Things You Should Know About Ethernet Cable
As an important type of network cable, Ethernet cable is a medium to connect Ethernet ports on routers, computers, TVs, PCs, and network-enabled devices in local area networks (LANs). Ethernet cables play an indispensable role in both residential and commercial cabling. When choosing and using a suitable Ethernet cable, we’d better know clearly the types of Ethernet cables and their respective properties as well as uses.
Introduction of Ethernet Cable
At the end of each Ethernet cable lies a small modular plug, often a registered jack 45 (RJ45) connector with a small lever on the top to fix and unfix the Ethernet cable.
Apart from the connector, another typical structure of an Ethernet cable is twisted pair copper cable, which means two wires inside the cable are twisted together. Twisted pair can be shielded or unshielded. Twisted pair with foil shields is known as shielded twisted pair (STP). Twisted pair without foil shields is known as unshielded twisted pair (UTP). Usually, STP Ethernet cable can reduce electrical noise and improve connection quality.
Shield Twisted Pair (STP)
Unshield Twisted Pair (UTP)
Types of Common Ethernet Cables
Ethernet cables have been keeping upgrading. Some obsolete Ethernet cable types have ceased application like Cat1 cable, Cat2 cable , and Cat3 cable. Now the Ethernet cables still active in the market include Cat5e cable, Cat6 cable, Cat6a cable, Cat7 cable, and Cat8 cable.
Cat5e Cable
Cat5e cable, or Cat5 enhanced cable, is constructed with tighter twisting rates inside wires than Cat5 cable, and uses four pairs of copper wires to send data. It is capable of 1000 Mbps speeds at 100 meters of cable length and reducing crosstalk, the interference caused by electromagnetic signal emissions from adjacent wires. Considerably cheaper than other cables, Cat5e cable is likely a better choice in situation where cost is a significant factor. Typical devices using Cat5e cable include PCs, current generation gaming platforms, 10/100/1000 Mbps network cards, hubs, routers, and switches.
Cat5e UTP Cable
Cat6 Cable
Cat6 cable is more tightly wound than Cat5e cable and features 2 or more twists per cm, with a thicker sheathing and a nylon spline in the center of the copper cable pairs. Though both Cat5e cables and Cat6 cables can support the transmission distance of 100 meters, Cat6 cables are capable of much faster speeds (10 Gbps) at 55m cable lengths and meet more stringent specifications for crosstalk and system noise. Cat6 cables are used at the network’s backbone because of the distance limitations.
Cat6 STP Cable
Cat6a Cable
Cat6a cable, or Cat6 augmented cable, shares the same construction with Cat6 cable and the two cables are compatible with each other. In fact, Cat6a cables can carry 10 Gbps data speeds up to 100 meter distances, able to avoid crosstalk, especially alien crosstalk. Compared to Cat5e cable and Cat6 cable, Cat6a cables are more expensive. Due to their improved shielding and thickness, Cat6a cables are better suited for industrial deployments than residential ones.
Cat6a STP Cable
Cat7 Cable
Cat7 cable is constructed with both twisted pair shielding and a layer of shielding around the entire cable. It must be grounded. Cat7 cable can support speeds of 10 Gbps at a distance up to 100 meters. Cat7 cables are generally used for data centers or very large enterprise networks.
Cat7 Cable
Cat8 Cable
Cable8 cable, with 4 pairs respectively shielded with a foil wrapping and then a braid shield around the group of wires, has the maximum level of protection from interference and is condemned to be the highest performance copper cable, and of course the most expensive. It is able to support speeds of 25Gbps or 40Gbps. Cat8 cable is still not widely available, but the demand is already strong. Data centers are itching for a sublime copper cable that can compete with fiber optic cable. Basically, any operation that needs fiber optic cable might use Cat8 cable over the next few years.
Cat8 STP Cable
Though Cat8 cables are still not popularizing in the market, some companies like FS.COM have developed their unique Cat8 cables. FS Cat8 cables have passed the Fluke Channel Test and delivered specified testing report, in which include NEXT, return loss, ACR-F as well as ACR-N. The report indicates every patch cable is of high quality and performance.
Conclusion
Ultimately, which Ethernet cable to choose and use will depend on factors of cost, network speed demands, environment, and expected life of the cabling. With the constant development, Cat5e cable, Cat6 cable, Cat6a cable, Cat7 cable and Cat8 cable are more excellent successively. We will continually witness more superb Ethernet cables spring up in the future.