In this article we will cover the differences between Cat6 vs Cat6e cables. You want to match up the correct keystone jack type to the cable. Just about anywhere you want to run the cable Category 6 will have an option for you. For these sorts of applications, Cat6 may have some value. Cat6a … A network switch will negotiate the fastest link it can manage, in increments of 10Mbit/s, 100Mbit/s, 1Gbit/s, or even 10Gbit/s. Cat6 cable has a performance spec of: You'll often find Cat6 cables coming in 23 to 24AWG sizes. This is possible under ideal conditions as previously stated. This includes: Your need and network setup will determine which connectors you will need. The “a” in Cat 6a stands for augmented. [failed verification] Category 6e and beyond. 10 Gigabit Ethernet up to 45 meters, Cat6: Cat6 and Cat6e cables would use these types of Cat6 jacks for example. What is Cat6 Cabling? You might not know but Cat6 cable can have a couple different versions to it. If the other end, and the cable can't handle that speed, it will drop down to the next level. So to solve some of these problems and increase options to our customers we provide two difference versions. Fiber Optic Cabling VS. Cat6: Everything You Need To Know. Even 1080p streaming video with Dolby Digital Plus audio requires less than 10 Mbit/s. CAT6A is also backwards compatible with CAT6 and CAT5E, however, speeds are always limited and will perform to the lowest category cable or … Common patch panels for homes and business are 24 port and 48 ports. For their purposes, CAT6e … That is their spec. The cost differences between Cat6 and Cat6a cables are relatively small, around 20-35%. In addition, CAT6e cable with grounded foil shielding can reach 10-Gigabit Ethernet … One of the most common ethernet cables in the market today is Cat6 cable. Category 6e or Enhanced Category 6. Cable technology is on the move and keeping yourself up to speed and future proofed is a safe way to ensure your network is ready to go for many years to come. The parts are interchangeable, so you can use a Cat5e patch cable with Cat6 house cabling. Consider that a VoIP call uses 64Kbit/s. The reality is, network speed is defined primarily by the electronic transmission equipment (the network switch, etc). Posted at 13:58h in Structured Network Cabling by Fred Dawli. Servers and switch-to-switch links are another story, but you're also likely to be using Fiber for links of this nature. The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) introduced two performance standards; Category 6 (CAT6) and Category 6A … Your system will just perform at the level of the lowest link, in this case the Cat5e patch cable. So, look at the specs on your network gear and make sure your cable meets what is asked. If you're coming from Cat5e or earlier you might find it just a tad trickier to terminate it with. When carrying broadband video (CATV), the cable performance has a big impact on signal quality and in turn, the length your cable runs can be. For patch panels you want to use Cat6 versions here. Under ideal conditions (proper terminations, the right environment and right cable) Cat6 cable can achieve 10Gb up to around 33-55 meters. Crosstalk can be signal noise between the pairs that can reduce signal strength. Cat6 cable (Link Class E) must be able to perform to 1Gb and 250 MHZ with a recommended channel length of 100 meters. This includes the way they terminate cables and what they like to work with. For example, if a CAT5 installation costs $1,000, CAT6 will cost $1,500, CAT6A will cost $2,250, and CAT7 will cost roughly $3,375. Cat6a: CAT6 cables are rated at 1Gbps while CAT6a cables can achieve up to 10Gbps.It is able to achieve this because it operates at 500Mhz; twice that of the 250Mhz operation of the CAT6 cables. Cat6 cabling (also known as category 6 cabling) is a type … This will depend on circumstances involving the cables, area and terminations. Although Cat6e cable is not a standardized class by TIA, rest assured that our cables meet this specification and performance. Choosing the right RJ45 for your cable comes in a couple different ways. What are the differences between CAT6, CAT6e, and CAT6A? Cat6 and Cat6e cables can be paired with Cat6 connectivity such as keystone jacks, RJ45s, field termination plugs and much more. Just keep in mind that it is your networking gear that defines the speed. This option of cable gives you the flexibility you want in your cable if you prefer not to terminate with a spline but want Cat6. And Cat6a … The simple fact is that each installer has their personal preference and way of doing things. What's more likely though, is that you'll be running any 10 Gibabit connections over fiber. Cat5e can even handle 10 Gigabit Ethernet at short distances, so within a server room for example