Both Cat 3 and Cat 5 Ethernet cables are, at this point, obsolete. While the IEEE hasn’t yet approved Cat7 as a cable standard for telecommunications, laboratory testing has shown that it’s capable of transmitting up to 30 gigabits at 50 meters and 100 gigabits at only 15 meters. You can wire Ethernet cables in two different ways using an RJ45 connector. The easiest way to select a cable is to pick one with the range and performance you need. However, although Cat6 offers higher performance, many people prefer Cat5e due to its capability of supporting Gigabit speeds for less money. Cat8 is capable of delivering bandwidths of up to 2 GHz (2,000 MHz) at 30 meters. Upgrade your lifestyleDigital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. The “e” in Cat 5e stands for “enhanced.” There are no physical differences between Cat 5 and Cat 5e cables. However, with USB Type-C rolling out ahead of schedule, the reversibility and slimmer profile may send the USB 3 Micro-B cable to end-of-life (EOL) status a little sooner than expected. Cat7 provides 600 MHz and 10 Gbps over a distance of 100 meters or 40 Gbps at 50 meters and 100 Gbps at 15 meters [600Mhz/10Gbps/100m (40Gbps at 50m/100Gbps at 15m)]. Ethernet cables use a set of four twisted pair cables and a pair of RJ-45 connectors. When it comes to Ethernet, RJ45 is primarily used. Twisted-pair Ethernet cables consist of eight copper insulated wires in a plastic sleeve. New individuals coming in to the field have to be familiar with a number of different cables and connectors to be prepared for their day-to-day activities. Even more, Cat 8 supports two connectors. They’re slow and discontinued. That means they’re more flexible and cheaper to produce, but you’ll sacrifice signal quality and increase vulnerability for crosstalk. So, start here when figuring out how to choose the best Ethernet cable for your home or work. This standard promises a maximum frequency of 2,000MHz and speeds of up to 40Gbps at 30 meters. Still, if you frequently move big files between computers or stream extremely high-bandwidth video, a better Ethernet cable can make a huge difference. Category 6 cables usually offer thicker sheaths compared to Cat5e Ethernet cabling. It was first developed by the Engineers at Xerox way back in the 1970s. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) sets the standard for Ethernet cable, PBX phone system, 10BASE-T networks, Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), wire Ethernet cables in two different ways, 4 Ways COVID-19 Is Creating A Building Health Revolution, The‌ ‌Green‌ ‌Principles‌ ‌of‌ ‌Resilient‌ ‌Design‌, Creating A Touchless Workplace to Keep Your Employees Safe, The Chances Casino Easy Self-Installation of Gridd® Low-Profile Raised Flooring, Smart Building Technology: Security Advancements for An Intelligent And Safe Building. Another one of the benefits of using Cat5e cabling is the fact that it’s flexible enough to be used in small spaces such as residential yet high enough in quality to be used in a commercial capacity. It supports up to 10 Gbps at frequencies up to 250 MHz, which is over double that of Cat5e. Cat 7 cables support higher bandwidths and significantly faster transmission speeds than Cat 6 cables by utilizing the newest widely available Ethernet technology. If you are looking for a replacement cable, it’s a good idea to choose one of the more recent versions, to both take advantage of speeds and future-proof your setup for years to come: That usually means picking a Cat 6a or even a Cat 8 cable. The term “cat” is actually an abbreviation for “category.” The numeral that follows refers to each cable type’s speed and frequency—measured in megahertz (MHz)—with a higher number indicating higher speeds and/or frequencies. Cat 7 cables reach up to 100Gbps at a range of 15 meters making it one of the most capable categories of Ethernet cables. Next, consider the speed needed for your network. Thus, Ethernet offers a higher degree of network security and control. That modified GG45 connector is a proprietary component though, and while the backward compatibility helped a little, there are still issues with following previous Ethernet standards. For those who have ever browsed Ethernet cable types online, you may have noticed that most, if not all cabling varieties, are classified as “Cat,” followed by a single digit—and, in some instances, a lower case letter after the digit. We’ve defined these terms and put together tables comparing the benefits and issues with each. The cable … Copyright © 2020 FreeAxez, LLC. A crossover cable is a type of Ethernet cable that … If your subscription only supports 50Mbps downloads, purchasing a 1Gbps Ethernet cable is simply overkill — at least for now. Thus it only allows for three connected cables with a combined length of 30 meters. 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