What Connector To Use With Cat7 and Cat7A Cable?

A common setup for Cat7 and Cat7A Ethernet cabling involves using Cat7 or Cat7A riser, outdoor, or plenum cables as the backbone of the network infrastructure. In these setups, keystone jacks are typically used for wall outlets or patch panels to provide a clean, organized termination point. Field termination plugs are then employed to connect end devices directly to keystone jacks, Ethernet ports, or patch panels, ensuring a high-speed and reliable connection.

In this article we will get you equipped with the correct connectors for your cabling.

Shielded RJ45 Plugs

Shielded RJ45 8P8C connectors provide enhanced protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI), making them ideal for high-performance networking with Cat7 and Cat7A cables. These connectors feature built-in shielding that helps maintain signal integrity and prevents crosstalk, ensuring stable, high-speed connections.

Benefits:

• EMI Protection: The metal shielding protects against external interference, ideal for environments with heavy machinery or electrical noise.
• Signal Integrity: Reduces signal degradation over long distances, supporting speeds up to 10Gbps.
• Crosstalk Prevention: Minimizes signal issues between pairs for clearer, more reliable data transmission.
• Lower-Cost Solution: More affordable option for male-end terminations compared to field termination plugs.

Cons:

• Installation Complexity: Requires proper installation and grounding to maximize the shielding's effectiveness, which can add complexity to the setup. Can take a little more time to terminate just like any other RJ45.

Shop for Cat7 and Cat7A RJ45 Plugs

Field Termination Plugs

For the male end of your Cat7 or Cat7A cable, you can also use a field termination plug suitable for 7 or 7A. These plugs are specifically designed to handle the high frequencies and the shielded structure of Cat7 cables, ensuring optimal performance and durability.

Why Use Field Termination Plugs?

• High-Speed Performance: Supports speeds up to 10 - 40Gbps, making it ideal for modern networking applications.
• Shielding for EMI Protection: Provides superior shielding to prevent electromagnetic interference (EMI), ensuring a stable and clear connection.
• Tool-Free Termination: Many field termination plugs offer tool-less designs, making installation quicker and efficient vs traditional standard RJ45s.
• Durability: Constructed with durable materials to withstand heavy usage in demanding environments.

Field Termination Plugs can be used to plug in to standard ethernet ports such as routers, modems, gaming consoles, cameras and anything used for ethernet compatibility. They are also made to be connected to Cat7 or 7A keystone jacks which we will go over in the next section.

For building a Cat7 or Cat7A network we recommend to go with a Cat8 field termination plugs as they are backwards compatible with Cat7 or 7A. That means that they will connect to the cable and also help power the speeds provided by the ethernet cable.

If the budget permits, the advantages of using a field termination plug outweigh those of regular RJ45 connectors when terminating Cat7 or Cat7A cables.

Shop for Cat8 Field Termination Plugs: Cat8 Field Termination Plug

Keystone Jacks

Keystone jacks are essential components for creating a clean, organized network setup, especially when working with Cat7 or Cat7A cables. These jacks provide a termination point for your Ethernet cables and are typically used in patch panels or wall outlets. However, it can be challenging to find keystone jacks that are specifically rated for Cat7 or Cat7A cables due to their unique shielding and higher performance requirements and also TIA Standard specification.

Important Considerations:

• Shielded Jacks: When using shielded Cat7 or Cat7A cables, it's crucial to choose a shielded keystone jack. This ensures that the shielding from the cable is properly connected to the jack, maintaining protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and ensuring optimal signal integrity.

• Compatibility: Since finding Cat7-specific keystone jacks can be difficult, we recommend opting for our Cat8 Keystone Jack, as it is fully backward compatible with Cat7 and Cat7A cables. This ensures that you get the necessary performance and shielding, without worrying about compatibility issues.
  

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right connectors is essential for maximizing the performance of your Cat7 or Cat7A network. Shielded RJ45 plugs are a cost-effective solution, while field termination plugs offer higher performance, supporting speeds up to 40Gbps. For a reliable and interference-free connection, shielded Cat8 keystone jacks are the ideal choice, as they are compatible with Cat7 and Cat7A cables.

Cat7A cables, with their double shielding, provide excellent protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI), making them ideal for environments with high electrical noise. By selecting the right connectors and cables, you can ensure a fast, stable, and durable network setup.