This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by LSO
Classification of Ethernet Cables
In Ethernet cables, we often hear terms like Cat5, Cat5e, Cat6, including the current Cat7 and Cat8. So, what exactly do these mean? What is Cat? The English word for “Cat” is “Category”, which means category. This article will provide a detailed explanation of the differences among these cables and how to choose the Ethernet cable that suits you.
Cat5 to Cat5e: An Entry-Level Choice for Gigabit Networks
Cat5 cables have been the preferred choice for home and Internet connections, supporting a maximum bandwidth of 100MHz and a maximum rate of 100Mbps. With the popularization of gigabit networks in homes and the high demand for network quality, Cat5 cables have been completely replaced by Cat5e.
Cat5e cable is also known as Super Category 5 cable. The “e” stands for Enhanced, which means extended or enhanced version. Based on Cat5, Cat5e has improved some performance parameters, such as near-end crosstalk, attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio, and return loss. Cat5e can provide a bandwidth of 100 MHZ over a distance of 100 meters and transmit data at a rate of 1Gbps, making it a cost-effective choice for home deployment of gigabit networks.
Cat6/6a: The Cost-Effective Choice for Enterprise-Level Networks
Cat6 and Cat6a cables are the core choices for small and medium-sized enterprises to set up networks and are also the top choice for most home network deployments at present. Under the Cat6 standard, it supports a maximum transmission rate of 10Gbps, but the effective distance is only 55m. The more common application scenarios are still gigabit networks. By increasing the bandwidth to 500MHz, Cat6a cables can stably transmit at a rate of up to 10Gbps within 100 meters, while reducing signal attenuation. Cat6a adopts an aluminum foil shielding (F/UTP) or (S/FTP) structure. Its anti-electromagnetic interference capability is 40% higher than that of Cat6, making it more suitable for dense cabling environments such as vertical backbone links in office buildings.
Cat7: The Preferred Choice for Industrial Applications
Cat7 is not an IEEE cabling standard, which means it is a manufacturer-exclusive design. Cat7 adopts a double-layer shielding structure, that is, each pair of wires is independently wrapped in aluminum foil and shielded by an overall braided net, supporting a maximum bandwidth of 600MHz and a transmission rate of 10Gbps. This design can reduce external electromagnetic interference to 1/5 of Cat6a and is suitable for high-interference scenarios such as industrial plants and medical equipment rooms. In addition, Cat7 cables can support PoE++ with a maximum power supply of 90W, which can simultaneously power security cameras and wireless aps, reducing the complexity of wiring. Due to its shielding technology, it also has the drawback of an outer diameter of 8.2mm. Moreover, because of the lack of standardization, it is impossible to use the conventional RJ45 connector. A dedicated GG45 connector is required, and the deployment cost is more than three times higher than that of Cat6a. Therefore, it is not suitable for home users and is mainly targeted at the edge nodes of data centers and permanent wiring in high-end manufacturing workshops.
Cat8: The “Ultra-High-Speed Channel” of Future Network Infrastructure
Cat8 is currently the limit for copper cable transmission and is the official successor to Cat6a. It complies with IEEE and EIA standards, supporting a bandwidth of up to 2000MHz and a maximum rate of 40Gbps. (Note: Cat8.1 has a transmission rate of 25Gbps, while Cat8.2 has a transmission rate of 40Gbps. However, its effective distance is only 30 meters. At a regular distance of 30 to 100 meters, Cat8 maintains the same 10Gbps transmission rate as Cat6a. At short distances, Cat8, which has a transmission efficiency four times that of Cat6a, can replace some short-distance optical fiber links, reducing the cost of photoelectric conversion. At the same time, it can be backward compatible with Cat6/6a using RJ45 connectors and be used for smart network cards with TERA or dedicated QSFP+ connectors. Cat8 can be used in data centers and other places that require high bandwidth, short-distance places.
Cat5/5e, Cat6/6a, Cat7, Cat8 Key Performance Parameters of the Contrast
There are significant differences among different types of Ethernet cables in terms of transmission performance, shielding design and application scenarios. The following will conduct a horizontal comparison of Cat5/5e, Cat6/6a, Cat7 and Cat8 cables from dimensions such as transmission speed, bandwidth, effective distance, shielding technology and connector compatibility.
This content originally appeared on DEV Community and was authored by LSO
LSO | Sciencx (2025-11-18T01:14:08+00:00) How to Choose the Right Cat5/5e, Cat6/6a, Cat7 and Cat8 Cables?. Retrieved from https://www.scien.cx/2025/11/18/how-to-choose-the-right-cat5-5e-cat6-6a-cat7-and-cat8-cables/
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