Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 vs Cat7 Cables
For these sorts of applications, Cat6 may have some value. Of course, Cat6a would be even better but Cat6a is relatively new and the price jump between Cat6 and Cat6a is much steeper than the difference between Cat5e and Cat6. Consult your specific application specifications to see what cable lengths are permitted for each type of cable. Cat5e vs Cat6 Cable. The general difference between category 5e and category 6 is in the transmission performance. While Cat5e can support gigabit speeds, Cat6 is certified to handle gigabit Ethernet. Additionally, the Cat6 specification is better suited toward environments that are generally unfriendly to twisted pair cabling.
Cat5 and Cat5e and Cat6 and Cat7 are different standards for cables. If you are wondering if these names of some species of cats, you are wrong. These are types of twisted copper cables that are used to transmit data through network and also used in home theater applications. Category 5 (Cat5), Category 5e, and category 6 are the names given to these cables depending upon their performance level. Telecommunication Industry Association (TIA) and Electronic Industries Association (EIA) are organizations that set guidelines for the production of these cables which help manufacturers to classify these cables.
Cat5
Cat5 has almost become a standard for connecting Ethernet devices world over. It is inexpensive and very effective. It is also available readily making it the most commonly used cable for connecting Ethernet devices. It is available in two types, the Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), and the Screened Twisted Pair (SCTP). UTP is used in the US on a huge basis. SCTP has a protective covering as a means of protection against interferences. Cat5 cables are either solid or stranded. To transmit data over long distances, solid Cat5 is ideal as it is rigid, but stranded Cat5 is good to patch cables. Cat5 has the capacity to support 10-100 Mbps and 100MHz.
However, in the last few years, there has been a gradual shift from standard 10/100 networks to gigabit networks which has sounded death knells for Cat5 as it cannot support such high speeds. This led to a new type of cables that are an upgrade version of Cat5, known as Cat5e.
Cat5e
These cables came into existence only to make Cat5 compatible with gigabit networks. They also help extra protection from interference from other cables. However, 5e cannot remove interference completely which results in slow and poor performance. Nevertheless, 5e does make the network more reliable and quicker than Cat5.
Cat6
Cat6 is much more advanced than both Cat5 and Cat5e and also gives a much better performance. Though it is made up of 4 twisted pairs of copper cables just like Cat5 and Cat5e, it is much better because of a basic difference in designing. This difference comes from a longitudinal separator. This separator keeps all 4 wires separate from one another which helps in reducing cross talk, also known as interference. It also allows for a faster transfer of data. Cat6 has double the bandwidth of Cat5. It is capable of supporting 10 gigabit Ethernet and can operate at 250MHz.
If you think of future and possible technological advances, it is better to go with Cat6. What is more, Cat6 is backward compatible which means it can be used in any network that employed Cat5 and Cat5e.
However, because of its thicker size, you may have difficulty in using your regular RJ45 connectors, and you may have to use special connectors for the purpose.
Cat7
It is the next generation cabling device for Ethernet connections. It is an improvement upon both Cat5 and Cat6 in terms of internal signaling and exterior protection. These cables are able to support 10gigabit connections and a re adaptable with standard Ethernet connectors.
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I was wondering if I can use a CAT5e keystone jack with CAT6 cable. I am refering to the parts that terminate a cable where it comes out of the wall.
I want to run a 30 ft length of CAT6 but all I have is CAT5e jacks and I don't want to buy any news ones if I don't have to.
I had read somewhere that CAT5e is 100mhz and CAT6 is 200mhz (though I could have sworn CAT6 was 350mhz).
Anyhow any assistance would be appreciated.
3 Answers
From Wikipedia:
Category 6 cable, commonly referred to as Cat 6, is a standardized cable for Gigabit Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Category 5/5e and Category 3 cable standards.
You can always use a lower standard cable or jack, but you will be limited by the speeds of the slowest link in the chain.
Yes. The RJ45 plug is standard and may only have a different coating on the pins to make it a Cat6 compatible vs. Cat5. You probably won't receive the same speed as if you were using a Cat6 compatible jack.
Doing it this way also denies the ability to call it a Cat6 network though so if you don't care about verbiage technicalities, you are good to go.
I would use cat 6 connectors which cost more than the 5e, assuring me of better speed. Also the wall modular female jacks should be of cat6, just to be sure. Better spend a few extra as you already have invested in cat6 cable. maybe you could sell off the 5e to friends or use them to build wire connectors for single computers/slow devices. goodluck!