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Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat6a:What's the Difference?

Choosing the right cable option for your network’s infrastructure, you need to know the difference between category cables. While your networking gear will ultimately define the speed of your operation, your cabling must be able to keep up. The three main cabling types are Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6a, which each offer distinct capabilities. With so many types of network cables, which is the best ethernet cable for me? Is it a Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat6a, shielded or unshielded, UTP or STP?
This article will help compare the differences, performance, and cost of these Ethernet cables to help you make the right decision. This article will also provide some suggestions for usage scenarios for each Ethernet cable type.
 

What is a Cat5 Ethernet Cable?

Also known as an Ethernet cable or LAN cable, Cat 5 or Category 5 is a network cable consisting of four pairs of twisted copper wires terminated by RJ-45 connectors. cat 5 cables are used in home and business networks and provide data transfer speeds of up to 100 Mbps. the maximum recommended length of a Cat 5 cable is 100 meters. While some offices set up “a long time ago” may still use Cat 5, Cat 5 Ethernet cables are obsolete and have actually been replaced by Cat 5e Ethernet cables, a more powerful and enhanced upgrade cable.
 
In terms of performance, the Cat5 Ethernet cable has a standard bandwidth of 100 MHz and a maximum length of 100 meters, providing connection speeds of up to 100 Mbps. By modern standards, this is quite low, usually starting at 1 Gbps. After all, the point of a hard-wired connection is not only reliability but also speed.
Cat5 Ethernet cables consist of two twisted-pair, color-coded copper pairs. They are less durable and less resistant to interference than other categories of Ethernet cables because Cat5 cables do not have insulation to provide better protection.

What is a Cat5e Ethernet Cable?

Cat5e cables are an enhanced version of the legacy Cat5 cables and the oldest cabling category on this list. They are also the least expensive. Cat5e cables were the first cabling type to deliver 1 Gigabit network speed, which today is the minimum someone should consider for their network. Typically, Cat5e cables consist of 24 gauge twisted pair wires and offer gigabit ethernet up to 328 feet. The MHz of Cat5e cables rates at 100, which means the CPU can process up to 100 million commands in a single second. Cat5e cables have suitable capabilities for most networks; however, they may not be able to keep your networking setup at high-performance levels as service providers continue to offer higher speeds.

What is a Cat6 Ethernet Cable?

Cat6 cable is also called “Category 6” Ethernet cable. Cat6 is another improvement of the previous version of Cat5e. It consists of four pairs of copper wires and supports Ethernet connections up to 10Gbps. Under normal circumstances, within a range of 100 meters, it supports a maximum transmission speed of up to 1 Gbps. The Cat6 cable supports 37-55 meters (depending on crosstalk) when transmitting at 10Gbps. It can transmit signals with frequencies up to 250MHz, which indicates the frequency at which the signal can pass through the cable. More importantly, it uses RJ-45 standard connectors and is backward compatible with its previous versions, such as Cat5 and Cat5e. Cat6 cables are generally very affordable, and their speed is 10 times that of Cat5e cables. However, their prices are higher than Cat5e cables, and they are also relatively short.
Some upgrades in the design of the Cat6 Ethernet cable also make it an improvement over the previous version. First, the wire pairs are wound tighter, including more twists per centimeter (two or more twists per centimeter-the exact number varies depending on the model). This can further reduce crosstalk and interference.
 
In addition, Cat6 Ethernet cables may include a plastic core in the middle for better separation of wires, which is expected to obtain clearer signals, and aluminum foil insulation. Cat6 cables have a thicker sheath than Cat5e cables. The thicker sheath reduces the chance of alien crosstalk (AXT) and near-end crosstalk (NEXT).
Most Cat6 cables are flat, so if you need to stick them on the wall, guide them through narrow corners, or just let them blend into the background as much as possible, they are quite convenient. After all, one of the most visual headaches with Cat5e cables is that it is just there.

What is a Cat6a Ethernet Cable?

Cat6a cable is an enhanced version of the Cat6 Ethernet cable. This enhanced Cat6 cable includes a higher standard bandwidth, starting at 500 MHz and going up to 550 MHz. this standard bandwidth is twice that of Cat6, which carries important consequences. Chief among them is that Cat6A can maintain a data rate of 10 Gbps over distances of up to 100 meters. That’s about twice the difference of Cat6.
 
