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What is the difference between different categories of Ethernet cables? (CAT5 / CAT5e / CAT6 / CAT6a)

Different categories of UTP (Unshielded Twisted Pair) cabling were created for better performance in certain applications. As a general rule, the higher the category number, the higher the noise reduction and lower attenuation, and consequently the higher the bandwidth. For example, CAT6 can handle higher data rates at longer distances than CAT5 can. Newer categories have been added since the original revision to achieve these higher data rates.

The most widely used cable for Ethernet is CAT5e, which is good for most gigabit Ethernet applications. StarTech.com offers CAT5e, CAT6, and CAT6a Ethernet cables.

Any cable type can be used in any application as long as it meets the transfer speeds required for the application.

The following table compares the UTP cable categories:

Category Typical Application Maximum frequency Maximum length for application
CAT5 10/100 Mbps Ethernet 100 Mhz

100 meters for 100BASE-T

CAT5e

10/100/Gigabit Ethernet

100 MHz

100 meters for 1000BASE-T

CAT6 Gigabit Ethernet 250 MHz

100 meters for 1000BASE-T

CAT6a 10-Gigabit Ethernet 500 MHz

100 meters for 10GBASE-T

Note: The performance of any UTP cable is dependent on the length used and how the cable is terminated.

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This FAQ applies to these products:
45PAT1MBK 45PAT1MBL 45PAT1MGR 45PAT1MOR 45PAT1MRD 45PAT1MWH 45PAT1MYL 45PAT2MBK 45PAT2MBL 45PAT2MGN 45PAT2MGR 45PAT2MRD 45PAT2MWH 45PAT3MBK 45PAT3MBL 45PAT3MGR 45PAT3MWH 45PAT5MBK 45PAT5MBL 45PAT5MGR 45PATCH15GR 45PATCH25GR C6ASPAT10AQ C6ASPAT10BK C6ASPAT12AQ C6ASPAT12BK C6ASPAT12GR C6ASPAT14BK C6ASPAT15AQ C6ASPAT15BK C6ASPAT15BL C6ASPAT15GR C6ASPAT1AQ C6ASPAT1BK C6ASPAT20AQ C6ASPAT20BK C6ASPAT20BL C6ASPAT20GR C6ASPAT25AQ C6ASPAT25GR C6ASPAT2AQ C6ASPAT2BK C6ASPAT2BL C6ASPAT2GR C6ASPAT30AQ C6ASPAT30BK C6ASPAT30BL C6ASPAT30GR C6ASPAT35AQ C6ASPAT35BK C6ASPAT35GR C6ASPAT3AQ C6ASPAT3BK C6ASPAT4AQ C6ASPAT4BK C6ASPAT4BL C6ASPAT4GR C6ASPAT5AQ C6ASPAT5BK C6ASPAT5BL C6ASPAT6AQ C6ASPAT6BK C6ASPAT6BL C6ASPAT6GR C6ASPAT6INAQ C6ASPAT6INBK C6ASPAT6INBL C6ASPAT7AQ C6ASPAT7BK C6ASPAT8AQ C6ASPAT8BK C6ASPAT8BL C6ASPAT8GR C6ASPAT9GR C6CROSS1MYL C6PATCH100OR C6PATCH100RD C6PATCH10BK C6PATCH10BL C6PATCH10GR C6PATCH10PL C6PATCH15BK C6PATCH15BL C6PATCH15OR C6PATCH15PL C6PATCH1BL C6PATCH20OR C6PATCH20PL C6PATCH25OR C6PATCH25PL C6PATCH2BL C6PATCH35GN C6PATCH35OR C6PATCH3BK C6PATCH3BL C6PATCH3GR C6PATCH3RD C6PATCH3WH C6PATCH3YL C6PATCH50BL C6PATCH50OR C6PATCH50PL C6PATCH50RD C6PATCH6BK C6PATCH6BL C6PATCH6OR C6PATCH6PL C6PATCH75BL C6PATCH75GR C6PATCH7BL CRJ4550PK CRJ45C6STR50 M45PATCH10BK M45PATCH10BL M45PATCH10GR M45PATCH3BL M45PATCH6BK M45PATCH6BL M45PATCH6GR M45PATCH7BL M45PATCH7GR N6PATC10MGN N6PATC10MOR N6PATC10MRD N6PATC10MWH N6PATC10MYL N6PATC7MOR N6PATC7MRD N6PATC7MWH N6PATC7MYL N6PATCH10BK N6PATCH10BL N6PATCH14BK N6PATCH14GN N6PATCH14GR N6PATCH14OR N6PATCH14PL N6PATCH14RD N6PATCH14WH N6PATCH1BK N6PATCH1BL N6PATCH1GN N6PATCH1OR N6PATCH1PL N6PATCH1RD N6PATCH1WH N6PATCH25BK N6PATCH25BL N6PATCH3BL N6PATCH6BL N6PATCH6GR N6PATCH6INBK N6PATCH6INBL N6PATCH6INGN N6PATCH6INOR N6PATCH6INPL N6PATCH6INRD N6PATCH6INWH N6PATCH6OR N6PATCH6PL N6PATCH6RD N6PATCH6WH N6PATCH7BL N6PATCH7GR N6SPAT1MBK N6SPAT2MBK N6SPAT3MBK N6SPAT5MBK RJ45COUPLER RJ45PATCH10 RJ45PATCH6 RJ45PATCH7 WIR5ECMRBK WIR5ECMRWH WIR6CMRBK WIR6CMRBL WIR6CMRGR WIRC5ECMR WIRC5ECMRGRY
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