What is different between Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a, and Cat7?

Nowadays, with the concept of the Internet era gradually taking root in the hearts of the people, our life and the network have gradually become inseparable. First of all, when we talk about the word network, we may first think of network devices, such as switches, routers, fiber optic modem and so on. In fact, the network cable is the "blood" of the network, although the network cable is very common everywhere, but in the core application of the network, the application of network cable still occupies an important position.

There are many kinds of network cables. At present, the widely used network cables are mainly divided into four categories: Cat5e network Patch Cord Cable, Cat6 network Patch Cord Cable, Cat6a network Patch Cord Cable and Cat7 network Patch Cord Cable. As followings, Litang will introduce the Cat5e/Cat6/Cat6a/Cat7 network cable series in details for you.

Cat5e network Patch Cord Cable.

Compared with Category 5 Patch Cord Cable, Category 5e network Patch Cord Cable have the advantages of low attenuation, low crosstalk, higher attenuation crosstalk ratio ((ACR)), signal noise ratio (SNR) and smaller delay error. The maximum bandwidth of Category 5e is 100MHz, and the wire diameter is standard 24AWG , which is suitable for gigabit Ethernet networks.

Cat6 network Patch Cord Cable.

The transmission performance of CAT6 network Patch Cord Cable is much higher than that of CAT5E, which is most suitable for gigabit network transmission applications. Compared with the CAT5E network, the performance of Category 6 network is better than that of the Category 5e network in terms of crosstalk and echo loss, and the excellent echo loss performance is extremely important for high speed network applications. The transmission bandwidth of CAT6 network Patch Cord Cable is 250MHz.

Cat6a network Patch Cord Cable.

Category 6A network Patch Cord Cable is an improved version of Category 6, which is mainly used in 10 Gigabit networks. Compared with cat6 network cables, the performance of cat6a network Patch Cord Cable in external crosstalk has been greatly improved. The transmission bandwidth of cat6a network Patch Cord Cable is 500MHz, and the maximum transmission speed can also reach 10Gbps.

Cat7 network Patch Cord Cable.

CAT7 network Patch Cord Cable is no longer an unshielded twisted pair, but a shielded twisted pair, which is mainly suitable for the application and development of 10 Gigabit Ethernet technology. CAT7 network Patch Cord Cable transmission bandwidth can reach at least 600MHz, and the transmission rate can reach 10 Gbps.

What are the difference between Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7 network cables?

Generally speaking, the four types of network cables Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7 are not very different from each other in appearance, but they can be distinguished in the following ways.

1, it can be distinguished directly by the information on the outer sheath of Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7 network cable, and the relevant information will be printed on the sheath and outer package.

2, the network cable which has been badly worn, the similar information can not be seen on the outer sheath, which can be judged by the signal lights of the network equipment. Nowadays, many network devices have different indicators for different network speeds. As shown in the following figure, each Ethernet access has two green lights on the left and right, the left light indicates the 100m speed, the right light indicates the 10m speed, and both lights indicate that the device is connected to 1000m. This method is generally applicable to distinguish between 100 megabit network and gigabit network.

3,Using a professional network cable tester.

Li Tang Interconnection (www.litangcables.com) has a world leading position in the field of fiber optic communications, supplying a variety of Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6a and Cat7 network system products for global enterprises, with leading R & D capabilities and strong production capacity. We provide a full set of network Patch Cord Cable customization services, such as length, color, specifications, materials, packaging, etc., all network cables have been strictly tested before leaving the factory to ensure smooth connection. For more details, please visit our website.(learn more)