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View Full Version : If anyone is out buying Ethernet cable..


DominicPerry
03-03-2008, 08:52 AM
Just incase anyone was rushing out to buy cable for SAC.

Cat5 Ethernet was superceeded a long time ago. Most ethernet available now is Cat5E. This is what you should buy. It's better, goes further and has more niceness to it. Cat6 is a newer, better alternative but isn't used as widely. It is more desirable, is backwardly compatible but is also often stiffer and more expensive.
Avoid buying old reels of standard Cat5 - that's my point really. Cat6 is fine if it serves your purpose.


Dominic
bcorkery
03-03-2008, 06:40 PM
I've got some Cat5 lying around. I'll use that and is cheaper than new Cat5E or Cat6. I was wondering about that though. Thanks Dom.
Mountain Media
03-04-2008, 04:40 AM
Just incase anyone was rushing out to buy cable for SAC.

Cat5 Ethernet was superceeded a long time ago. Most ethernet available now is Cat5E. This is what you should buy. It's better, goes further and has more niceness to it. Cat6 is a newer, better alternative but isn't used as widely. It is more desirable, is backwardly compatible but is also often stiffer and more expensive.
Avoid buying old reels of standard Cat5 - that's my point really. Cat6 is fine if it serves your purpose.

Dominic

Dominic is absolutely right. The Cat5 spec was replaced with 5e spec, and I think almost all 'new' cable is now 5e, though as he notes, you might find Cat5 (on shelves or used reels around). It's common to call the current Cat5e just 'Cat5', though not accurate. And I'm guilty of that, very often.

Cat6 is spec'ed for Gigabit Ethernet, with Cat5 and Cat5e more for structural wiring for multi-signal use. Both were/are used for 10/100 m/bit use, the 5(e) is less prone to crosstalk within the twisted-pairs, but does not spec out for longer runs - they both have limitations of approximately 100M for ethernet use.

Cat6 is backward compatible with Cat5/5e uses, though as noted, it is more expensive and some brands are less flexible than much of the Cat5(e) you will get. Brands make a lot of difference in flexibility and E-O-U when installing.