Gigabit Network cable...

J

JCNiest5

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Is Cat6 network cable really needed for Gigabit routers and network connections? Or is it just a marketing gimmick? I'm still using cat4 or cat5e and they seem to transfer just fine, although I've never actually benched to measure the speed.

My home LAN is now completely on Gigabit network, but I have never actually bother to switch cables to cat6 type. Would it make any difference at all?
 
Should be just fine. You can get LAN speed test 2.0 to test your transfer speeds.
 
The only benefit to using Cat6 is distance. Both Cat5e and Cat6 are capable of gigabit, but Cat6 can be ran further then Cat5e.
 
They still have the same max length before attenuation occurs however CAT-6 can support 10GBASE-T which is something to consider for future scalability.
 
So here is the problem... ANSI/TIA/EIA-568 is responsible for the actual published standards of network cabling. But it's basically impossible to find a consistent definition online or in print (books) of exactly what those standards are. They're constantly being updated and expanded, or simply misprinted or outdated. Also, standards only show what the cable is rated for, not to say it won't work at something above or below that standard.

Cat. 3 and Cat. 4 were used for Token Ring, so I don't think they even exist anymore or used in Ethernet networks.

Cat. 5, Cat. 5e, Cat. 6 and Cat. 6a (Cat. 7 is around the corner) is where it gets confusing.

Quick note, Cat. 5 is no longer officially supported by ANSI/TIA/EIA and should not be used...

Cat. 5-6a all support 10/100Mbps (10Base-T/100Base-T/TX), and all run to about 328' feet or 100meters before basically becoming unreliable to use (or they won't work at all). The attenuation values will vary per Category.

When it comes to 1,000Mbps, Cat. 5e, 6 and 6a are rated for 1Gbps (1000Base-T with Cat 5e / 1000Base-TX with Cat. 6 and 6a).

Cat. 5, while not rated for 1Gbps, it can reach those speeds at short lengths from what I understand. But the other 3 standards are rated up to 100meters.

As for 10GBase-T (or 10Gbps), only Cat. 6a is technically rated for that speed at 100meters. Now Cat. 6 from what I understand can also run 10Gbps, but only for short lengths.

That said, to get a bit deeper, Cat. 5-6a have different bandwidths and performance. Cat. 5 and 5e are rated at 100MHz, but there is also a standard for 5e that runs at 350MHz.

As for Cat. 6, the standard is 250MHz but there is also an (up to) 550MHz version. As for Cat. 6a the standard is is 500MHz, but I've seen 6a cable rated for 600MHz.

EDIT: Should also add that EIA doesn't seem to exist anymore, or at least be involved. Which is where ANSI comes into play. So you might see TIA/EIA, ANSI/TIA, or ANSI/TIA/EIA... they basically all mean the same thing.
 
PanzerKrieg13 said:
As for 10GBase-T (or 10Gbps), only Cat. 6a is technically rated for that speed at 100meters. Now Cat. 6 from what I understand can also run 10Gbps, but only for short lengths.
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Cat 6 can do 10GBASE-T for 55 meters after proper testing, or 37 meters in high EMI environments.
 
If you really want to consider a switch (which I shouldnt if you are getting consistent gigabit speeds) then go for Cat7. It is guaranteed to run 10GBase-T over 100m. They will also do well if you have a hostile EMI environment.

But again, if you get gigabit speeds with the current wiring, don't bother changing.
 
SantaSCSI said:
If you really want to consider a switch (which I shouldnt if you are getting consistent gigabit speeds) then go for Cat7. It is guaranteed to run 10GBase-T over 100m. They will also do well if you have a hostile EMI environment.

But again, if you get gigabit speeds with the current wiring, don't bother changing.
Click to expand...

To my knowledge, the Cat. 7 standard is not really finished yet. It's more or less in a "draft" like status. It's also expensive and has limited availability (online and off).

Better off upgrading to a finished standard like Cat. 6 or 6a, plus they're cheaper and widely available.
 
The whole point of Cat6 is to reduce line noise. The less line noise the faster it can transfer capabilities and less errors. Also has to do with with amount of energy lost through less insulation. Cat 5 can easily do 1gb at regular lengths. Once you get into super long massive lengths the better insulated less noise cat6 would do what it does best. Too much line noise would cause the speed to shift to 100mbs. Cat 5 is alright right now though for 1gb. I want to see when 10gb will come to consumers. 1gb has been out since around early 2000s.
 
Not to mention Cat7 is STP only which makes it a pain to deal with in general compared to UTP.
 
Much like most people have said, you're probably fine with 5e.

The only time it might make sense to care is if you're putting cable into walls -- might as well put in cat 6 (or 6a! or 7! or whatever...)

Otherwise, 5e will work with gigabit just fine and I'm guessing that the cable cost for cat 6 replacement cables won't be the deciding factor when you go to 10G in several years.
 
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