Cat 5e SWA Cable for Mechanically Protected Gigabit Ethernet Networks

Cat 5e SWA Cable combines Category 5e Ethernet transmission with Steel Wire Armor for industrial, infrastructure and physically demanding network routes. ETK Kablo currently manufactures Steel Wire Armored Cat 5e cables in U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP and SF/UTP architectures, allowing electromagnetic screening and mechanical protection to be specified separately.

The current ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA range uses 24 AWG solid copper conductors and provides Category 5e transmission performance through 100 MHz. Each published construction includes a halogen-free inner jacket, Steel Wire Armor and a halogen-free outer jacket. Depending on the selected product, the Ethernet core can remain electrically unshielded or include overall foil, copper braid or combined foil-and-braid screening.

Steel Wire Armor performs a mechanical function. It should not be confused with the Al/PET foil or tinned copper braid used for electromagnetic screening. This distinction matters because the same armored cable can contain several metallic components that perform completely different engineering functions.

What Is a Cat 5e SWA Cable?

A Cat 5e SWA cable is a Category 5e balanced copper Ethernet cable with Steel Wire Armor around the inner-jacketed data-cable core.

The steel armor adds mechanical protection for fixed network routes where conventional structured cabling can face greater physical exposure.

The underlying Ethernet core retains Category 5e transmission performance through 100 MHz. Therefore, SWA changes the mechanical construction without changing the network category.

What Does SWA Mean?

SWA means Steel Wire Armor.

ETK Kablo places the steel armor outside the halogen-free inner jacket and then applies a UV-resistant halogen-free outer jacket around the complete cable construction.

SWA primarily addresses mechanical protection. It does not determine whether the Ethernet core uses electromagnetic screening.

A complete specification should therefore define both:

• The Ethernet architecture: U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP
• The mechanical protection: Steel Wire Armor (SWA)

ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA Cable Range

Current Product	Ethernet Screening	Mechanical Protection
Cat 5e U/UTP LSOH SWA LSOH	No dedicated metallic data screen	Steel Wire Armor
Cat 5e F/UTP LSOH SWA LSOH	Overall Al/PET foil	Steel Wire Armor
Cat 5e S/UTP LSOH SWA LSOH	Overall tinned copper braid	Steel Wire Armor
Cat 5e SF/UTP LSOH SWA LSOH	Overall Al/PET foil + tinned copper braid	Steel Wire Armor

The current Cat 5e SWA family therefore provides four electromagnetic-screening architectures with the same basic steel-armored mechanical concept.

Cat 5e SWA Cable Construction

The internal construction changes according to the selected Ethernet screening system. However, all four current products share several important design elements:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductors
• Solid polyethylene insulation
• Four twisted pairs
• Halogen-free inner jacket
• Steel Wire Armor
• Halogen-free outer jacket

The F/UTP, S/UTP and SF/UTP versions add different electromagnetic-screening components before the inner jacket.

24 AWG Solid Copper Cat 5e SWA Cable

The current ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA datasheets specify 24 AWG solid copper conductors across all four published constructions.

Solid copper provides predictable conductor resistance and stable electrical characteristics for fixed Ethernet installations.

The current technical documentation publishes a maximum conductor resistance of 94 Ω/km at 20°C.

Professional buyers should distinguish solid-copper Ethernet cable from copper-clad conductor alternatives when network performance, Power over Ethernet and project compliance are important.

Steel Wire Armor for Mechanical Protection

Steel Wire Armor surrounds the inner-jacketed Cat 5e cable core.

This steel layer provides additional mechanical protection for fixed routes where conventional Ethernet cable can face greater physical exposure.

Potential environments include industrial plants, technical facilities, infrastructure pathways, cable trays and other installations where the cable requires mechanical reinforcement.

However, Steel Wire Armor should not automatically be interpreted as qualification for every buried, flooded, chemically exposed or dynamic installation. Those requirements should be evaluated separately.

SWA Is Not the Same as Ethernet Shielding

Steel Wire Armor and electromagnetic screening solve different engineering problems.

Component	Main Function
Al/PET foil	Electromagnetic screening
Tinned copper braid	Electromagnetic screening
Tinned copper earthing wire	Supports screen continuity and termination
Steel Wire Armor	Mechanical protection

A Cat 5e cable can therefore be mechanically armored while its Ethernet core remains electrically unshielded.

Likewise, a screened Cat 5e cable can contain foil or copper braid without containing Steel Wire Armor.

