CAT5E and CAT6 Cables

The difference between Cat5E and Cat6 cables - a few thoughts. The most important distinction between these two types of cable is the fact that the Cat6 is the latest generation. That means your capacity is grown when you choose the Cat6. It supports 10GBASE-T (10-Gigabit Ethernet) as opposed to only 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet), so the advantages are obvious.

The difference between Cat5E and Cat6 cables also concerns quality of connection. With the Cat6, you'll have a connection at your disposal which offers higher signal to noise and lower crosstalk . That's why the minor price differential shouldn't put you off.

Sooner or later, you're going to need the Cat6 to stay apace. For the time being, though, both types of cables are compatible with one another. They're capable of interfacing with even the Cat3 equipment you may still be using.

While you're going to pay about 20% more for Cat6 cables, the future looms. Investing in these now is a good idea which won't rock your operational boat, as there are no compatibility issues with older generation cables.

For cables that double your connection speed, we think 20% more is not much to ask.

How to tell them apart. In almost every case, you'll find the cable category printed right on the product. Cat6 Ethernet cables will also be somewhat larger in circumference than Cat5E, because of the additional thickness of the copper wires inside.

Availability and Cat6 benefits. Cat5E are more ubiquitous, but seeking out the Cat6 is worth the effort and the price differential for the reasons stated above. Even if it's for your home set up, the increased speed is a delight for those of us who live to connect at light speed.

Cat6 will do that for you, so this generation of cable is worth sourcing for that reason alone, but there are other motivations.

Connecting with Cat6 cuts interference and NEXT (Near End Cross Talk), as well as ELFEXT (equal level far end crosstalk). With this generation of cable, you'll enjoy significantly fewer errors and enhanced data rates during transmission.

So essentially, the difference tween Cat5E and Cat6 cables is not only quality of transmission, but expanded capacity and speed. We're not saying you should junk your Cat5E cables, but Cat6 is such an enticing proposition, we can't think why you wouldn't.

The next generation of Ethernet cable has arrived and it's only marginally costlier. Yet, it offers double the connection speed. That alone makes the outlay worth it, but when the other benefits are considered and the fact that Cat6 is streaming in as the standard, it's a bargain.

Vitex - connecting at light speed. The difference between Cat5E and Cat6 cables is clear enough. Contact us if you're ready for an upgrade to Cat6. Vitex is here to connect you at light speed, supporting your enterprise by helping it meet its goals by staying ahead of the pack.

Vitex provides high performance solutions for fiber optic communications, working with global manufacturers in Asia. Our team connects you at light speed, with industry innovation that supports 21st Century communications with knowledge.

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