

Cat6 and Cat6a can both be run 100 meters or 328 feet without requiring the use of a switch. Furthermore, Cat7 is currently in development. Cat6a provides speeds up to 10 Gbps and can support frequencies up to 500 MHz. This is mainly due to the reason that Cat6 is more expensive than Cat5, and that majority of the people either do not use nor require a 10 Gigabit Ethernet.įurthermore, Cat6 has been superseded by Cat6a. However, it is not as widely used or adapted as Cat5. Additionally, Cat6 is also backward-compatible, which means that it can be effectively be used with Cat5 and Cat5e.Ĭat6 has the advantage over Cat5, in being faster and more modern. This reduces crosstalk, allows for faster data transfer and allows Cat6 to be much faster than Cat5. The longitudinal separator isolates each of the four pairs of twisted wire from the others. It can do this, because it contains a particular structural difference, as compared to Cat5: a longitudinal separator. The Cat6 provides speeds up to 10 Gbps and can support frequencies up to 250 MHz. However, it works faster than the Cat5 or Cat5e and can support higher frequencies.

Similar to Cat5, the Cat6 is made up of four twisted pairs of copper wire. Both Cat5 and Cat5e are can be run 100 meters or 328 feet without requiring the use of a switch, which would extend the run of the cable.Ĭat6 is currently the most advanced of the three categories of cables. Also, it is backward-compatible with ordinary Cat5. It does this by utilizing all four pairs of wires. The Cat5e supports networking at Gigabit Ethernet, which means speeds up to 1000 Mbps or 1 Gbps. Basically, Cat5e is the enhanced version of Cat5. Cat5 was then superseded by the Category 5e, also known as Cat5e or Cat 5e.
#Cat5 loopback cable full#
Hence, it can be said that the Cat5 was not meeting its full capabilities. Cat5 cables are commonly connected using punch down blocks and modular connectors.ĬAT5 cables contain four pairs of copper wire however, Fast Ethernet communications only use two of the four pairs. They rely on the twisted pair design and differential signaling for noise rejection. It addition to networking, Cat5 can also be used to carry signals such as telephony and video. Cat5 supports frequencies up to 100 MHz and provides speeds up to 100 Mbps.Ĭat5 is currently the most common cable used to facilitate Ethernets however, Cat5 can be used for ATM, token ring, 10BASE-T, 100BASE-TX (Fast Ethernet), and 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet) networking. The cable is connected using punch down blocks and modular connectors.

The copper wires are terminated by RJ45 connectors. The Cat5 consists of four twisted pairs of unshielded copper wire. They are both a type of twisted pair cable for carrying signals, used mainly for Ethernet computer networks.Ĭat5 is the older variation of the cables, especially as compared to Cat6. However, it works faster than the Cat5 or Cat5e and can support higher frequencies.Ĭategory 5, Cat 5 or Cat5, also Category 6, Cat 6 or Cat6 are both types of cables. Cat6 is currently the most advanced of the three categories of cables. Cat5 is the older variation of the cables, especially as compared to Cat6. They are both a type of twisted pair cable for carrying signals, used mainly for Ethernet computer networks. Key difference: Category 5, Cat 5 or Cat5, also Category 6, Cat 6 or Cat6 are both types of cables.