If you want to set yourself up for a successful long-term Gigabit Ethernet network, Cat6a (Category 6 Enhanced) is the right choice. Yes, it’s more expensive than Cat5e or Cat6, but as the technology evolves, the hardware you’ll connect to your network will only get more complex, not less. cat6a supports the same 10Gbps transmission speed as Cat6, but up to 328 feet and at 500MHz. of course, there’s less crosstalk compared to Cat6.
 
Cat6a Ethernet cables also come with a stronger jacket that not only reduces but completely eliminates AXT (extraneous crosstalk) and improves the quality of the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio). Basically, Cat6a cables have reduced crosstalk and are more likely to give you the maximum possible speed of 10Gbps.
 

Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat6a Comparison

 
Categories of Ethernet Cables Signal Carrying Capacity Typical Uses
Cat5 Ethernet and Fast Ethernet Home, Home Office, Small Office
Cat5e (Cat5 Enhanced) Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and Gigabit Ethernet (short distance) Home, Small Office, Gaming Consoles, Computer Networks
Cat6 Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and 1 Gigabit Ethernet (consistent) Large Networks, Data Centers, Offices, Cat6 Certified Networks
Cat6a (Cat6 Augmented) Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet Large Data Centers, Large Offices, Server Farms, Future Proofing New Equipment

Factors to Consider When Choosing the Best Ethernet Cable for Your Need

Through the revolution of Ethernet cables, we know that each newer standard brings about higher speed and much-reduced crosstalk. But how to distinguish those categories from each other and when to use unshielded, shielded, stranded, or solid cable? The following three factors are necessary to consider before buying the best ethernet cable.

Unshielded (UTP) vs. Shielded (STP)

All Ethernet cables are twisted. Thus the shielding is used to further protect the cable from interference. Network cable typically comes in two basic types: STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) and UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair).

What Is UTP Cable?

UTP cable is comprised of four pairs of twisted pairs of copper wire. The twisted pairs are insulated with carefully chosen material for high bandwidth, low attenuation, and crosstalk. UTP can easily be used for cables connecting your computer with the wall. It is also the most common type used in desktop communications applications.

What Is STP cable?

As for STP cable, cable pairs (not individual wires) are shielded by a metallic substance. Then all four pairs are wrapped in another metallic protector. This is done for the purpose of preventing interference via three techniques: shielding, cancellation and wire twisting. The problem is that STP is harder to install. You will use STP for areas with high interference and running cables outdoors or inside walls.

PVC Jacket vs. Plenum Rated

What Is PVC Cable

The most common kind of network cable is PVC. PVC is usually used as the covering for patch cables, and often for bulk cables. The problem is that PVC covered cable will release toxic smoke when burning. In this case, most local fire codes prohibit PVC covered cable from air handling spaces. But it is accepted to use PVC cable for wall installations. Considering the safe side, you should check your local fire codes.

What Is Plenum Cable

Plenum rated cable has a covering that burns without toxic smoke. In construction, plenum refers to the separate space for air circulation, heating, and venting. In a standard commercial building, the plenum is the space between the drop ceiling and the structural ceiling. While in residential installations, the plenum could be used in a few places such as the floor when air circulation is used.

Stranded vs Solid Core

By solid and stranded Ethernet cables, it means the actual copper conductor in the pairs. The differences lie in that solid cable. It uses a single piece of copper for the electrical conductor, while the strand uses a series of copper cables twisted together. There are two main applications for each type you should be clear about.
Stranded cable is more flexible, and should be used at your desk, or anywhere you may move the cable around often. It is much better for patching cables where flexibility matters.
 
Solid cable is not only flexible but also durable, which makes it an ideal option for permanent installations as well as for walls and ceilings. With a solid core cable, the termination will be easier and more reliable. Besides, it has good attenuation properties, thus it is easier to send a signal over. As such, a solid core is the best for long runs.

Conclusion

So, to choose the right network cable, you need to understand its features, differences, and capabilities. In modern times, most networks still operate primarily on Ethernet. Even the most advanced networks in the world still utilize devices that require an Ethernet connection.
As the network core and backbone, network cables influence overall communication and efficiency. Best Cat5e cable can be used for most home and office applications. Cat6 and Cat6a are used to establish a large network such as high-speed servers and data centers. However, your final decision is based on your need and network demand. Before making a decision, please remember to take the above factors into consideration. Do you know how to choose the best Ethernet cable now?