The debate about choosing the right ethernet cable never ends unless you are not sure about which cable is best for you. For heavy installations, Bulk Ethernet Cables are the perfect companion for your complete network cabling within the building.
There are a series of ethernet cables that are used for the different types of server speeds and according to the computer and the devices that are needed to connect with the network cable. The most common types of ethernet cables according to the outer jackets are as follows.
- Ethernet Cable Cat5e
- Cat5e Plenum Copper Cable
- Cat5e Riser Cable
- Ethernet Cable Cat6
- Cat6 Plenum Ethernet Cable
- Cat6 Riser Bare Copper Cable
- Ethernet Cable Cat6a
- Cat 6a Plenum Cable
- Cat6a Riser Solid Copper
The above cable types have different installation demands and usage, and if you proceed from Cat5e Ethernet Cable to Cat6a Ethernet Cable, you will see an abrupt change in the speed, bandwidth, and performance can be witnessed.
What Is Ethernet?
Ethernet is the broad term for a source to align your devices to active internet access with wired heroes made of Copper and Stranded Conductors. Also, these wired cables are involved in making LAN (Local Area Connection) or WAN (Wide Area Connection). The following are the best possible explanations of Ethernet.
- Wired Technology
- Just like WiFi which uses Radio waves for data transmission similarly, Bulk Ethernet Cables are low-voltage cables to transfer the data by using electrical impulses (Data Packets). They are fast, reliable, and future-proof the cabling infrastructure.
- Network Connections
- Your device needs internet access to browse or send files while working from home or at the office. Wired cables play an important role in providing the best authentic performance. Like Cat5e Ethernet Cable.
- Standardized Protocols
- Ethernet follows (IEEE 802.3) protocol that defines how data is transmitted, received, and formatted to transfer to various devices. For fast and smooth transmission speed Cat6 Ethernet Cable and Cat6a Ethernet Cables are used.
- Speed and Performance
- No matter what ethernet cable you buy this is for sure the main reason for buying Bulk Ethernet Cables is associated with transmission speed and conductivity. Just like the Cat 6 riser cable, a cost-efficient cable is just an excellent choice for futureproofing and securing gigabit speed.
In essence, the ethernet cables are connected with the required hardware devices which enables them to communicate efficiently.
Internal and External Structure of Ethernet Cables
For a precise and clear understanding let me divide the information according to the category cables. The internal structure is different when you advance with the category cables.
Cat5e Ethernet Cable
The cable comes with two most sophisticated jackets Cat5e Plenum Copper Cable and Cat5e Riser Cable. Both jackets come in multiple color options for cable management purposes. The internal structure of the cable comprises 8 conductor wires having color insulation jackets to use at the time of terminating the cable with an RJ45 connector. These 8 wires collectively form 4 twisted pairs according to the color combination. You can observe 4-5 twists per inch in the whole twisted pair to cancel the EMI or attenuation.
Cat6 Ethernet Cable
The next advanced LAN cable in the ethernet cable category also comes with both the jackets Plenum and Riser. The Bulk Cat6 Plenum Cable is more expensive than the Cat6 Riser Bare Copper Cable. This counts with the maximum capacity of the plenum to survive under harsh conditions.
The internal structure is the same having twisted pairs but they are more tightly bound together like 5-6 twists per inch. This enables them to maintain the electrical stream throughout the cable length. There is another feature known as a twisted pair separator (Spline). The spline is a plastic material that helps reduce the pair-to-pair crosstalk.
Cat6a Ethernet Cable
The cat6a ethernet cable is a high-graded one in the ethernet cable category. This is the most expensive cable to use for Commercial and Industrial applications. The cable is slightly thicker than the Cat5e ethernet cable and the Cat6 ethernet cable.
The internal structure of the cable is more rigid and sophisticated to show the best bandwidth to support Fast Ethernet Applications. The internal structure of the cable has even tight twisted pairs that depict 6-7 twists per inch to the entire length of the cable to avoid hindrance from outside electrical noise.
The Cat6a Ethernet Cable also comes with the two most dominant jackets Plenum and Riser. Cat6a Plenum Cable is an expensive cable whereas Cat6a riser solid copper cable is cost-effective.
Understanding Speed and Performance
In technical terms, the speed of the cable is defined as the 10BASE-T (Ethernet), 100BASE-T (Fast Ethernet), 1000BASE-T (Gigabit Ethernet), and 10GBASE-T (Future Ethernet) set by IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
Different LAN cables work for low to high-speed ratings as set by various ISPs (Internet Service Providers). Like Cat5e Riser Cable, it uses a 24 AWG conductor size which illustrates the transmission capacity of the data through its conductors. It is more suitable for offices, homes, and SMEs to access the Internet. After buying Cat5e riser cable in copper conductor all your worries regarding network connectivity will vanish. Cat5e riser cable can be used for short and long distances. At shorter distances 164ft, the cable supports 1000 Mbps (1 Gbps) speed, and at longer distances 328ft, it supports 100 Mbps speed. The bandwidth of the cable is 350 MHz which is double the value of the previous Cat5 cable.
Cat6 and Cat6a Ethernet Cables
Both of these cables are most commonly used for Commercial and Industrial setups keeping the record clean for signal transmission and performance. If we talk about Cat6 Plenum Ethernet Cable the cable is in high demand due to its FEP-rated jacket, fast data transmission speed 1/10 GbE over longer and shorter distances, and the 550 MHz bandwidth speed. The conductor size of both cables is 23 AWG, the lower the AWG value the thicker will be the conductor.
Furthermore, the cat6a shows a 10 Gbps constant speed over longer and shorter distances. The Cat 6a Plenum Cable is one of the most secure and reliable to deliver 750 MHz bandwidth which counts for running Fast Ethernet Applications like PoE, high-resolution video streaming, online meetings, operating robotic machineries, etc.
Types of Ethernet Cable
There are various types of ethernet cables just for your knowledge to understand the need and demand for the LAN cable.
- Straight Through Cable — used to connect with different devices computer to router
- Crossover Cable — used to connect with same devices from computer to computer.
- Solid Ethernet Cables — made of solid conductors to smoothen the performance
- Stranded Ethernet Cables — clusters of tiny strands to make a conductor for solid performance.
Ethernet Cable Categories
| Ethernet Cable | Speed | Connector | Composition | Bandwidth |
| Cat5e Plenum | 100/1 Mbps speed | RJ45 Connector | FEP Rated Plenum Jacket | 350 MHz |
| Cat5e Riser | PVC jacket | |||
| Cat6 Plenum | 1/10 GbE Speed | RJ45 Connector | FEP Rated Plenum Jacket | 550 MHz |
| Cat6 Riser | PVC fire-resistant jacket | |||
| Cat6a Plenum | 10 Gbps speed | RJ45 Connector | FEP Flame retardant jacket | 750 MHz |
| Cat6a Riser | PVC Jacket |
Final Thought
Choosing the right LAN cable depends on the server speed and the use for commercial and industrial applications, there are other reasons why applications are required to run on specific cables.
Cat5e Ethernet Cable is best suitable for Fast and Gigabit Ethernet speeds. Unlike cat5e cables, Cat6 and Cat6a cables are more valuable to use for commercial and industrial applications. This guide will provide you with the maximum details for buying the right network cable according to your server.
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