CAT 5 vs CAT 6
by Vikas Dayal
Ethernet cables are used extensively in telecommunications to accelerate bandwidth speeds and reduce feedback noise. However, if you’re not familiar with them, choosing the right product can be challenging.
Two of the most common ethernet cables are CAT 5 and CAT 6 cables. Below, you’ll learn about their similarities and differences so you can make an informed purchasing decision.
What is a CAT 5 Cable?
A CAT5, or CAT5e (Category 5 Enhanced), cable is a type of network cable created back in 1999. These cables offer a significantly improved performance over traditional CAT5 standard products. These benefits include:
- 10x faster speeds than previous CAT5 standard cables
- Enhanced ability to transverse distances, while eliminating crosstalk.
- Up to 100m in length to accommodate all kinds of telecom operations.
What is a CAT 6 Cable?
CAT 6, or Category 6, cables were introduced in the early 2000s as the successor of CAT5e cables. These cables started to gain widespread popularity and adoption in 2008.
CAT 6 cables allow backwards compatibility with CAT 5/5e and even CAT 3 cables. They can be used to power 10-Gigabit networks, albeit for a limited distance. At the beginning of the 21st century, CAT 5e cables were seen in workplaces across the world.
CAT 6 cables, on the other hand, were used to reinforce network infrastructures, from switches to routers.
CAT 5 Cables: Pros and Cons
Many organizations today still use CAT 5 cables for a wide variety of different applications. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of purchasing these cables for your workplace:
Pros:
- Affordability — CAT 5 cables are still in fashion because they’re generally affordable, which is ideal for both single and bulk purchases.
- Transfer Speeds — CAT 5 cables offer significantly higher transfer speeds across Ethernet connections. These cables can even transmit four signals simultaneously.
- Versatility — Two forms of wires are used in CAT 5 cables, and can easily be used in a variety of computer network and telephone applications.
Cons:
- Data Transfer — Users can only transmit a limited amount of data across CAT 5 cables.
- Interference — CAT 5 cables are very sensitive and vulnerable to interference.
CAT 6 Cables: Pros and Cons
Likewise, you’ll find the pros and cons of purchasing CAT 6 cables instead of its predecessor:
Pros:
- Speed & Performance — CAT 6 cables can handle speeds up to 250 MHz. This makes it possible to pair them with faster ethernet networks.
- Similarity with CAT 5 — In regards to composition and structure, CAT 6 is the same at CAT 5.
- Backwards Compatible — The port and plug of CAT 6 cables are identical to CAT 5 and CAT 5e cables.
Cons:
- Expensive — CAT 6 cables are modern solutions to telecommunications and are usually more costly than CAT 5 cables.
Choosing Between CAT 5 vs CAT 6?
Depending on its application, both cables are excellent products. If you’d like to explore purchasing high-quality and affordable CAT 5 and CAT 6 cables, visit our online store to shop our latest networking cable products.
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