The answer to this question may seem simple, but it’s not. In fact, the answer has to do with a little-known fact about electricity and how it works. When you plug a network cable into a wall outlet, the cable is actually covered in a plastic sheath. This is so that if something goes wrong with the electrical current flowing through the cable, the plastic sheath will protect the wire inside from being damaged. But some cables don’t have covers. Why? Because they don’t need them! These cables are called naked cables because they don’t have any plastic sheaths covering the wires. So why do some plugs have covers and some are naked? It all comes down to how electricity works. ..
Hang around an office long enough and you’ll see a distinct trend in network cabling. Some cables have a covered plug and some cables are naked. What’s the purpose of the little plug cover?
Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites.
The Question
SuperUser reader Michael Kjörling wants to know:
Taking hand tools to the poor little rubber cover seems a bit extreme. Should Michael leave the covers be?
However, others place the release clip under a rubber cover, like this:
I find that the rubber cover is almost never anything but a nuisance.
Does it actually have a function besides being annoying? Can I take a suitable tool and simply cut it off without affecting the cable’s function?
The Answer
SuperUser contributor Journeyman Geek offers some insight:
Another contributor, oKtoSite puts in another vote of confidence for the utility of the cable add-on:
Cable boots (yes thats the proper name for them) keep cables from snagging, those clips from breaking, and generally ensure the cable dies from other things, like rabbit attacks, pruning shear accidents, and backhoe incidents. On the other hand, those cables are not slipping out from their sockets cause a tiny bit of plastic broke, and thats whats important.
Feel free to remove them, or get cables without them, but I personally find them pretty useful (and cables with them tend to be better made in many cases). They have no major structural or electrical purpose.
Having pulled our fair share of cables, we’re soundly with these two: the boots are useful and, unless you have a compelling reason to do otherwise, you should leave them be.
You wouldn’t know how many network cables I’ve seen with broken off clips.
Have something to add to the explanation? Sound off in the the comments. Want to read more answers from other tech-savvy Stack Exchange users? Check out the full discussion thread here.
