Category 5, 5e, 6, 6a and 7 Cable Standards
CAT5 and CAT5e are almost the same. The CAT5e specification includes some additional limits over the CAT5 specification. The reality therefore is the CAT5 is in fact CAT5e. It just not certified as such. Below is a comparison of the extra specifications.
To help our customers understand CAT5 and CAT5e specifications this document is a comparison between Category 5, Category 5E, Category 6 and Category . Xmultiple connectors are manufactured to work with CAT5 and CAT5e and the emerging CAT6.
This Comparison between CAT5, CAT5e, CAT6, CAT7 is In the context of the 100-ohm UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) type of cable used for Ethernet wiring. CATx is an abbreviation for the category number that defines the performance of building telecommunications cabling as outlined by the Electronic Industries Association (EIA) standards.
CAT5
Around 2000 or so, CAT5 overtook CAT3 as the Ethernet cable of choice for LAN networking. CAT5 uses either the 10BASE-T or 100BASE-T standard for data transmission. Using two cable pairs to signal over copper wire, CAT5 is now largely archaic and isn’t widely used for Ethernet connections. It’s rated for a maximum frequency of 100 MHz and top speeds of 100 Mbps. CAT5 uses 8P8C modular connectors to connect devices together, and can be used effectively at lengths of up to 100 meters. Today, CAT5 cable has been replaced for the most part by CAT5e.
Supports speeds up to 100 Mbps at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet (100 meters).
Supports speeds up to 100 Mbps at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet (100 meters).
CAT5e
While very similar to CAT5 in appearance, CAT5e introduces some new wrinkles in the equation. For one thing, CAT5e uses four pairs of copper wire rather than the two that CAT5 relies on. In addition, the wire pairs are twisted more tightly and are sheathed in heavy-duty shielding to eliminate crosstalk. Crosstalk cuts down on the speed at which a cable can transmit information. Thanks to its internal upgrades, CAT5e is capable of achieving 1000BASE-T speeds. In other words, it can handle up to 1 Gbps of throughput at a distance of up to 100 meters. As of today, it’s the most common type of cabling found in modern homes and offices for Ethernet purposes.
Supports speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gbps) at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet (100 meters).
Supports speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gbps) at 100 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 328 feet (100 meters).
CAT6
For back-end, high-capacity networking, CAT6 supports Gigabit Ethernet needs. Supporting frequencies of up to 250 MHz and the 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX, 1000BASE-T, and 10GBASE-T standards, it can handle up to 10 Gbps in terms of throughput. Thanks to better cable insulation, CAT6 reduces potential crosstalk even more so than CAT5e. When used for Gigabit Ethernet and below, the maximum allowable cable length is 100 meters. For 10GBASE-T speeds, the maximum cable length is 55 meters. The one major caveat of CAT6 cables is that installation can be tricky, as compatibility with 8P8C requires the use of special adapter pieces for optimal performance.
Supports speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gbps) at 250 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 295 feet (90 meters).
Supports speeds up to 1,000 Mbps (or 1 Gbps) at 250 MHz, with a maximum cable length of 295 feet (90 meters).
CAT6e or Enhanced CAT6
These are an enhancement on the standard CAT6 cables, as they perform much better when installed in an environment with high noise or RF interference. While better than CAT6, they are not as good as the CAT6a or CAT6 Augmented standard cables.
CAT6a
If you’re wiring up your home or office for Ethernet for the long haul, CAT6a is the perfect choice in terms of future-proofing. When it comes to A/V protocols, CAT6a is supposed to replace HDMI in the coming years. The main difference between CAT6a and CAT6 is that CAT6a can operate at a frequency of up to 750 MHz. In addition, CAT6a is even less susceptible to interference and crosstalk. The improved specification and shielding allows CAT6a to provide more consistently reliable speeds in difficult environments. Thanks to its performance and stability, CAT6a is the preferred cable for 10GBASE-T Ethernet.
Cable compare
Specifications for Cat3, Cat4, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat7
Cat 7 and Beyond
The list of Ethernet options doesn’t stop at CAT6a. There’s also a version called CAT7 that’s even more capable than all of the TP cable variants listed above. CAT7, also known as Class F cable, supports transmission frequencies of up to 600 MHz. It supports 10GBASE-T Ethernet over a full 100 meters, and it features improved crosstalk noise reduction. While CAT6e is the current standard when it comes to 10GBASE-T, it will inevitably be replaced with CAT7. Nobody knows what the future holds for Ethernet cables or what will come next in terms of format or performance. No matter what happens, expect faster and faster cables with each passing year as the technology and protocols that support Ethernet continue to improve. Finally, one thing to always keep in mind is that any custom cable can be built to suit the application on any project.
How to interpret Ethernet cable Speed?