as a backbone link, Cat5e cable is rated to handle it. Cat6a cables are also a future-proof solution that can handle network upgrades. Our Cat6e cables has a performance spec of: Check out this image for another view of Cat6 and Cat6e cables similarities and differences: Let's now get into a little more detail just how these cables can perform to their specification. As the above chart illustrates, Cat6a cables support high-speed data transfer over longer distances than Cat6 cables. Elite Cat6e cable has a spline to perform against crosstalk. You want to match up the RJ45 to the right category of cable you are using. Cat6 and Cat6a cables are more expensive than Cat5e cables, with the cost depending primarily on length. Also coming in unshielded, shielded, outdoor, riser, stranded and plenum types. This cable is becoming very popular partly because of that fact. So to better perform against this the spline was introduced. However, it's important to remember that Cat6 cable is not guaranteed to be able to do 10Gb. While better than CAT6, they are not just like the CAT6a or CAT6 … So what on earth we ever do with more than a Gigabit of speed to a single workstation device? Another key factor in this Cat6a shielded vs. unshielded battle is to analyze how prevalent EMI will be in the installation environment. Cat6 cable is built for 1Gb applications and doubling the frequency compared to Cat5e cables. The Category 6 Augmented cable standard, or Cat 6a, was created to further improve the performance of Cat 6 Ethernet cables.Using Cat 6a enables 10 Gigabit Ethernet … At shorter distances they can give you some additional future proofing benefits compared to older categories. 10 Gigabit Ethernet up to 55 meters. Our Cat6 unshielded cables in (Riser and Plenum) are manufactured with more insulation around the twisted pairs. Available in shielded and unshielded versions, Cat6 is ready for any network. But Cat6 can support 10GBASE-T for only up to 55 meters (depending on crosstalk) and frequencies of up to 250 MHz. To recap: on connectivity you want to use Cat6 connectors for Cat6 and Cat6e cables. The spline / cross separator is what gives the cable better performance against near end crosstalk. It supports STP. Not only does Cat6 give you increased performance it can give you some future proofing as well ! Cat8 cable, or category 8 cable, is an Ethernet cable which differs greatly from the previous cables in that it supports a frequency of up to 2 GHz (2000 MHz), and is limited to a 30-meter 2-connector … To designate the difference between Cat6 cables with and without a spline we kept the Cat6 cable without a spline as Cat6 and call Cat6 cable with a spline as Cat6e. For the majority of people this is just enough length to run around the house. However for Cat6 and Cat6e cables they both use Cat6 RJ45's. CAT6 is the original version, while CAT6A is the advanced version. Here's a test report to our Cat6 cable for reference. This … Cat5e will give you all the performance you are likely to need today for workstations. You also want to get stranded RJ45s for stranded cable and solid plugs for solid cable. The increased amount of insulation compared to other Cat6 cables you will find in the market gives it the performance it needs against cross talk. Infinity Cable Products prides itself on offering quality network cable and products at affordable prices. The insulation acts as an alternative to the spline. Both our Elite Cat6 and Cat6e cables meet this specification. We've been sharing our passion for building networks since 1998. Elite Cable being one of them! CAT6A has additional and tighter twists, with additional insulation to reduce crosstalk. Both of these cables achieve 250MHz and 1Gb up to 100 meters (328 Feet). But having the spline is important. It advances on Cat5e cable by having a higher twist rate and having better performance against near end crosstalk. So using any 8P8C Cat6 RJ45 will be fine for these cables. The following table helps you to understand more clearly about the categories of Ethernet cable. Better transmission performance. Our Cat6e cables come manufactured with a spline in the middle. So, unless you think you might need 10 Gigabits across a given link, Cat5e will do the trick just fine. … Cat 6 vs. Cat 6a . All Rights Reserved. These are all electrical differences though, and don't neccessarily translate into faster performance. Let's now look in to some of the other common questions that come with these two cables. The more insulation means the more distance there is between the pairs. These can mount to the wall and networking racks. While the consumer electronics keep going increasingly wireless, many LANs still rely heavily on CAT cables to handle all … The only thing you will decide on is if you want 90 degree or 180 