When you use Ethernet Cables, we hear the word CAT5e Cable and CAT6 Cable, so what exactly is the real difference? Both these cables are known as twisted pair copper cable, each of them have 8 individual insulated copper wires and both are normally terminated having an RJ-45 connector. So what is the important deal?
The initial Ethernet data standards used copper coaxial cable to transfer data about the early packet switched networks.
10Base5
10Base5 networks used fairly stiff 0.375 inch, 50 ohm impedance coaxial cable, and it was often characterised by its Creamy Yellow external insulated coating. It had been often linked to the wall much like a Dado Rail and was often known as Thick Ethernet. It turned out built to pass Ethernet signals at 10 Mbps over a maximum distance of 500 metres, and this might be extended around 2500 metres using 4 repeaters.
10Base2
10Base2 networks utilised 50 ohm impedance coaxial cable that’s much thinner plus more flexible than 10Base5, though the Ethernet signals were still meant to be transmitted over this medium at 10 Mbps, albeit on the much shorter distance of around 185 metres, that could be extended around 925 metres by building 4 repeaters. Both the 10Base5 and 10Base2 standards are getting to be largely obsolete and twisted pair cable is currently the regular wired network medium.
Twisted Pair Ethernet Cable
10BaseT was made during the early 1980s and it mainly used Category 3 cable for transmissions up to 10 Mbs over distances as much as 100 metres. Ethernet standards evolved to add faster data rate transmission and the 10BaseTx 100 Mbps and 1000Baset 1000 Mbps standards were introduced. Cat3 cable had not been longer had sufficient bandwidth a reaction to take care of these faster technologies and the Cat5 and Cat5e cable standards were introduced which allowed data speeds at as much as 100 Mbps and 1000 Mbps respectively. The original Cat5 standard was fine for the 100BaseTx transmissions but was quickly superseded by Cat5e as the 1000BaseT standard became commonplace.
So what is the difference between CAT5e and CAT6 Cable? Well the cables are constructed in the same way with 4 copper pairs, making 8 wires as a whole. Each pair of wires are colour coded and twisted around the other person in lowering Crosstalk. The Cat5e cable is rated around 100Mhz and supports around 1 Gigabit Ethernet, and the Cat6 cable is rated as much as 250Mhz which enable it to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet signals.
Cat6 Ethernet Cable has over 2 twists per centimetre whereas Cat5e Ethernet Cable merely has 1.5 to two twists per centimetre. Consequently Cat6 Cable better protects against Crosstalk. Another difference could be that the sheath thickness is also greater comparing Cat6 with Cat5e. Many of the Category 6 cables actually have a Nylon Spine as well as the blend of this spine along with the thicker sheath protect against Near End Crosstalk (NEXT) and Alien Crosstalk (AXT), which can increase because frequency increases.
Most Ethernet Cables in use are UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair), because they will be the cables recommended to be utilized relating to the peripheral devices such as computers along with the wall socket. STP (Shielded Twisted Pair) Cables are suggested to be utilized for outdoor installations as well as cable runs inside internal walls.
Stranded cables tend to be flexible and they are more frequently employed for computer to wall socket and then for general home network use, but often businesses usually prefer the solid cables in relation to the wiring inside walls and wiring ducts because superior strength that has been enhanced network performance.
In summary, Category 5 enhanced cables are sufficient for most applications for speeds up to a single Gigabit per second, but if you anticipate the usage of 10 Gbps Ethernet in the future then Category 6 cable will future proof your investment. Also Category 6 cable, even at the 1 Gbps speeds can give enhanced protection against errors.
Check out about cat5 vs cat6 vs cat7 view this resource.