- 10 Mbps = 1.2 MB / s i.e. 1 hour to download a DVD (4.5 GB)
- 100 Mbps = 12 MB/s i.e. 1 hour to download 10 DVDs (assuming 4.5 GB average)
- 1.0 Gbps = 125 MB/s i.e. 1 hour to download 100 DVDs (assuming 4.5 GB average)
- 10 Gbps = 1.25 Gbps i.e. 1 hour to download 1000 DVDs (assuming 4.5 GB average)
Specifications for Cat3, Cat4, Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat7
| Category | Type | Spectral R/W | Length | Lan Applications | Notes |
| CAT3 | UTP | 16MHz | 100m | 10Base-T, 4Mbps | For telephone |
| CAT4 | UTP | 20MHz | 100m | 16Mbps | Rare |
| CAT5 | UTP | 100MHz | 100m | 100Base-T, ATM, CDDI | LAN Use |
| CAT5e | UTP | 100MHz | 100m | 100Base-T | LAN Use |
| CAT6 | UTP | 250MHz | 100m | Emerging | |
| CAT7 | ScTP | 600MHz | 100m |
| CAT5, CAT5e, and CAT6 UTP (Solid Cable) Specifications Comparison | |||
| Category 5 | Category 5e | Category 6 | |
| Frequency | 100 MHz | 100 MHz | 250 MHz |
| Return Loss (Min. at 100MHz) | 16.0 dB | 20.1 dB | 20.1 dB |
| Characteristic Impedance | 100 ohms ± 15% | 100 ohms ± 15% | 100 ohms ± 15% |
| Attenuation (Min. at 100 MHz) | 22 dB | 22 dB | 19.8 dB |
| Next (Min. at 100MHz) | 32.3 dB | 35.3 dB | 44.3 dB |
| PS-Next (Min. at 100MHz) | no specification | 32.3 dB | 42.3 dB |
| ELFEXT (Min. at 100 MHz) | no specification | 23.8 dB | 27.8 dB |
| PS-ELFEXT (Min. at 100 MHz) | no specification | 20.8 dB | 24.8 dB |
| Delay Skew (Max. per 100 m) | no specification | 45 ns | 45 ns |
How to pick the right cables for your network
1. First see how many computers in your LAN.
2. How much data transfer in your LAN.
3. Calculate data transfer of all your LAN.
4. Select right cable as per your requirement.
Example.
When used for Gigabit Ethernet and below, the maximum allowable cable length is 100 meters. For 10GBASE-T speeds, the maximum cable length is 55 meters. so if i need a length of 500m could I use this cable and still accomplish either of these
10 Mbps = 1.2 MB / s i.e. 1 hour to download a DVD (4.5 GB)
100 Mbps = 12 MB/s i.e. 1 hour to download 10 DVDs (assuming 4.5 GB average)
10 Mbps = 1.2 MB / s i.e. 1 hour to download a DVD (4.5 GB)
100 Mbps = 12 MB/s i.e. 1 hour to download 10 DVDs (assuming 4.5 GB average)
Example 1.
Current bandwidth throughput in bits / (divided by) 8 to calculate bytes X (multiplied) by 3600 which is the number of seconds in an hour = total byte transfer rate.
1.5Mb / 8 = 187KBytes per second x 3600 seconds in an hour = 673MB per hour transfer rate.
Formula
file size / transfer speed = time
The answer
This is our transfer time for a 2 Gb file which is 17,179,869,184 bits / 50,000,000 bits per second = 343.59738368 seconds.
This is our transfer time for a 2 Gb file which is 17,179,869,184 bits / 50,000,000 bits per second = 343.59738368 seconds.
Notes:
The following symbols can be used for:
- kilobit / second - kbit/s, kb/s, or kbps;
- megabit / second - Mbit/s, Mb/s, or Mbps;
- gigabit / second - Gbit/s, Gb/s, or Gbps;
- terabit / second - Tbit/s, Tb/s, or Tbps.
| Examples and comparisons with SI prefixes | |
| one kibibit | 1 Kibit = 210 bit = 1024 bit |
| one kilobit | 1 kbit = 103 bit = 1000 bit |
| one mebibit | 1 Mibit = 220 bit = 1,048,576 bit |
| one megabit | 1 Mbit = 106 bit = 1,000,000 bit |
| one mebibyte | 1 MiB = 220 Byte = 1,048,576 Byte |
| one megabyte | 1 MB = 106 Byte = 1,000,000 Byte |
| one gibibyte | 1 GiB = 230 Byte = 1,073,741,824 Byte |
| one gigabyte | 1 GB = 109 Byte = 1,000,000,000 Byte |
| Line Speed | per second | per minute | per hour |
| 1Mbit (old-school ADSL) | 100 K/sec | 6 MB/minute | 360 MB/hour |
| 2Mbit (slower ADSL) | 200 K/sec | 12 MB/minute | 720 MB/hour |
| 4Mbit (faster ADSL) | 400 K/sec | 24 MB/minute | 1.1 GB/hour |
| 10Mbit (ADSL / Cable) | 1 MB/sec | 60 MB/minute | 2.8 GB/hour |
| 100Mbit (Fast Ethernet LAN) | 10 MB/sec | 600 MB/minute | 28 GB/hour |
| 1000Mbit (Gigabit Ethernet LAN) | 100 MB/sec | 6 GB/minute | 280 GB/hour |
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