CAT 5E, CAT 6 and CAT 6A: The Difference Between Them and Choosing the Right One

To begin with, if you are searching for proper network cables to run your systems, then you must first start with knowing the difference between the different categories of cables and cable types. It is vital because this knowledge will help you to match up with the cable along with your networking gear, which in turn will determine your operational speed. Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A are the three types of cabling manufactured with high precision at any renowned company. All these three types have different capabilities and capacities. Read this article till the end about these Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A cables to get a better idea of these cable routes and Ethernet cable diameters and choose the right option for your present and future demands. You will not only learn about their differences but also about their price.         

The selection process for choosing between these three categories has been tough for our clients. We feel that you need to consider a few factors like the rate of data transfer, range of connection, and the cost linked while you think of purchasing one. Let’s go through together with their details and differences in standards and then make a conscious choice. 

CAT5E

We will begin with the Cat5E cables and try to understand a bit about them. Cat5e is an upgraded version of the oldest cable on this list, the Cat5 and is also the least expensive one. And the Cat5e cables are the first ones which deliver 1 Gigabit network speed, which is the minimum that one needs to successfully run their network. It also has a much lower interference rate and transmission error. The Cat5e consists of 24 gauge twisted pair wires and offers gigabit ethernet up to 328 feet at a 100 MHz rate. With this configuration, we expect that your CPU will process 100 million commands in a single second. This type of cable is suitable to provide support to most networks and applications that are used today but unsuitable for maintaining a high level of performance in your networking setup. Although it is cheap, it has slow performance and you cannot upgrade it in the long run. The difference between Cat5e and Cat6 will help you understand why.

CAT 6 Cables

We sincerely feel that it is irrelevant here to mention that the Cat6 cable is much more costly than Cat5e, but much faster than the latter. Moreover, because Cat6 has greater thermal protection than Cat5e, it has the capacity to support a data transfer speed of 10 Gbps at 250 MHz with nil crosstalk interference rate. Again, in this case, also, there is a drawback and that is it is not quite a performer when it comes to covering long distances. So, the 10 Gbps speed remains effective till 164 feet. The Gigabit Ethernet networks’ speed can be best controlled by these Cat6 cables. There is a high chance that Cat6 can replace the HDMI as one of the most effective replacement tools for video or audio transmission.   

The Cat6 cables or wirings provide Gigabit Ethernet of up to 100 meters and make use of a 23-gauge conductor. This type of conductor has a 0.0226 inches diameter per wire although this measurement varies depending on the manufacturer who makes the cables. But, typically, the Cat6 wires have a diameter of around 0.25 inches or 6.2 mm according to what we manufacture.     

As the frequency bandwidth of Cat6 cables is 250Mhz, these cables have a much higher processing speed than Cat5 cables. Moreover, the additional benefits that you will get from Cat6 cables are that they have much less signal loss, much less crosstalk in-between cables and there is both way communication between each and every pair of wires because they are twisted together in a much tighter way. It is because of all these additional benefits, the Cat6 cables cost thirty per cent more than the cat5e cables. 

CAT6A

We again feel that If you want to have an efficiently running Gigabit Ethernet network, Cat 6a cable is the best option. They can support the high speed required in a 10 Gigabit network. It might be more expensive as compared to Cat5e or Cat6. But as and when you connect it to your device, your network will become more advanced and technology-friendly. Cat6A supports the same transmission speed as Cat6, but up to 328 feet and with less crosstalk than Cat6. But having said that, it is also true that they have a limited higher standard support, which is 164 feet, beyond which the speed becomes the same as the Cat5e cables.  

Manufacturers guarantee that Cat6a is by far the most advanced Ethernet cable among the Cat5e, Cat6, and Cat6A cables. Cat6A is an improved version of the Cat6 cable and has 23-gauge wires, but they have much thicker cable wires than the Cat6 cables because the wires are winded together very tightly. As a result, there is more copper per inch along with thicker plastic insulation around them. Cat6, being the most up-to-date cable of recent times, has the least cross-talk. It also has the least signal loss, and a much bigger bandwidth of 500 MHz, which is double that of Cat6. Moreover, they can maintain the same 18 Gigabit ethernet speed for a distance of 330 feet. So, it is needless to say that Cat6A is ideal for a business setup and you may have to shell out more from your pocket to avail of this cable setup.         

To smoothly run your network system, we feel that it is high time you consider the pros and cons of these Cat5E, Cat6 and Cat6A before choosing the most suitable one for your system. The differences mentioned above will help you to do so smoothly. When you find a reliable manufacturer, you’ll see that their main aim is to satisfy customers with technological accessories and equipment. They would be always keen on providing state-of-the-art quality, dedicated service at an amazing price to all our customers. When you find such a trusted manufacturer, contact them for the abovementioned ethernet cables power cords adapters and much more.          

Finally

As we have come to the end of the article, we must conclude by saying that you should pay due consideration to the above-mentioned facts before choosing from Cat5e, Cat6 or Cat 6A cables. Because the speed and performance of your network system heavily depend on these factors. Installation of a faster cable doesn’t ensure that the Gigabit speed will be fast enough, so weigh all the pros and cons before making a decision. 

Moreover, the cost of usage of data goes up every eighteen months. And from the point of view of Cat5e, it has already become a little outdated. So, we strongly suggest considering the cost of the other two cables before making the choice as the investment should be future-proof.  

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The Cat6 RJ45 Shielded Modular Plug for Round Stranded, according to us, is by far the best answer for you in creating a customized length of Cat6 network cables. Leading cable companies manufacture these modules with the use of strong, powerful, and clear polycarbonate which can bear day-to-day use and abuse. Moreover, the data transfer errors are controlled accurately by the gold-plated contacts. Our company has made the RJ45 Plugs for Cat5E, Cat6, and Cat6A in such a way that they work with 24 AWG or 26 AWG conductor cables perfectly.

    

Post Author: bookbb

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