48-Port Cat6A Shielded Patch Panel

Cat6A shielded panels are used where 10GBASE-T must run to 100 m, or where the cable route passes near motors, inverters, radio equipment or power cables. The FTP construction adds a foil shield around the pairs and a drain wire that must be grounded at the panel.

The shield only works if the whole channel is shielded and grounded: cable, panel, jacks and patch cords. A shielded panel connected to unshielded cable provides no benefit and can act as an antenna if the drain wire is left floating.

The panel is rated to 500 MHz and supports 10GBASE-T to 100 m. It uses 22–26 AWG solid cable and T568A or T568B wiring. The metal frame and rear cable clamp bond the foil shield to the rack earth bar.

Connect the panel to the rack earth bar with a short, low-impedance conductor. Keep the shield continuous through the patch cords. Separate data cables from power cables by at least 300 mm, or use metal conduit where they must cross.

A 48-port Cat6A panel is heavier and stiffer than a Cat6 panel, so use a rear support bar and a 2U or 3U front manager. Keep the bend radius at least four times the cable diameter; Cat6A cable is thicker and less forgiving.

Label the ports and record the shield grounding points. Test each link with a Cat6A certifier, including the shield continuity check. Keep the test reports for the project handover.

Options include a rear cable manager, a label window, dust shutters and a grounding kit. The panel is usually black powder-coated steel. It ships in a carton with cage nuts, screws, a grounding wire and a wiring label.

Typical lead time is 15 to 20 working days after order confirmation, with 50 units as a common minimum order. Confirm the shielding class, the wiring standard and the grounding requirement before production.