What is the difference between U/UTP, F/UTP, U/FTP, F/FTP, S/UTP, SF/UTP, S/FTP and SF/FTP network cable?

The shielding inside your network cable acts as a barrier to protect the cable from Radio Frequency Interference (EMI), Radio frequency interference (RFI) and crosstalk between pairs and adjacent cables. It also prevents the signal from the cable interfering with surrounding equipment. The various levels of shielding offer a range of different advantages suitable for a number of applications.

Then there are various constructions of the cables appear. It’s to meet the high requirments about the cables performance,including electrical and mechanical, so that it can provide people best experience while use the network.

This article is to describe these differences in detail, so that you can have a general idea when choose the cables.
The following is the words TP, U, F, S mean for:
TP=twisted pair,
U=unshielded,
F=AL foil,
S=Shielding(Including Braided shielding and aluminum foil shielding), /=front of / is total shielding, after / is twisted par shielding

U/UTP=UTP:(Unshielded Twisted Pair )

This is currently the most common and basic method of cable construction, there is without any other shielding,it consist of pairs of cable twisted together,helping to reduce electrical noise and EMI. In addition, the different twist rates of each pair can be used to reduce crosstalk. Also In higher category cables, a cross-web filler (CAT6)may be found separating the individual pairs to help reduce alien crosstalk from adjacent cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT5、CAT5E and CAT6 network cable,it is relatively cheap and flexible to network.

4 pair twisted Cat5e 24AWG Flexible UTP networking patch cable DC501       4 pair 24 AWG CAT6 UTP Data Cable Solid conductor DC602

F/UTP:(Aluminum Foil Shielding With Unshielded Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has a overall aluminum foil shielding but the individual twisted pairs are without shielding, offering some protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables. The aluminum foil is not conductive for both surfaces, usually only the side connected to the ground wire is a conductive surface.
This structure is mainly used for CAT5、CAT5E and CAT6 network cable,it is relatively cheap and flexible to network.

4 pair solid conductor Cat5e 26AWG networking data cable DC503  4 pair 24 AWG CAT6 STP Data Cable Solid conductor DC603

U/FTP:(Unshielded With Aluminum Foil Shielding Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has no overall shielding but the individual twisted pairs are wrapped in a aluminum foil, offering good protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT6 network cable.

CAT.6A 4-pairs FTP data network cable DC604

F/FTP:(Aluminum Foil Shielding With AL Foil Shielding Twisted Pair )
This type of cable features an overall aluminum foil shielding with individually AL foil tape shielded twisted pairs. It is similar to F/UTP cables, with the addition of a AL foil shielding around each twisted pair. The cable construction is designed to provide the assembly with greater protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT.6A and CAT7 network cable.

CAT6A FFTP network CAT cable DC606

S/UTP:(Braided Shielding With Unshielded Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has a overall braided shielding but the individual twisted pairs are without shielding, offering some protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT5、CAT5E and CAT6 network cable.

CAT6 S/UTP braided shielding network cable

SF/UTP:(Braided And Aluminum Foil Double Shielding With Unshielded Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has a overall braided and aluminum foil double shielding but the individual twisted pairs are without shielding, offering some protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT6 and CAT.6A network cable.

CAT5e 26AWG double shielding network patch cable DC504S  24AWG 8-core CAT.6A SFTP CAT network cable with drain wire DC6A105D

S/FTP:(Braided Shielding With Aluminum Foil Shielding Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has a overall braided shielding and the individual twisted pairs are with aluminum foil shielding, offering some protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT7、CAT.7Aand CAT8 network cable.

CAT6A stranded SFTP network cat cable DC605

SF/FTP:(Braided And Aluminum Foil Double Shielding With Aluminum Foil Shielding Twisted Pair )

This type of cable has a overall braided and aluminum foil double shielding but the individual twisted pairs are without shielding, offering some protection from EMI、RFI and crosstalk from adjacent pairs and other cables.
This structure is mainly used for CAT7、CAT.7Aand CAT8 network cable.

CAT.6A SSFTP stranded conductor patch cable DC6A715           CAT.6A 8-core SSFTP separator shielding patch cable DC6A715