Do LAN Cables Shock Anyone Else?

[LifeInBinary]

I was just wondering if it was only me and maybe my setup was unsafe or what? I have a cable modem, and I switch the LAN cable between my PC and my laptop quite often. Every single time I touch it I get the absolute crap shocked out of me. I mean, it's not a little shock - but it tingles all the way up my arm. It's so common for me that every time I go to touch the cable I just grit my teeth and wait for it, hoping I get the LAN cable all the way in the socket pretty quick - LOL.Thanks,LifeInBinary.

[Akula_dude]

there shouldnt be a huge current through a normal cat5e cable... unless your doing something with Power-Over-Ethernet. messed up cable?

[boen_robot]

Perhaps you might want to try isolating the cable somehow, or better yet: buy a new one altogether. If that's not an option, use a glove when you move the cable. If there's really such a current though, this makes the cable quite dangerous. A water over it could be the end of it (where as an isolated cable would be OK).

[Xenon Design]

I dont see how you would get a shock through the plastic jacket. Also theres another plastic jacket around the individual strands as well.Maybe it might be something you touch when you touch the cable? Like I had a Network card at school I had to replace that made my arm tingle when i touched the connector (metal) on the card (im a IT techy at my school ).Maybe do some tests by excluding certain things. Even things like stand up and not wear shoes etc. Until you get a change.

[LifeInBinary]

See here's the thing: My LAN cable was provided by my cable company, and what should be a plastic housing over the part that plugs in - is metal. It's like that on both ends. That's probably what the problem is. The actual cable is insulated though. Also, it shocks me when I touch any metal on the back of my pc - but only if I am holding the LAN cable. It also shocks me when I touch the female jack on either the laptop modem or the pc modem - even if I'm not touching the LAN cable. Here's the kicker: if I touch the part of the LAN cable that plugs in, and the metal around the female jack on my modem at the same time - that's when I get the absolute crap shocked out of me. So it seems like the problem would be in the modem on my pc and laptop, as well as the actual LAN cable. That seems like too much of a coincidence though - so maybe the problem really stems from the cable modem itself? I can't really afford to replace both those modems, or the cable modem - but maybe I could try getting a LAN cable that has plastic connectors. I need a longer one anyway.Thanks guys,LifeInBinary.

[boen_robot]

In the worst case, you can also get rubber ends that you can place over the metal part of the LAN cable's end.

[LifeInBinary]

In the worst case, you can also get rubber ends that you can place over the metal part of the LAN cable's end.

That's awesome boen_robot. I didn't know such a thing was available. Could you post a link to a website that sells those? If you're too busy, that's cool too. I'll just check http://www.newegg.com/Thanks,LifeInBinary.

[justsomeguy]

It sounds like the modem is the problem, the modem is putting a charge on the LAN cable where you hit it. You get a bigger shock when you touch the power connector for the modem because the circuit is being completed, and you my friend are the ground. You will definately not want to experiment around with how to shock yourself while you're touching your computer, that's a real easy way to fry your hardware. Also, don't work on your computer with a magnetic screwdriver, that's also bad. I learned that the hard way.