Cat5, Cat5e and Cat6 cables (in this case “Cat” is short for “Category”) are standardized cables used for connecting devices via Ethernet.
Cat6 represents the most advanced Ethernet cable to date. Each of these standard cables is backwards compatible with older Ethernet cabling technology.
Read on to learn more about different Ethernet cables:
- Overview
- What’s the Difference Between Cat5e and Cat6 Cables?
- Is Gigabit Ethernet with Cat5e Fast Enough?
- Will Cat6 Cables Replace Cat5e?
- Should My Business Install Cat6 Cables?
- More Information
Network Telecom specializes in all things related to the business communications industry and provides a diverse line of products and services as well as 24/7 support.
To talk with a live human about improving the ethernet cabling for your business, or for general telecom support, contact us today.
Cat5 vs Cat5e vs Cat6 Cables
1. Overview
Given the ever increasing need for more and more bandwidth in our digital era, most businesses require Ethernet cables with a high bandwidth speed.
This is an overview of the technical differences between various popular types of Ethernet cables:
For the purposes of this article, we’ll be comparing Cat5 cables with Cat6.
Due to their low delay and only marginally higher cost, we generally recommend installing Cat6 cables for all purposes instead of Cat5 cables.
This video does a great job going into details about the difference between these two cable technologies:
If you still have questions about what setup would be best for your business, contact Network Telecom for expert industry advice.
2. What’s the Difference Between Cat5e and Cat6 Cables?
The primary difference between Cat5e and Cat6 cables is transmission performance, and by extension the total bandwidth available on the cable.
Cat5 and Cat5e are both limited to a speed of 100 MHz, but Cat6 can go up to 250 MHz.
This means that a Cat5e cable is only capable of adhering to the 1000BASE-T/TX standard while Cat6 can adhere to the much faster 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet).
In practical terms, Cat6 is capable of 10x the speeds of Cat5e, simply because the physical hardware of the cable is so much more advanced.
And remember, a Cat6 network is fully backwards compatible with Cat5e devices.
3. Is Gigabit Ethernet with Cat5e Fast Enough?
The Gigabit Ethernet standard (1000 Mbit/s) is capable of meeting the needs of nearly all applications today, so why is Cat6 needed?
Well, Cat6 is needed to increase the total available bandwidth for a given network, helping to future-proof them against new applications being released in the next few years. Even if Cat5 cables are good enough right now, changes to your business or the adoption of new technologies and internet services will inevitably increase your need for more bandwidth and greater speeds.
Current trends indicate that data rates double every 18 months, meaning that in just a short amount of time Cat6 will be necessary to accommodate average rates of data transference.
In other words, bandwidth should precede data rates, in the same way a highway lanes should precede traffic. Doubling bandwidth is akin to doubling the lanes on a highway. It is better to expand the highway before the lanes are needed.
4. Will Cat6 Cables Replace Cat5e?
Analysts already predict that Cat6 will completely replace Cat5e when it comes to new cable installationsAlready, 90% of all new cable installations are using the Cat6 standard.
Fortunately, Cat6 is backwards compatible with Cat5e and even Cat3 standards, so these new cables will not cause any compatibility issues.
5. Should My Business Install Cat6 Cables?
It is always better to install the best available cabling. This is because it can be very difficult to replace cabling inside walls, floors and ceilings once it has already been installed.
Installing Cat6 will future proof your business for years to come.
However, if your business currently has Cat5e then you can wait a few years before upgrading, as Cat6 will not be absolutely mandatory until later.
If your business is running using cable tech released prior to Cat5, then you should consider upgrading immediately.
6. More Information
To learn more details about Ethernet cabling technology, check out the links below:
- CablingInstall.com – Further analysis of the differences between different cable types.
- Diffen.com – Technical specs for Cat5e and Cat6 cables.
- Wikipedia – General info about Cat5 cables.
- Wikipedia – General info about Cat6 cables.
- Network Telecom – Comparing Cat6 to Cat7 cables.
Cable technology is always improving, so ask the telecom company who supports your business what they would recommend if you’re planning a network upgrade.
The Network Telecom Advantage
If your business needs someone to install or upgrade your Ethernet cables, consider Network Telecom.
Network Telecom has decades of experience providing businesses in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge and Guelph regions with the best possible telecommunications solutions.
Our experts can recommend, install and service any solution 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Your business communication needs are our priority. Contact us today.
The entire project was orchestrated with minimal telephone system downtime, and the ongoing support we have received from them has been reliable and efficient.