Which Ethernet Cable Should You Use For Best Networking - angelina's Blog

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Which Ethernet Cable Should You Use For Best Networking

Posted on December 31, 2019 at 03:28 PM.

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The decision of whether to use Category 5e, 6 or 6a cables to wire your Ethernet network pretty much comes down to cost, data transfer speed and connection distance. All use RJ45 connectors to patch into your network via server, router, computer or other hardware. As well, all support Power over Ethernet (PoE). Otherwise, each cable has a different standard.

Cat5e (Category 5 enhanced) is the least expensive, but also the slowest. It supports data transfer speeds up to one Gigabit per second (Gbps) at 100 MHz up to 328 feet. Crosstalk among the wires within the cable is reduced, resulting in less interference and less chance of transmission error. Certainly, it will provide capable performance for most of today�s applications, but also leaves less opportunity for upgrading in the future.

Category 6

will eventually replace HDMI as the audio/video transmission standard in the future.

Category 6a

If you�re looking to set yourself up for a successful long-term Gigabit Ethernet network, Cat6a (Category 6 augmented) is the right choice. Yes, it�s more expensive than Cat5e or Cat6, but the hardware you�ll be connecting to your network will only become more sophisticated�not less�as technology grows.
Cat6a plenum supports the same 10 Gbps transmission speed as
Also to Consider

Data rates double every 18 months. While is a safer bet.

It should be noted that network transmission speed depends on all the components within your network. The transmission speed rating for each standard is theoretical. So, a legacy device that is incapable of Gigabit speeds won�t be able to attain Gigabit speeds just because you use a faster cable.