Cat 5e U/UTP SWA Cable

Cat 5e U/UTP SWA Cable combines an electrically unshielded Category 5e core with Steel Wire Armor mechanical protection.

The current ETK Kablo construction includes:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductors
• Solid polyethylene insulation
• Four twisted pairs
• Halogen-free inner jacket
• Steel Wire Armor
• Halogen-free outer jacket

No dedicated foil or tinned copper electromagnetic braid surrounds the twisted pairs.

This construction clearly demonstrates that an armored Ethernet cable does not automatically have an electrically shielded data core.

Cat 5e F/UTP SWA Cable

Cat 5e F/UTP SWA Cable combines an overall foil-screened Category 5e core with Steel Wire Armor.

The current construction includes:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductors
• Solid polyethylene insulation
• Four twisted pairs
• Polyester wrapping
• Tinned copper earthing wire
• Overall Al/PET foil
• Halogen-free inner jacket
• Steel Wire Armor
• Halogen-free outer jacket

The foil addresses electromagnetic interference, while the Steel Wire Armor provides separate mechanical protection.

The individual twisted pairs remain unshielded in the F/UTP architecture.

Cat 5e S/UTP SWA Cable

Cat 5e S/UTP SWA Cable combines an overall tinned copper braid with Steel Wire Armor.

The current construction includes:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductors
• Solid polyethylene insulation
• Four twisted pairs
• Polyester wrapping
• Overall tinned copper braid
• Halogen-free inner jacket
• Steel Wire Armor
• Halogen-free outer jacket

The tinned copper braid forms the electromagnetic screen. The separate steel armor performs the mechanical-protection function.

This construction is therefore both electrically screened and mechanically armored, but by two different metallic systems.

Cat 5e SF/UTP SWA Cable

Cat 5e SF/UTP SWA Cable combines an overall foil and an overall tinned copper braid with Steel Wire Armor.

The current construction includes:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductors
• Solid polyethylene insulation
• Four twisted pairs
• Polyester wrapping
• Tinned copper earthing wire
• Overall Al/PET foil
• Overall tinned copper braid
• Halogen-free inner jacket
• Steel Wire Armor
• Halogen-free outer jacket

The foil and tinned copper braid form the electromagnetic-screening architecture. Steel Wire Armor remains a separate mechanical layer outside the inner jacket.

U/UTP vs F/UTP vs S/UTP vs SF/UTP Cat 5e SWA

Architecture	Overall Foil	Overall Copper Braid	Steel Wire Armor
U/UTP SWA	No	No	Yes
F/UTP SWA	Yes	No	Yes
S/UTP SWA	No	Yes	Yes
SF/UTP SWA	Yes	Yes	Yes

The electromagnetic environment should determine the U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP architecture. The physical route should determine the requirement for Steel Wire Armor.

Foil, Copper Braid and Steel Armor Perform Different Functions

The more heavily screened Cat 5e SWA constructions can contain several metallic elements. Correct terminology therefore matters.

Metallic Element	Material	Main Purpose
Foil Screen	Al/PET	Electromagnetic screening
Screen Braid	Tinned copper	Electromagnetic screening
Armor	Steel wire	Mechanical protection

These elements should not be grouped together under the generic term shielding.

The foil and copper braid address EMC performance. Steel Wire Armor protects the cable mechanically.

100 MHz Cat 5e SWA Performance

The current Cat 5e SWA products publish Category 5e transmission characteristics through 100 MHz.

Relevant electrical parameters include:

• Insertion loss
• Near-end crosstalk (NEXT)
• Power-sum NEXT
• Equal-level far-end crosstalk
• Power-sum equal-level far-end crosstalk
• Return loss
• Characteristic impedance
• Propagation velocity

The Steel Wire Armor does not increase the Category 5e frequency range. It mechanically protects a 100 MHz Ethernet core.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Gigabit Ethernet

Cat 5e SWA cable can support 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet when the complete installed structured-cabling channel meets the applicable Category 5e requirements.

Potential applications include:

• Industrial Ethernet
• Factory networks
• IP surveillance
• Building automation
• Utility infrastructure
• Technical buildings
• Warehouses and logistics facilities
• Transport infrastructure
• Commercial infrastructure
• Mechanically exposed Gigabit Ethernet routes

The Steel Wire Armor changes the mechanical construction without increasing the standardized network bandwidth or transmission distance.

Cat 5e SWA Cable Length

Steel Wire Armor does not extend the normal transmission distance of balanced copper Ethernet.

