Skip to main content

CAT6 Ethernet Cables and Their Workings


CAT6 Ethernet Cable is one of the most popular Ethernet cables. It was standardized by Electronic Industries Association and Telecommunications Industry Association (EIA). This article will provide you with all the information about CAT6 Ethernet Cables and its types.
3ft-cat-6-non-booted-unshielded-utp-ethernet-network-cable-568

The working of CAT6 Ethernet Cables

Being the sixth version of twisted pair Ethernet cabling, CAT6 was built in order to support the Gigabit Ethernet Data rates. i.e 1 gigabit/second (Gbps) It has four pairs of copper wires and all the copper wire pairs can be utilized for signaling and obtaining superior quality performance. The best part about it is that it can support 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections for a distance of 50 meters or 164 feet. Here are some more facts about it:
  • The enhanced version of CAT6, known as CAT6A and it can support the speed of upto 10Gbps.
  • Similar to the previous versions of Ethernet Cables, ends of CAT6 cable use the same RJ-45 standard connector.
  • The cable cover of this Ethernet Cable has “CAT6” printed on it.

​CAT6 vs. CAT6A: The Difference

CAT6 supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet. However, it covers the distance only of up to 50 meters. Category 6A of Ethernet Cables was introduced to enhance the performance of CAT6 cables. It also enables 10 Gigabit data rates on a single cable run; but runs up to 100 meters. This is twice as compared to CAT6. Due to its higher performance, CAT6A ethernet cable costs more than CAT6 and is thicker in density. It uses the standard RJ-45 connectors.

CAT6 vs. CAT5e: The Difference

In order to improve the previous versions of CAT5 Cables, two efforts were made. One out of them came to be known as CAT5e (CAT 5 enhanced) and the next one was named CAT6. Some technical enhancements were lacking in CAT5e which were than made in CAT6. However, if you are looking for a cable that supports Gigabit Ethernet installations at lower costs, CAT5e is a good choice. As CAT5e cable offered a fair performance for Gigabit Ethernet at cost effective rates, it gained a lot of popularity for wired Ethernet installations. Quite similar to CAT6, CAT5e also utilizes a four wire pair signaling to provide smooth data rates. CAT5 cables on the other hand have four wire pairs out of which two remain inactive.

Disadvantages of CAT6

Costs: CAT6 is more expensive as compared to Cat5e cable. Also, if you can resolve the network speed issues with CAT5e, it is better to buy that instead of CAT6. CAT5e is economical and offers a good quality performance. It can also be obtained in different colors.

Speed not guaranteed

Buying CAT6 cable doesn’t necessarily mean that you will get an entire gigabit network. It can offer speed optimization only if every element in your network works at gigabit speed. If one of them is not gigabit rated, the network will work at the slowest device’s speed.
There are times when users end up buying CAT6 Ethernet cables only because they are the latest version. What they need to know here is whether they will be suitable to their network. Hence, make sure you conduct proper research before buying these cables.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is the Difference between C13 and C15 Power Cords?

There is an array of power cords available in the market. It can get quite perplexing to choose the one that will fit your needs. In order to know more about them, you must have more information about these cords. This article will acquaint you with   IEC C13   and   IEC C15   power cords   and how they are different from each other. But before that, let us understand what IEC is. IEC stands for International Electrotechnical Commission. Every cord is standardized by IEC before it is introduced in the market. These cords use the letter “C” which is followed by the number in their cords. Let’s get back to understanding the difference between IEC-C13 and C15 connectors. Some of them are mentioned below. Difference of a Notch One of the most apparent differences between the two connectors is the notch on C15 connector. Although C15 looks quite similar to C13, it has a little groove opposite the earth. The IEC-C15 connectors also work in the C14 outlets. B...
Post a Comment
Read more

Know Everything about Printer Cables

When it comes to connecting printers, the type of cable you use matters. Different printers require different cables to function properly.  USB cables are the most common for home printers. They are easy to use and connect directly to your computer. Parallel cables are sometimes still used in office environments, especially with older models.  Ethernet cables facilitate network printers and enable several devices to be connected. In this blog, let us review the basic types of printer cables and how to select the correct one. Knowing these options will assist you in properly configuring your printer. What is a Printer Cable? A printer cable is a cable that is attached to the printer and to a computer for connecting the printer to the computer.  It enables data to move from the computer to the printer. These cables include the Universal Serial Bus, USB, and parallel cables. Cable connections using USB are widely used for present-day printers.  They are convenient...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fiber Optic Cables Vs Ethernet Cables: What Is the Difference?

Wi-Fi is like love. Always in the air and ready to connect you with the fascinating digital world. But ever wondered what keeps it in the air? Well, just like any relationship has a foundation of understanding, a wireless network has a fiber cabling underneath that helps people to connect with the internet anytime they want to. The other most popularly used cable type is Ethernet cables. They are used everywhere right from IP camera technologies to LED lighting. These cables are quite cheaper as compared to fiber cables; but when one wants to have a huge and powerful network cable , fiber cables become necessary. Both the cables have their advantages and disadvantages, specialties, and limitations. Through this blog, we will differentiate between the two and try to understand both in details: History of Fiber & Ethernet Cables The fiber optic technology was first used in 1969 when NASA sent it to the moon for use in television cameras. And a company named Xerox developed Eth...
Post a Comment
Read more