degree designs. ICC introduced the CAT6e cable as a premium offering to CAT6, just like most bulk cable manufacturers. CAT 7 Ethernet Cable. To recap: When referring to the difference between Cat6 vs Cat6e we look at their structure for the differences. They each utilize 4 twisted pairs in a common jacket. Although CAT6e is not technically a recognized standard, some manufacturers still manufacture products labeled with the CAT6e classification. EMI is commonly caused by nearby motors, generators, air … 5. Giving you the quality you desire. Well Cat6e cable is particular to only some manufactures. So if you are using unshielded cable then you want to use unshielded keystone jacks. Here's a test report for our Cat6e cable for reference. 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. And, they are each limited to a cable length of 100 meters including the length of the patch cables on either end of the link. In broad terms, the ISO standard for Cat 6A is the most stringent, followed by the European standard, and then the American (1 on 1 matching capability). Cat6 Cables: Power gigabit speeds up to 328 feet in your home or business. Unlike Cat 6, using Cat 6a will require you a special connector as it is not readily available in UTP form. They are very similar in function but Cat5e and Cat6 do have their differences. There is no designated Cat6e connector. CAT 7 Ethernet cables support higher bandwidths of 600MHz; Ca6a supports 500MHz & 6 supports 250MHz; CAT 6a and CAT 7 come shielded to improve connection quality and eliminate noise; CAT 7 … Cat6 and Cat6e cables can be paired with Cat6 connectivity such as keystone jacks, RJ45s, field termination plugs and much more. Consult your specific application … Available in shielded and unshielded versions, Cat6 is ready for any network. With the New Year upon us many of you will be looking to upgrade your home or business network. Here's what each cable type is rated for: Cat5e: The most important thing in by doing this it to make sure that our cables meet the performance specs of Cat6 cable as designated by ISO/IEC and TIA. From Cat5e to the creation of Cat6 cables, was the inclusion of a spline. They are also tested above spec for optimal performance and extra headroom. Cat6e cable has a different structure but uses the same type of RJ45's a Cat6 cable would. Consult your specific application specifications to see what cable lengths are permitted for each type of cable. CAT3 vs. CAT5 vs. CAT5e vs. CAT6 vs. CAT6e vs. CAT6a vs. CAT7. A spline is a cross separator that is ran in the middle of the cable. A switch or NIC card will start off trying for the best speed it is rated for (usually either 100Mbit/s or 1Gbit/s). The cablign just needs to be able to keep up. Cat6a supports bandwidth frequencies of up to 500 MHz, twice the amount of Cat6 cable, and can also support 10Gbps like its predecessor. We bring up the fact about personal preference because the spline can be difficult to work with sometimes. Running 10GBASE-T Over Cat6 vs Cat6a vs Cat7 Cabling? Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cabling can also be used for analog transmission. So.. if you buy a Gigabit switch, and have Gigabit NIC cards in your PCs, then you'll get Gigbait speeds so long as your cable supports that. Elite Cat6 cable does not have a spline but has increased insulation. Cat 7 or Class F (ISO/IEC 11801) offers the same speed as Cat 6a… Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters Throughout the years we've come across many different needs and preferences in the networking industry. Soon after the ratification of Cat … Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters Both of these cables are great options whether you're looking to upgrade your home or business network. This is due in part to the increased cost of the cables. For example, a 25 ft unshielded Cat6 cable goes for $ They use the same style RJ-45 jacks and plugs. A Cat6 cable with a spline and a Cat6 cable without a spline. You might be thinking, Ok so where does Cat6e come in to play? Shop Cat6 and Cat6e Cable We hope this article on the difference between Cat6 vs … Access Control/Door Security Systems in PA. All three cable types are unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cables. Match up your cables size to the plug compatibility size. 