A structured Ethernet channel commonly uses a maximum total length of 100 meters, normally including up to 90 meters of permanent-link cable together with patch and equipment cords.

The armor does not act as a signal amplifier or repeater.

For substantially longer infrastructure routes, fiber optic cable can provide an alternative transmission architecture.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Industrial Ethernet

Industrial facilities can expose network cabling to mechanical risks that differ from protected office environments.

Steel Wire Armored Cat 5e cable can provide additional mechanical protection for fixed Ethernet routes through factories, technical areas, warehouses and infrastructure pathways.

Electromagnetic screening should still be selected independently. U/UTP can suit controlled electromagnetic environments, while F/UTP, S/UTP and SF/UTP provide different screening architectures where the project requires them.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Industrial Automation

Industrial automation networks can use Ethernet between controllers, switches, machines and supervisory systems.

Cat 5e SWA can add mechanical protection where these fixed network routes pass through physically exposed technical areas.

However, Steel Wire Armor should not automatically be interpreted as continuous-flex, drag-chain or robotic-motion qualification. Those applications require separate cable-design evidence.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for IP CCTV

IP surveillance systems can place Ethernet cabling in industrial or physically exposed routes.

Cat 5e SWA can provide additional mechanical protection for connections serving compatible cameras, network switches and related surveillance infrastructure.

F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP constructions can add electromagnetic screening where required, while PoE conditions should be evaluated separately.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Building Automation

IP-based building systems can use Ethernet for monitoring, control and communication.

Where routes pass through technical areas with increased mechanical exposure, Steel Wire Armored Cat 5e can protect the data cable physically.

The screening architecture should then follow the actual electromagnetic environment rather than being selected solely because the cable is armored.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Cable Trays

Industrial cable trays can carry data, control, instrumentation and power infrastructure.

Where an Ethernet route faces increased physical exposure, Steel Wire Armor can provide an additional mechanical layer.

F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP versions can also provide electromagnetic screening where required.

Applicable separation requirements from power circuits should still be followed.

Cat 5e SWA Cable for Infrastructure Routes

The current Cat 5e SWA constructions use halogen-free inner jackets and UV-resistant halogen-free outer jackets.

This construction can be relevant to demanding fixed infrastructure routes where steel mechanical protection forms part of the project specification.

However, outdoor, underground and buried routes can introduce moisture, water, chemical and environmental requirements that exist independently from the Steel Wire Armor.

Those conditions should be defined during cable selection.

Can Cat 5e SWA Cable Be Installed Underground?

Steel Wire Armored Cat 5e can be relevant to underground duct and infrastructure routes where additional mechanical protection is required.

Underground pathways can also expose cables to moisture, standing water, pulling loads and other environmental conditions.

The complete route should therefore be evaluated rather than treating SWA alone as confirmation of suitability for every underground installation.

Can Cat 5e SWA Cable Be Direct Buried?

Direct-burial suitability depends on the complete cable design and the environmental conditions of the route.

Steel Wire Armor provides mechanical protection, but buried installations can also require specific moisture, water-blocking, chemical, tensile or environmental characteristics.

Projects requiring direct burial should provide the installation conditions during the RFQ so that ETK Kablo can evaluate the appropriate cable construction.

Cat 5e SWA vs SWB Cable

Feature	SWA	SWB
Full Name	Steel Wire Armor	Steel Wire Braid
Mechanical Construction	Steel wire armor layer	Braided steel-wire layer
Main Function	Mechanical protection	Mechanical protection
Category Frequency	100 MHz	100 MHz
Current Core Options	U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP, SF/UTP	U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP, SF/UTP

The mechanical requirements of the route should determine whether SWA or SWB is appropriate. Neither construction should automatically be described as universally superior.

Cat 5e SWA vs Standard Cat 5e Cable

Feature	Cat 5e SWA	Standard Cat 5e
Frequency	100 MHz	100 MHz
Gigabit Ethernet	Supported within compliant channel	Supported within compliant channel
Steel Mechanical Protection	Yes	No
Electrical Screening	Depends on U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP	Depends on selected Cat 5e architecture
Main Selection Driver	Mechanical exposure + network requirement	Network and electromagnetic requirements

Steel Wire Armor is therefore the defining additional feature. It does not create a network category above Cat 5e.

