Material, explained
Cat 5e or Cat 6?
Is it worth moving from Cat 5e to Cat 6?
For anything new, yes. Both carry Gigabit Ethernet to 100 metres, so on today's traffic they behave the same, and that is the whole argument for Cat 5e. Cat 6 has two and a half times the bandwidth and a headroom margin that shows up in a test report, and 10 Gigabit is not specified over Cat 5e at all. Cat 5e earns its place on additions to an existing Cat 5e installation.
Both are defined by ANSI/TIA-568.2-D, ISO/IEC 11801 Classes D and E.
Side by side
| Cat 5e | Cat 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth | 100 MHz | 250 MHz |
| Gigabit Ethernet | 100 m | 100 m |
| 10 Gigabit Ethernet | Not specified over it | 37 to 55 m, crosstalk dependent |
| Test report headroom | Least of the three classes | Comfortable at Gigabit |
| Specify it when | Matching an existing Cat 5e installation | Anything new that is not going to 10 Gigabit |
Cat 5e, on the shelf
- NPG-5E1TRA031-100
- Cat 5E/6/6A Shielded 24-port Unloaded Angled Jack Panel, 1U 760237048
- Cat 5E/6/6A Shielded 24-port Unloaded Straight Jack Panel, 1U 760237046
- Cat 5E/6/6A UTP 24-port Unloaded Angled Jack Panel, 1U 760237042
- Cat 5E/6/6A UTP 24-port Unloaded Modular Straight Jack Panel, 1U 760237040
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter 1903402
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, Black 1903402-2
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, Blue 1903402-4
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, Green 1903402-5
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, Orange 1903402-6
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, Red 1903402-3
- EHR-Series Modular Jack, RJ45, Cat5e Unshielded, with Shutter, White 1903402-1
Cat 6, on the shelf
- NPG-C61TRA501-100
- NPG-C62STL502-100
- NPG-C62STL502-100-1.3
- UniFi Indoor Cable Cat6 CMP U-Cable-C6-CMP
- UniFi Indoor Cable Cat6 CMR U-Cable-C6-CMR
- Cat 6 U/UTP LSZH Cord, RJ45 to Ceiling Connector, 1.5 ft, Black 760235585
- Cat 6 U/UTP LSZH Cord, RJ45 to Ceiling Connector, 1.5 ft, White 760235586
- 4-pair Cat6 U/UTP, 305m Roll, Gray, LSZH 884036314/10
- 4-pair Cat6 U/UTP, 305m Roll, White, LSZH 884036914/10
- 4-pair Cat6 U/UTP, 305m Roll, Yellow, LSZH 884037014/10
- Cat 6 U/UTP LSZH Patch Cord (NETCONNECT) · black · 3 m NPC06UZDB-BK003M
- Cat 6 U/UTP LSZH Patch Cord (NETCONNECT) · black · 4 m NPC06UZDB-BK004M
Other choices we get asked about
Still not sure which the job needs? Describe the run and our team will tell you, and quote it.
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