In small homes or businesses, unshielded Ethernet cables will usually work just fine. Unless your home or office sits near power lines or is stuffed with appliances, there isn't typically enough interference around a home or small business environment to require shielded Ethernet cables.

When should you use a shielded Ethernet cable?

The conductive shield can reflect or conduct external interference away without affecting the signals of the internal conductor. Therefore, shielded Ethernet cables are usually used to protect signals from EMI over the length of the cable run, so as to result in faster transmission speeds and fewer data errors.

Is shielded Ethernet cable better?

UTP Ethernet Cable. While even UTP (UTP: unshielded twisted pair) cables reduce some EMI, STP (shielded twisted pair) cables more effectively block interference. ... Properly installed high-quality shielded cables automatically suppress EMI and crosstalk, helping to ensure data integrity and high-speed performance.