Cat 5e SWA vs Cat 6 SWA Cable

Characteristic	Cat 5e SWA	Cat 6 SWA
Category Frequency	100 MHz	250 MHz
Primary Ethernet Positioning	Gigabit Ethernet	Higher-performance Gigabit Ethernet
Mechanical Protection	Steel Wire Armor	Steel Wire Armor

The SWA mechanical concept can remain similar while the Ethernet core changes according to the required network category.

Cat 5e SWA vs Cat 6A SWA Cable

Characteristic	Cat 5e SWA	Cat 6A SWA
Category Frequency	100 MHz	500 MHz
Primary Ethernet Positioning	Gigabit Ethernet	10GBASE-T
Mechanical Protection	Steel Wire Armor	Steel Wire Armor

Projects requiring full-distance 10 Gigabit copper infrastructure should evaluate Cat 6A rather than selecting Cat 5e solely because both constructions can use Steel Wire Armor.

Cat 5e SWA vs Aerial Ethernet Cable

Steel Wire Armor and an aerial messenger solve different mechanical requirements.

Construction	Main Purpose
Steel Wire Armor	Protects the cable mechanically
Aerial Messenger	Supports an overhead cable span

An SWA cable should not automatically be treated as an aerial cable. Likewise, a messenger-supported Ethernet cable should not automatically be described as armored.

Cat 5e SWA Copper vs Armored Fiber Optic Cable

Steel-armored copper Ethernet and armored fiber optic cable address different network requirements.

Cat 5e copper provides conventional Gigabit-capable Ethernet connectivity and can form part of compatible Power over Ethernet systems.

Fiber optic cable provides electrical isolation, immunity to electromagnetic interference and substantially longer transmission distances.

For long building-to-building links or electrically complex infrastructure routes, project engineers should compare copper and fiber architectures before final specification.

LSOH Inner and Outer Jackets

The four currently published Cat 5e SWA products use halogen-free inner and outer jackets.

The current documentation publishes smoke-density, flame-related, corrosive-gas and halogen-content test information for the products.

LSOH or LSZH describes material and reaction-to-fire characteristics. It does not establish defined fire-resistant circuit integrity such as FE180 or PH120.

Cat 5e SWA Electrical Characteristics

Parameter	Current Published Family Value
Conductor Resistance at 20°C	Max. 94 Ω/km
Insulation Resistance at 20°C	5000 MΩ/km
Mutual Capacitance	Max. 56 nF/km
Resistance Unbalance	2%
Propagation Velocity	67–69%
Characteristic Impedance	Nominal 100 Ω
Operating Voltage	250 V DC
Test Voltage	1200 V DC for 1 minute

Current Cat 5e SWA Product Dimensions

Product	Conductor	Approx. Cable Diameter	Published Packing Lengths
U/UTP SWA	24 AWG solid copper	9.6 mm	500 / 1000 m
F/UTP SWA	24 AWG solid copper	10.7 mm	500 / 1000 m
S/UTP SWA	24 AWG solid copper	11.1 mm	500 / 1000 m
SF/UTP SWA	24 AWG solid copper	11.1 mm	500 / 1000 m

The dimensions vary according to the electromagnetic-screening architecture. Buyers should confirm the exact construction and packing requirements during quotation.

Cat 5e SWA Mechanical Characteristics

The current Cat 5e SWA datasheets publish an 8xD minimum bending radius for the four constructions.

The public HTML product pages and downloadable PDF datasheets currently show different operating-temperature ranges, so the exact temperature specification should be confirmed from the approved source document before quotation.

Cat 5e SWA Cable Standards

The current ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA product documentation references:

• ANSI/TIA-568-C.2
• IEC 61156-5
• IEC 11801

The published transmission-performance data extends through 100 MHz.

Project specifications can require different standard editions, CPR classifications or additional approvals, so procurement teams should verify the requirements for the exact supplied construction.

Cat 5e SWA Cable and Power over Ethernet

Cat 5e SWA cable can form part of compatible Power over Ethernet systems.

Steel Wire Armor does not determine PoE capability. Remote powering depends primarily on the electrical and thermal characteristics of the copper pairs.

Relevant design factors include:

• 24 AWG solid copper conductor construction
• Conductor resistance
• Resistance unbalance
• Network distance
• Cable bundle size
• Ambient temperature
• Installation pathway
• Required PoE level

Mechanical protection should therefore be evaluated separately from the PoE electrical and thermal design.

How to Specify Cat 5e SWA Cable

A complete RFQ should define network performance, electromagnetic screening and mechanical requirements independently.