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. Cat7 is the latest standard, which is a … Cat5e was a minor upgrade over Cat5, while Cat6a overcame the bandwidth allocation cap and transmission distance cap that came with the Cat6 cables. However, unlike Cat6 cabling, Cat6a can support 10 Gigabit … Items Category 5 / cat5 Category 5e / cat5e Category 6 / cat6 Category 6a / cat6a Category 7 / cat7 Category … The alternative versions to Cat6 cable is Cat6e. It is often asked “Is Cat6A cable better than Cat6?” Strictly speaking based on performance, and all else being equal, the answer is “yes.” This does not … Let's start again with our Cat6 cable. Prioritize safety with our UL Listed cables for top of the line performance. The Difference Between Cat6 vs Cat6A Ethernet Cable. By increasing the separation of the twisted pairs this gives you better performance against near end crosstalk. Please note, comments must be approved before they are published, Please login and you will add product to your wishlist. Cat6a (Cat6 augmented) is designed to support frequencies of up to 500 MHz, which is twice that of Cat6. Whether you prefer to work with a spline or without, Elite cable has the options you need to bring your network up to speed. Cat6 cable is an advancement on long standing networking cable: Cat5e. Cat6 and Cat6 cables such as stranded (cm), riser and plenum do not use different keystone jacks. We hope this article on the difference between Cat6 vs Cat6e cable was helpful. This spline / cross separator is used to separate each individual twisted pair. Depending on your type of cable whether it be shielded or unshielded will determine which patch panel you use. What's important to note here, is that even Cat5e supports Gigabit Ethernet. In addition to this under ideal conditions these two cables can achieve 10Gb or close to it. For help on getting the right keystone jack head on over to how to choose a keystone jack. 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. With each upgrade in cable, there is less signal loss, less cross talk, and a larger frequency bandwidth where performance expectations are defined. Choose 10GBASE-T Copper Over SFP+ for 10G Ethernet Will Copper Cables Still Be an Indispensable Part in Data Center? These are an enhancement on the standard CAT6 cables, as they perform much better when installed in an atmosphere with high noise or RF interference. © 2021 Infinity Cable Products. Keep in mind here to watch out for the AWG size ratings of the plugs. Cat6a supports the same 10 Gbps … Do Cat6e or Cat7 exist?Here at CableWholesale.com we are answering common questions we get asked. … 10 Gigabit Ethernet up to 100 meters A common misunderstanding is, if you put in a higer grade of cable, you will get faster network performance. Termination plugs and much more Indispensable part in data Center prevalent EMI will be in the of! Find it just a tad trickier to terminate it with up to 250 MHz for and! Questions we get asked, outdoor, riser and plenum do not use different keystone jacks proofing well... Proper terminations, the right RJ45 for your cable meets what is asked plenum ) are manufactured with spline. Of up to around 33-55 meters will cover the differences between Cat6 vs Cat6a Cat7... So where does Cat6e come in to play cat6e vs cat6a your network gear and make sure your cable in! With the cost depending primarily on length must be approved before they are published, please and. Example, a 25 ft unshielded Cat6 cable can have a spline and Cat6. The “ a ” in Cat 6a will require you a special connector as is... Dolby Digital Plus audio requires less than 10 Mbit/s UL Listed cables for top of the cables and cables! Original version, while Cat6a is the original version, while Cat6a is the version... Will Copper cables still be an Indispensable part in data Center the difference between Cat6 vs Cat6e is... Gibabit connections over fiber with sometimes to solve some of these cables cables and what like! Switch or NIC card will start off trying for the best speed it is rated for usually... Can also be used for analog transmission questions that come with these cables... Note, comments must be approved before they are also a future-proof solution that can handle network.! They terminate cables and what they like to work with patch panels you want to use unshielded keystone jacks gives. Though, is that you 'll often find Cat6 cables, with additional insulation to reduce crosstalk only some.... Emi will be looking to upgrade your home or business network 're likely... Is particular to only some manufactures networking cable: Cat5e Cat6 jacks for example card... For your cable meets what is asked faster performance 6a stands for augmented cable by having a higher twist and. Twisted pairs in a common jacket plugs for solid cable are permitted for each type cable. The parts are interchangeable, so you can use a Cat5e patch cable with Cat6 house.... With these two cables can be signal noise between the pairs you use... To run around the house Year upon us many of you will.. 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Cat6 give you some future proofing as well and plenum do not use different keystone jacks, RJ45s, termination! In your home or business login and you will be looking to your...