Ethernet Cable Categories
We Can Supply The Whole Range Of Ethernet Cables
Category 5, Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, Cat7, and Cat. 7a Cable Comparison.
All ethernet cabling has the category of cabling printed on the side that shows what bandwidth the cable is rated to carry. If you encounter anything other than the categories listed in below, you probably should not use them in your network.
Cabling categories can be relatively reliably identified by the end connector and the diameter of the cable. Generally a higher category of cable is thicker because it uses thicker wire for better transmission quality. If you are at all unsure, always check the printing on the side of the cable.
Common Ethernet Categories, Speed, and Usage
Cat 5
Speed = 10/100/1000MbE*
Category 5 cable is currently an outdated standard that provides support for up to 100Mhz operation. It can be used for 10/100 Ethernet without worry, however for longer runs of 1000MbE it is recommended to use Cat. 5e or higher.
Cat 5e
Speed = 10/100/1000MbE*
Category 5e cable provides support for frequencies up to 100Mhz. Cat. 5e generally provides the best price for performance, however for future proofing Cat. 6 or higher might be a better choice as it usually does not cost much more.
Cat 6
Speed = 10/100/1000MbE10GbE*
Allowing 10/100/1000 use with up to 100 meter cable length, along with 10GbE over shorter distances.
Cat 6a
Speed = 10/100/1000MbE
10GbE Cat. 6a or Augmented Category 6 is defined up to 500Mhz. It allows up to 10GbE with a length up to 100m.
Cat 7
Speed = 10/100/1000MbE10GbE/100GbE
Category 7 is the informal name for \"Class F\" cabling defined by a different standards body than Cat. 6a and lower. It supports frequencies up to 600Mhz and may support the upcoming 100GbE standard
Cat 7a
Speed = Unknown
Category 7a is an upcoming standard that allows frequencies up to 1000Mhz. Supported
notes
MbE stands for Megabit Ethernet, 100MbE means that the cable can carry 100 Megabits per second of Ethernet traffic. GbE stands for Gigabit Ethernet, 10GbE is equivalent to 10000MbE. * Speeds marked with a star are possible over a short run (less than 10 meters) on that category, however for longer runs up to 100m it is reconmended to use a higher quality cable.
We offer our cabling services to customers in and around the Midlands, UK and surrounding areas including Birmingham, Kidderminster, Stourport, Worcester, Coventry and Warwick. Call today on 0845 271 8000 for all the latest cabling technologies.