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  • Are there different types of Ethernet cables?

    As with most technology, several versions of Ethernet cables evolved over time to suit changing consumer needs. While any Ethernet cable will likely be able to connect you to the Internet, newer cables are built to handle faster communication of more data.
     
    Ethernet cables fall into four different categories (“Cats”): Cat-5, Cat-5e, Cat-6, and Cat-6a. These categories were created in that order, and with each new model comes faster speed and less crosstalk (interference from different channels). Cat-5 and Cat-6 are the two most important categories for customers to know, and either one will likely work for a home network. Both of these cables are about 300 feet long and fit into the same Ethernet port on computers, modems, and routers. Cat-5 cables can provide speeds up to 1 Gbps and Cat-6 cables are designed for speeds up to 10 Gbps. There is a category above the Cat-6, but home Internet speeds and hardware capability aren’t quite ready for the Cat-7.
     
    Just because Ethernet cables can handle lightning-fast speeds doesn’t mean users will notice a faster Internet connection. To maximize the capability of the cables, the user needs to have an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that guarantees 1 Gbps or higher speeds as well as high-speed modems and new computer equipment.

  • How Ethernet cable used

     
    Ethernet cables, similar to enlarged phone cords in shape and appearance, have RJ45 connectors on each end to hook to a router or enabled device. Ethernet cables are twice as wide as phone cords because they contain twice as many cables. They plug into the back of a PC or the side of a laptop, and also can be used with gaming consoles.
     
    Sometimes, an LED indicator light will flash at the point of contact to indicate a connection.
     
    Ethernet is an industry standard in Internet technology supported by all network equipment makers. This makes it possible to connect hardware, regardless of manufacturer.
     
    Even in an environment that supports wireless Internet access, it’s a good idea to carry an Ethernet cable with your computer as a backup for connectivity.

  • Should I upgrade my Ethernet cable?

    Depending on your Internet speed, either a Cat-5 or Cat-6 cable should work for your needs. However, a new Ethernet cable will not guarantee you faster Internet speeds if your other devices you use aren’t up to date. Your hardware and software work together with your ISP to provide you with the fastest Internet speed possible.
     
    There are reasons other than speed to upgrade your Ethernet cable. For users who transfer large amounts of data between computers on a local area network (LAN), an upgrade may be essential. If you are setting up a new network, you may want to use the latest Ethernet cable technology to avoid needing to upgrade in the near future.

  • Category 5 cable(CAT5)

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Category 5 cable, commonly referred to as Cat 5, is a twisted pair cable for computer networks. The cable standard provides performance of up to 100 MHz and is suitable for most varieties of Ethernet over twisted pair. Cat 5 is also used to carry other signals such as telephony and video.
     
    This cable is commonly connected using punch-down blocks and modular connectors. Most Category 5 cables are unshielded, relying on the balanced line twisted pair design and differential signaling for noise rejection.
     
    The category 5 was deprecated in 2001 and superseded by the Category 5e specification.

     

  • Category 6 cable(CAT6)

    From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Category 6 cable, commonly referred to as Cat 6, is a standardized twisted pair cable for Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards. Compared with Cat 5 and Cat 5e, Cat 6 features more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise.[1] The cable standard specifies performance of up to 250 MHz.[1]
     
    Whereas Category 6 cable has a reduced maximum length when used for 10GBASE-T, Category 6A cable (or Augmented Category 6) is characterized to 500 MHz and has improved alien crosstalk characteristics, allowing 10GBASE-T to be run for the same 100 meter distance as previous Ethernet variants.

  • What is a cat 6 cable

    Cat 6 (Category 6) is a cable standard used mainly for Ethernet computer networking, security systems, and telephone services. Cat 6 cable is backward compatible with the Cat 5E, Category 6 cable is capable of transmitting voice and data up to 155 Mbps (mega bits per second), with possible transmission frequencies up to 550 MHz.

    cat6

    Cat 6 carries Ethernet 10Base-T, 100Base-TX, and 1000Base-T (Gigabit Ethernet) connections. Cat 6 cable is backed with more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise than earlier cabling standards.<o:p>

    Category 6 cables come with four twisted copper wire pairs and each twisted pair is built of larger 23 gauge copper. The earlier model, Category 5, used 24 gauge copper wires. In wire gauges, a larger number indicates a smaller wire.