Specification Item	Information to Provide
Category	Cat 5e
Bandwidth	100 MHz
Network Requirement	1000BASE-T or applicable Ethernet application
Conductor	24 AWG solid copper
Mechanical Protection	Steel Wire Armor (SWA)
Ethernet Screening	U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP or SF/UTP
Jacket	Current published range: LSOH inner and outer jackets
Installation Environment	Industrial, infrastructure, tray, duct or other mechanically exposed route
EMI Environment	Required electromagnetic-screening architecture
PoE Requirement	Required PoE application where applicable
Underground or Buried Route	Specify moisture and environmental conditions separately
Documentation	Datasheet, DoP where applicable and project-specific documentation

Why Choose ETK Kablo for Cat 5e SWA Cable?

ETK Kablo manufactures Steel Wire Armored Cat 5e Ethernet cables for mechanically demanding network infrastructure.

The current range includes U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP and SF/UTP architectures, allowing electromagnetic screening to be selected independently from the SWA mechanical requirement.

The products use 24 AWG solid copper conductors and retain Category 5e transmission performance through 100 MHz while using halogen-free inner and outer jackets around the Steel Wire Armor.

ETK Kablo can evaluate SWA construction, Ethernet screening, route conditions, PoE requirements, packing lengths and project documentation during the quotation process.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cat 5e SWA Cable

What is Cat 5e SWA cable?

Cat 5e SWA cable is a Category 5e Ethernet cable with Steel Wire Armor around the inner-jacketed cable core to provide additional mechanical protection.

What does SWA mean?

SWA means Steel Wire Armor. It describes the steel mechanical-protection layer around the cable.

What frequency is Cat 5e SWA cable?

The current ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA products provide Category 5e transmission performance through 100 MHz.

Does Cat 5e SWA support Gigabit Ethernet?

Yes. Cat 5e SWA can support 1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet when the complete installed channel meets the applicable Category 5e requirements.

What conductor size does ETK Kablo Cat 5e SWA use?

The current U/UTP, F/UTP, S/UTP and SF/UTP SWA datasheets specify 24 AWG solid copper conductors.

Is SWA the same as Ethernet shielding?

No. Steel Wire Armor provides mechanical protection. Ethernet screening uses metallic components such as Al/PET foil and tinned copper braid inside the data-cable core.

Can Cat 5e SWA cable be U/UTP?

Yes. ETK Kablo currently manufactures a U/UTP SWA construction with steel mechanical protection but no dedicated metallic electromagnetic screen around the Ethernet pairs.

Does ETK Kablo manufacture F/UTP SWA Cat 5e?

Yes. The current F/UTP SWA construction uses an overall Al/PET foil and tinned copper earthing wire together with a separate Steel Wire Armor layer.

Does ETK Kablo manufacture S/UTP SWA Cat 5e?

Yes. The current S/UTP SWA construction uses an overall tinned copper braid together with a separate Steel Wire Armor layer.

Does ETK Kablo manufacture SF/UTP SWA Cat 5e?

Yes. The current SF/UTP SWA construction combines an overall Al/PET foil, overall tinned copper braid and a separate Steel Wire Armor layer.

What is the difference between Cat 5e SWA and SWB?

SWA uses a steel wire armor construction, while SWB uses a braided steel-wire layer. Both provide mechanical protection through different physical constructions.

Is Cat 5e SWA cable LSZH?

The four currently published Cat 5e SWA products use halogen-free inner and outer jackets.

Is Cat 5e SWA cable fire resistant?

Not automatically. Halogen-free and flame-related material characteristics do not establish defined fire-resistant circuit integrity.

Can Cat 5e SWA cable be installed underground?

It can be relevant where an underground route requires additional mechanical protection, but moisture, water exposure and other environmental conditions should be evaluated separately.

Can Cat 5e SWA cable be directly buried?

Direct-burial suitability depends on the complete cable construction and installation conditions. Steel Wire Armor alone should not be treated as universal confirmation of direct-burial suitability.

Can Cat 5e SWA cable support PoE?

Cat 5e SWA cable can form part of compatible PoE systems. Conductor resistance, network distance, bundle conditions, ambient temperature and the required PoE level should form part of the system design.

What information should I provide when requesting a quotation?

Provide the Cat 5e requirement, SWA construction, U/UTP/F/UTP/S/UTP/SF/UTP architecture, installation environment, underground or outdoor conditions where applicable, PoE requirement, quantity and required project documentation.