Saturday, September 21, 2019

Difference between Ethernet cables ?

Difference between Ethernet cables?

Not all Ethernet cables are the same, so what is the difference, and how do you know which you should use? In this short guide we take a look at the technical and physical differences between the Ethernet cables available on broadband buyer.

Ethernet cables are grouped into sequentially numbered categories (e.g CAT5) based on different specifications; sometimes the category is updated with further clarification or testing standards (e.g. CAT5e, CAT6a). These categories are how we can easily know what type of cable we need for a specific application. For our IP Surveillance ( IP Camera, Access Control, BAS, Intrusion ... etc) CAT6 is recommended to install, including PoE based design. 

Manufacturers are required to adhere to the standards which makes our lives easier.

CAT Technical differences

The difference in Ethernet cable specification is not as easy to see as physical changes; so let’s look at what each category does and does not support. Below is a chart for reference when picking cable for your application based on the standards for that category.

Difference between Ethernet cables
Length
10Mb/s
100Mb/s
1GbE
10GbE
PoE
Mhz
CAT5
100
Y
Y
Y
100
CAT5e
100
Y
Y
Y
Y
100
CAT6
100 (55 for 10GbE)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
250
CAT6a
100
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
500

You may notice that as the category number gets higher, so does the speed and Mhz of the wire. This is not a coincidence, because each category brings more stringent testing for eliminating crosstalk (XT) and adding isolation between the wires.

Category 5 cable was revised in 2001, and mostly replaced with Category 5 Enhanced (CAT5e) cable which did not change anything physically in the cable, but instead applied more stringent testing standards for crosstalk. Category 6 was revised between 2002 with Category 6 Augmented (CAT6a) in 2008 that provided testing for 500 Mhz communication (compared to CAT6 - 250 Mhz). The higher communication frequency eliminated alien crosstalk (AXT) which allows for longer range at 10 GB/s.

Physical Differences

So how does a physical cable eliminate interference and allow for faster speeds? It does it through wire twisting and isolation. Cable twisting was invented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1881 for use on telephone wires that were run along side power lines. He discovered that by twisting the cable every 3-4 utility poles, it reduced the interference and increased the range. Twisted pair became the basis for all Ethernet cables to eliminate interference between internal wires (XT), and external wires (AXT).


There are two main physical differences between CAT5 and CAT6 cables, the number of twists per cm in the wire, and sheath thickness.

Cable twisting length is not standardised but typically there are 1.5-2 twists per cm in CAT5(e) and 2+ twists per cm in CAT6. Within a single cable, each colored pair will also have different twist lengths based on prime numbers so that no two twists ever align. The amount of twists per pair is usually unique for each cable manufacturer.

Many CAT6 cables also include a nylon spline which helps eliminate crosstalk. Although the spline is not required in CAT5 cable, some manufacturers include it anyway. In CAT6 cable, the spline is not required either as long as the cable tests according to the standard.


The nylon spline helps reduce crosstalk in the wire, with the thicker sheath protecting against Near End Crosstalk (NEXT) and Alien Crosstalk (AXT), which both occur more often as the frequency (Mhz) increases. In this picture below, the CAT5e sheath has the thinnest sheath versus CAT6 but it also was the only one with the nylon spline.
Shielded (FTP) vs. Unshielded (UTP)
Because all Ethernet cables are twisted, manufacturers use shielding to further protect the cable from interference. For example, Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) can easily be used for cables between your computer and the wall but you will want to use Foil Shielded Cable (FTP) for areas with high interference and running cables outdoors or inside walls.
There are different ways to shield an Ethernet cable, but typically it involves putting a shield around each pair of wire in the cable. This protects the pairs from crosstalk internally. Manufacturers can further protect cables from alien crosstalk with additional cable shielding beneath the sheath. The diagram below shows the different types of Ethernet shielding and the codes used to differentiate them.

10 comments:

ANDRAINO ADAMS said...

Good articles, Have you heard of LFDS (Le_Meridian Funding Service, Email: lfdsloans@outlook.com --WhatsApp Contact:+1-9893943740--lfdsloans@lemeridianfds.com) is as USA/UK funding service they grant me loan of $95,000.00 to launch my business and I have been paying them annually for two years now and I still have 2 years left although I enjoy working with them because they are genuine Loan lender who can give you any kind of loan.

Anonymous said...

Nice clarification sir, i am based in india. this post is learn for me.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing this quality information with us.
I really enjoyed reading...

No Name said...

Hey Guys !

USA Fresh & Verified SSN Leads with DL Number AVAILABLE with 99.9% connectivity
All Leads have genuine & valid information

**HEADERS IN LEADS**
First Name | Last Name | SSN | Dob | DL Number | Address | City | State | Zip | Phone Number | Account Number | Bank Name | Employee Details | IP Address

*Price for SSN lead $2
*You can ask for sample before any deal
*If anyone buy in bulk, we can negotiate
*Sampling is just for serious buyers

==>ACTIVE, FRESH CC & CVV FULLZ AVAILABLE<==
->$5 PER EACH

->Hope for the long term deal
->Interested buyers will be welcome

**Contact 24/7**
Whatsapp > +923172721122
Email > leads.sellers1212@gmail.com
Telegram > @leadsupplier
ICQ > 752822040

Riajengenelen said...

Hello everyone, Are you into trading or just wish to give it a try, please becareful on the platform you choose to invest on and the manager you choose to manage your account because that’s where failure starts from be wise. After reading so much comment i had to give trading tips a try, I have to come to the conclusion that binary options pays massively but the masses has refused to show us the right way to earn That’s why I have to give trading tips the accolades because they have been so helpful to traders . For a free masterclass strategy kindly contact (paytondyian699@gmail.com) for a free masterclass strategy. He'll give you a free tutors on how you can earn and recover your losses in trading for free..

amanda joseph said...

Key Lock Insert

Joe Roberts said...

Your blog is very informative thanks for sharing. Do you need a bulk Ethernet cable? Bulk Ethernet Cables are perfect for connecting large numbers of devices together. They're also great for use in industrial settings, where tight space constraints can be a problem.

Smartech Cables said...

The Cat6 1000ft outdoor/indoor network cables are commonly known as Bulk Cat6 Cable and it is a standardized twisted pair of cables. This type of networking cable is used in structured cabling to connect devices such as computers, printers, routers or any other networking hardware to the switch or router in order to create a network.

DINTEK Electronic Limited said...

Nice blog!!

Thanks for sharing this information.

Want to purchase the best Cat5e cabling solution then contact us. DINTEK Electronic Ltd offers a cat 5e end-to-end UTP cabling solution to provide transmission performance margins above industry standards. DINTEK Cat5e cable is able to support networks that run up to 1 gigabit per second. To know more, visit us.

Kate said...

check more