    Cat 6 cables are generally terminated with RJ-45 electrical connectors. The signal path’s performance will be limited to that of the lowest category if components of the various cable standards are intermixed. The maximum length of one Cat 6 cable segment is 220 meters. A repeater needs to be installed to send data over longer distances or data loss may occur.

Difference between CAT5e and CAT6 


Not all Ethernet cable is created equally. What's the difference, and how do you know which you should use? Let's look at Ethernet cable categories' technical and physical differences to help us decide.

Ethernet cables are grouped into sequentially numbered categories ("cat") based on different specifications; sometimes, the variety is updated with further clarification or testing standards (e.g., 5e, 6a). These categories are how we can quickly know what type of network cable we need for a specific application.
Network cable manufacturers must adhere to the standards, making our lives easier.

What are the differences between the categories, and how can you know when to use unshielded, shielded, stranded, or solid cable?
Keep reading for "cat"-like enlightenment.
 


 

Network cable technical differences


The differences in network cable specifications are not as easy to see as physical changes, so let’s look at what each category does and does not support. Below is a chart for reference when picking cable for your application based on the standards for that category.


As the category number increases, so does the speed and Mhz of the wire. This is not a coincidence because each category brings more stringent testing for eliminating crosstalk (XT) and adding isolation between the wires.

This does not mean your experiences have been the same. You can use Cat-5 cable for 1 Gb speeds, and I have personally used lines longer than 100 meters, but because the standard has not been tested for it, you’ll probably have mixed results. Just because you have Cat-6 cable doesn’t mean you have 1 Gb network speeds. Every connection in your network needs to support the 1 Gb speed; in some cases, the link will need to be told in software to use the available rate.

Category 5 cable was revised and mostly replaced with Category 5 Enhanced (Cat-5e) cable, which did not change anything physically in the line but applied more stringent testing standards for crosstalk.

Category 6 was revised with Augmented Category 6 (Cat-6a), which provided testing for 500 Mhz communication (compared to Cat-6’s 250 Mhz). The higher communication frequency eliminated alien crosstalk (AXT), which allows for a more extended range at 10 Gb/s.

 

 

Physical Differences

 
So how does a physical cable eliminate interference and allow for faster speeds? It does it through wire twisting and isolation. Alexander Graham Bell invented cable twisting in 1881 for use on telephone wires that were run alongside power lines. He discovered that twisting the cable every 3-4 utility poles reduced the interference and increased the range. Twisted pairs became the basis for all Ethernet cables to eliminate interference between internal wires (XT) and external wires (AXT).

There are two main physical differences between Cat-5 and Cat-6 cables, the number of twists per cm in the wire and sheath thickness.

Cable twisting length is not standardized, but typically there are 1.5-2 twists per cm in Cat-5(e) and 2+ twists per cm in Cat-6. Within a single cable, each colored pair will also have different twist lengths based on prime numbers so that no two twists ever align. The amount of twists per pair is usually unique for each cable manufacturer. As you can see in the above picture, no two teams have the same amount of twists per inch.

Many Cat-6 cables also include a nylon spline which helps eliminate crosstalk. Although the spline is not required in Cat-5 cable, some manufacturers have it anyway. In Cat-6 cable, the spline is not required as long as the cable tests according to the standard. The Cat-5e cable is the only one with a spline in the picture above.

While the nylon spline helps reduce crosstalk in the wire, the thicker sheath protects against near-end crosstalk (NEXT) and alien crosstalk (AXT), which both occur more often as the frequency (Mhz) increases. In this picture, the Cat-5e cable has the thinnest sheath, but it was the only one with the nylon spline.
 
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