What is a CAT 6 Cable? How Fast is Cat 6?

Category 6 is a standard for Ethernet cable defined by the Association of Electronic Industries and Telecommunications Industry which was released in 2002. Cat 6 is the sixth generation of Ethernet twisted pair cabling used in home and business networks. Cat 6 cabling is backward compatible with the previous Cat 5 and Cat 5e standards.

How CAT6 cables make a difference?

Category 6 cables support 1 gigabit per second Gigabit Ethernet data rates. They can aid 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections for one single cable over a limited distance of 164 feet. With this, you can understand how fast is CAT 6 cable. Category 6 cable contains four pairs of copper wire and uses all pairs for the signal to achieve its high-performance level.

The parts of the CAT6 cable utilize the equivalent RJ-45 standard connector as past generations of Ethernet links. The cable is recognized as Cat 6 by printed message along the protection sheath. An improved rendition of Cat 6 called Cat 6a bolsters up to 10 Gbps speeds.

So, to understand CAT6 further, let’s compare it with its previous version CAT5E and preceding version CAT6A.

CAT6 Vs. CAT6A

To additionally improve the performance of Cat 6 Ethernet links, the Category 6 Augmented link standard, or CAT 6a was created. With Cat 6a, 10 Gigabit Ethernet information rates will extend out up to 328 feet over a cable; CAT 6 just permits 10 Gigabit Ethernet link lengths up to 164 feet. CAT 6a links are commonly more costly than Cat 6, and they are marginally thicker. The standard RJ-45 connectors are as yet utilized by Cat 6a.

CAT 6 Vs. CAT5E

The cable design history of Ethernet networks has culminated in two different endeavors to improve the Category 5 cable quality. One was eventually Cat 6. The other, Category 5 Enhanced, was previously standardized. Cat 5e lacks some of the technical improvements that came into Cat 6, but at a lower cost, it supports Gigabit Ethernet installations. Unlike Cat 6, to achieve its data throughput speeds, Cat 5e uses a four-wire pair signaling scheme. Cat 5 cables, on the other side, have four wire pairs, but use just two of the pairs.

Since it became accessible sooner and offered satisfactory execution for Gigabit Ethernet with an affordable price, Cat 5e turned into a prevalent choice for wired Ethernet connections.

What is Cat 6 wiring used for?

With RJ-45 connector at its end, the CAT6 cable can be used with router, TV, cable boxes. Such cables can likewise be utilized to expand the speed and dependability of long-distance HDMI joints.

Cat5e and Cat6 are quick, great for high-quality cable connections. The best part is that they can be utilized for conventional PCs and switches just as altered to home media use, taking into consideration more prominent speed and unwavering quality all through the home.

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