Currently there is a great deal of confusion among Ethernet cable buyers concerning whether to purchase Cat5e, or to use Cat6. Most of this confusion comes from a misunderstanding by the buyer that buying Cat6 cable will give them an "all gigabit" network. This is not the case. Unless every single component in the network is gigabit rated, then you will never have a gigabit network, because your network will always run at the speed of your slowest device. Cat5e cable of good quality can run near or at gigabit speeds, it just cannot be "certified" for this use. By comparison, Cat6 is designed especially for gigabit use, and is certified to operate at said speed. It becomes a matter of whether or not you want to pay all that extra money, for little or no noticeable improvement in the performance of you network. In most cases, it makes more sense to go with Cat5e. It is for this reason that most of your new installations in the private sector are going with Cat5e. It is more economical, performs well, and is readily available in many colors. Many IT professionals when asked about why they specified Cat6 for a specific job, often responded stated that they "wanted the best they could get." This is the line of thought behind many purchases of cable.
What
Is The Difference Between Cat 5, Cat 5e, and Cat 6 Cable?
If you’re
researching the different types of twisted-pair copper cable used to transmit
data in network and home theater applications, then it’s likely that you will
repeatedly come across the terms Category 5 (Cat 5), Category
5e (Cat 5e) and Category
6 (Cat 6). Organizations such as the Telecommunication Industry
Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) set specific
product standards, and these guidelines have resulted in cables being
classified into various categories based on their performance levels. Just in
case you’re not too familiar with cabling terminology, we at CableOrganizer.com
would like to provide you with a few straightforward definitions and statistics
on these three common grades of network cable, to help you better choose the
right one to fit your needs.
- Cat 5: Out of the three types of
cable we’ll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable is
available in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely
used in the
- Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced)
cable goes along the same lines as basic Cat 5, except that it fulfills
higher standards of data transmission. While Cat 5 is common in existing
cabling systems, Category 5e has almost entirely replaced it
in new installations. Cat 5e can handle data transfer at 1000
Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower levels
of near-end crosstalk (NEXT) than Cat 5.
- Cat 6: Of the three cable
categories we’re discussing, Category 6 is the most advanced and provides
the best performance. Just like Cat 5 and Cat 5e, Category 6 cable is
typically made up of four twisted pairs of copper wire, but its
capabilities far exceed those of other cable types because of one
particular structural difference: a longitudinal separator. This separator
isolates each of the four pairs of twisted wire from the others, which
reduces crosstalk, allows for faster data transfer, and gives Category 6 cable twice the bandwidth of Cat
5! Cat 6 cable is ideal for supporting 10
Gigabit Ethernet, and is able to operate at up to 250 MHz. Since
technology and standards are constantly evolving, Cat 6 is the wisest choice of cable when
taking any possible future updates to your network into consideration. Not
only is Category 6 cable future-safe, it is also
backward-compatible with any previously-existing Cat 5 and Cat 5e cabling
found in older installations.
Whether your
cable needs revolve around a telecommunications network or a home theater
application, visit CableOrganizer.com for the cables, hand tools, testers and
how-to tips that will make your installation the best it can possibly be!
Thanx Mark
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