With the introduction of IEEE 802.3an 10GBASE-T, it was determined that a new category of twisted-pair cabling was required to guarantee performance of the 10G network. Most of the time, Cat5e is suitable for 1G network. But now, many streaming media applications can be seen everywhere, the demands for faster data rates will be increased. These new applications are really pushing the limits of Cat5e cabling. Therefore, Cat6 will be a successful choice to deploy a new cabling system. So what is Cat6? What is the difference between Cat5e and Cat6? And so on. This article will provide simple answers to these questions.

 

A: Cat6 is a standardized twisted pair cable for Ethernet and other network physical layers that is backward compatible with the Cat5/5e and Cat3 cable standards. Cat6 cables have a tighter twist in the cables allowing for two-way communication, which eliminate some or all cross talk with other cables. The cable standard provides performance of up to 250 MHz and is suitable for 10GBASE‐T / 100BASE‐TX and 1000BASE‐T / 1000BASE‐TX Gigabit Ethernet. In addition, the Cat6 cable is terminated in either the T568A scheme or the T568B scheme. So far, the T568B Scheme is the most widely used method of terminating patch cables.

 

A: First, the cable construction. It is a observable difference. The diameter of Cat6 cables are in the range of 0.21 to 0.25 inch (5.3 - 5.8 mm), while Cat5e cables are in the range of 0.19 to 0.22 inch (4.8 - 5.5 mm). The reason is that Cat6 cables are manufactured with larger copper conductors and an internal divider that serves to separate the pairs within the cable and reduce cross-talk noise.

 

Second, the speed. As I mentioned before, Cat6 cables are suitable for 10GBASE-T, or 10G Ethernet, while Cat5e cables support only up to 1000BASE-T, or 1G Ethernet. In addition, Cat5e and Cat6 have different distance under different transmission rate. Both Cat5e and Cat6 can allow 1G Ethernet up to 100 meters, but Cat6 has a lower max length (55 meters) and provides 33 meters in high cross talk conditions when used for 10GBASE-T (10 Gigabit Ethernet).

 

Third, the frequency. Cat6 offers the available bandwidth up to 250 MHz, while Cat5e is up to 100 MHz. The performance improvements of Cat6 include better insertion loss, near end cross talk, return loss, and equal level far end cross talk, which allow higher reliability for current applications and higher data rates for future applications.

 

Fourth, except the cable construction, speed and frequency, Cat6 has a tighter twist in the cables, which allows for two-way communication on each pair of wires, while Cat5e does not allow this feature.

 

A: The answer is yes. Today, the choice for Cat6 tends to be an economic one. Although the installed cost for Cat6 cabling can be about 20 % higher than Cat5e, the benefits of Cat6 could overweight Cat5e in terms of bandwidth, transmission performance, reliability and application support. Besides, Cat6 is backward compatible to Cat5e, which makes it very easy for customers to choose Cat6 in their networks. So Cat6 will replace Cat5e in one day.

 

A: The installation of Cat6 is the same as Cat5e very much. However, there are some notes that should pay more attention to. The larger physical cable diameter needs to be taken into account when deploying the cable pathways. When terminating Cat6, it is very important to ensure that the pair twists are maintained right up to the point of termination. Equally, it is important to follow manufacturer's instructions for terminating connectors. A poor termination can significantly reduce performance or cause test failures in the field.

 

A: There is no short length limit. The Cat6 standard is intended to work for all lengths up to 100 meters. According to the ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.1, the consolidation point should be located at least 15 meters away from the telecommunications room, in order to reduce the effect of connectors in close proximity.

 

A: Yes, Cat6 will be very effective in the residential market to support higher Internet access speeds. The better balance of Cat6 will make it easier to meet the residential EMC requirements compared to Cat5e cabling. What's more, the growth of streaming media applications to the home will increase the need for higher data rates which are supported more easily and efficiently by Cat6 cabling.

 

What we can make conclusion is that Cat6 is the smartest choice for 1G/10G copper cabling system implementations. In the long term, the performance improvements offered by Cat6 will produce an extended operational life span and protection of your Cat6 infrastructure investment.