Within this segment, you will find a diverse range of HCI Shielded Component-Rated Keystone Jacks. Options include both Toolless and Punch-down types, with choices available in Shuttered or Unshuttered varieties. It is advisable to choose the Toolless option, particularly when dealing with Cat 6 or Cat 6A shielded cables, as they typically have a larger foamed insulation that makes punch-down process more challenging. 

Why Component-Rated?

What is the significance of being “Component-Rated”? Using Cat 6A as an illustration, being Component-Rated implies that the Keystone Jack itself complies with either the more rigorous ISO/IEC 11801 Ed. 2.2 Cat 6a standards or the ANSI/TIA 568.2-D Cat 6A connecting hardware test limits. These connecting hardware limits represent the strictest criteria for a jack, encompassing compliance with NEXT, FEXT, Return Loss, Insertion Loss, TCL/TCTL, and Alien Crosstalk requirements. Therefore, a jack can only be deemed as "Component-Rated" when it fulfills these demanding specifications, making such jacks relatively uncommon. 

So, why should you care about Component-Rated Keystone Jacks? Here are some key considerations that make choosing "Component-Rated" the preferrable option for you:

• Assured performance within cabling lengths of less than 10 meters, particularly relevant for potential usage in data centers.
• Enhance overall cabling performance by mitigating inherent crosstalk in the cable and minimizing the effects of installation workmanship losses.
• Component-Rated Keystone Jacks offset the unbalanced cabling that arises in a 4-connection channel. The mating between Keystone Jacks and Patch Cords has consistently been the weakest point leading to impedance mismatch.

Why Shielded?

Cat 6A standards impose stringent requirements for Alien Crosstalk to support 10 Gbps/sec up to 500 MHz. In suppressing Alien Crosstalk, Shielded Keystone Jacks simply surpass Unshielded ones, as the screen effectiveness and shield integrity designed for anti-EMI also provide robust immunity against Alien Crosstalk. Despite the associated costs, HCI is committed to utilizing Die-Cast material in the construction of all its Shielded Component-Rated Keystone Jacks, featuring an air-tight metallic mechanism that proves notably more effective compared to a plastic housing encased in a bronze shell. 

In short, opting for Shielded is the optimal choice for the following reasons:

• Shielded Keystone Jacks offer the benefit of preventing EMI and providing extensive immunity against Alien Crosstalk, significantly outperforming the Unshielded Keystone Jacks.
• Taking Power over Ethernet (PoE) into consideration, Shielded Keystone Jacks excel in future-proofing heat dissipation and attenuation performance even in scenarios where PoE is not currently in use.
• In the industry, there is an increasing preference for alternatives to Shielded Keystone Jacks, driven by the fact that Cat 6A UTP cables have a larger and stiffer diameter compared to STP cables. The reason behind this shift is that Cat 6A UTP installations require considerable effort and demand more conduit space compared to previous installations using 1GBASE-T (Cat 5e/Cat 6).