Why Cat 5e?

In this technological world of ours of the moment we are all interconnected by means of millions of cables, most of which are rarely, if ever, seen. This article aims to examine the integral design and function of two particular cables referred to as Category 5 cable and Category 6 cable. Category 5 cable, commonly known as Cat 5, is a twisted pair cable kind designed for high signal integrity. Many such cables are unshielded but some are shielded. Category 5 has been superseded by the Category 5e specification. One of these cable is often utilized in structured cabling for pc networks similar to Ethernet, and can also be used to transport varios data streams such as VoIP, token ring, and ATM (at as much as 155 Mbit/s, over short distances).

Organizations such as the Telecommunication Business Affiliation (TIA) and Digital Industries Affiliation (EIA) set specific product standards, and these have resulted in cables being categorized into numerous categories based mostly on their performance levels. Just in case youíre not too conversant in cabling terminology listed below are just a few simple definitions and statistics on these three frequent grades of network cable:

- Cat 5: Out of the three types of cable weíll be discussing, Category 5 is the most basic. Cat 5 cable comes in two varieties: Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP), the type widely used within the United States, and Shielded Twisted Pair, which has shielding to offer a measure of extra protection towards interference and is found primarily in Europe and industrial applications. Cables belonging to Category 5 are either solid or stranded: Solid Cat 5 is more rigid, and the higher choice if data must be transmitted over a protracted distance, whereas Stranded Cat 5 is very versatile and most probably to be used as patch cable. Cat 5 cable can handle 10 or 100 Mbps Ethernet, and has a functionality of up to 100MHz.

- Cat 5e: Cat 5e (which stands for Category 5, enhanced) cable has many similarities to Cat 5, except that it fulfills greater standards of data throughput. Whereas Cat 5 is frequent in older cabling systems, Category 5e has nearly completely replaced it in new installations. Cat 5e can deal with data transfer at 1000 Mbps, is suitable for Gigabit Ethernet, and experiences much lower ranges of crosstalk than Cat 5.

- Both CAT-5 and CAT-5e have one hundred ohm impedance and electrical characteristics supporting transmissions of at least 100 MHz. The variations between CAT-5 and CAT-5e are obvious in terms of efficiency: capacitance, frequency, resistance, attenuation, and NEXT. CAT-5e elements were designed with high speed gigabit Ethernet in mind. While CAT-5 elements might perform to a point in a gigabit Ethernet, they are exceeding spec at that point and cannot be relied upon safely. CAT-5e cables work with ATM and gigabit speed products. In short, if you are need to deliver maximum speeds, above 100 Mbps, switch to Cat 5e – now!

Frequent Questions:

Is CAT-5e backwards compatible?  Sure it works with any 10BaseT or 100BaseT network cards and hubs.  Cat 5e can be used anywhere Cat 5 is deployed currently.

Can I run CAT-5e Ethernet cable outside? CAT-5e cable is not rated for outside use. however it could actually usually be used and not cause a problem. If doable, run the cable through some sort of conduit to stop moisture and other risks associated with exposure. PVC conduit from the hardware store is recommended. Remember, one hundred meters is your max distance, without some form of hub, bridge or amplification.

What’s the operating temp for CAT-5e cable?  Working temp for CAT-5e cable: -10C to 60C

Now is the time to make the switch from Cat 5 to Cat 5e, so don’t delay.