buying a 1m cable from ADSL Nation, figuring that it couldn't do any harm. Although it's true that I've had far less noise on the line since then, I had some repairs done to my BT junction box at the same time, so can't be certain that the cable has made any difference on its own.

Probably more to do with the twist of the cable than the shielding, because there's no earth pin on an RJ11 for the shield to connect to.

In reply to a post by zebedeee:

Probably more to do with the twist of the cable than the shielding, because there's no earth pin on an RJ11 for the shield to connect to.

The shielding will still act as a faraday cage even without being grounded.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

In reply to a post by zebedeee:

Probably more to do with the twist of the cable than the shielding, because there's no earth pin on an RJ11 for the shield to connect to.

The shielding will still act as a faraday cage even without being grounded.

And what will stop the "cage" re-radiating ?

Are you referring to shielded Network or ADSL cable ?

Basically replacing a flat profile (non-twisted pair) telephone cable with one that has twisted pairs offers a significant improvement to interference rejection, shielding however will have minimal impact on the connection unless the shield is grounded at one end.

Network cables similarly will need to be grounded and your network card and router are unlikely to have connectors that will have a ground connection so there would be little to be gained in replacing a standard CAT5e cable with a shielded version.