What is the difference between Cat5 and CAT 6 cables?

It is a fact that technology is evolving at a faster rate and also changing rapidly. Besides, modern technology is now adapting to effectively meet the users’ modern-day requirements and one of the latest topics in this field is data capacity. As per the experts, it has reached a new height, and on the other hand, the data processing power requirements also have increased. So, to meet the increasing data processing demand, modern technology has introduced Cat 5 and Cat 6. These two are considered faster, powerful, and efficient network cabling systems. Even though they are used for networking, there is some difference between cat5 cables and cat6 cables that you should know. 

What do you mean by Cat 5 cables?

Also called Category 5, it comes with a twisted pair setting that is an Ethernet standard networking cable used for computer networks. This type of cable is now outdated and can support around 100MHz frequencies and up to 100 Mbps of data transfer speed. 

What do you mean by cat 6 cables?

This is an advanced Ethernet connection cable that offers faster and more reliable speed compared to Cat5e or Cat5. Different from cat5 cables, it can easily attain up to 10Gbps of data transfer speed and can support around 250 MHz frequencies. 

Understanding the difference

• Frequency

While a Cat5 can attain 100 MHz of frequencies, the Cat6 can easily support around 250 MHz frequencies. So, for better frequency, Cat6 is an ideal option. Cat5 adheres to the 1000 Base-t or TX standard. But, a Cat6 works on 10GBASE-T standard. 

• Bandwidth

Both the cables come with copper wires, but they will differ in data transmission performance. As per some studies, with a cat5 cable, you can attain a speed of up to 100 Mbps. However, using a Cat 6 cable, you can easily enjoy up to 10 Gbps. 

• Crosstalk

As per some studies, Cat6 comes with more stringent specifications for system noise and crosstalk. It offers much lower interference and NEXT- Near-End Crosstalk. However, Cat 5 lacks this feature. On the other hand, Cat6 is proved to be effective in improving the ELFEXT- Equal Level Far End Crosstalk. So, you will enjoy a faster data transfer rate, fewer errors, and less system noise. 

• Length

Per network segment, the length of both Cat6 and Cat5 is around 100m. Remember that the maximum speed limit will never go beyond 100m. As a result, there can be a slow connection. Sometimes, you may need a length of more than 100 m, and for that, you can use switches or repeaters. For 10GBASE-T, the length of a Cat6 cable will be 55m. After that, the rate will go down to 1GBASE-T.

• Backward Compatibility

In terms of this, Cat6 demonstrates perfect backward compatibility with both Cat5 and Cat5e cables. So, there will be no issue. That’s why more than 90 percent of networking infrastructure has Cat6. 

Which One Should You Use? 

Well, in general, there are two major types of applications that will require such network cables. These are commercial and residential applications. 

Now speaking about the commercial applications in homes, computers, printers, smart TV, gaming consoles, and other such devices will require a network cable to operate smoothly. And considering the bandwidth requirements, it can be said that cat5 cables can be a perfect option for this. In fact, some studies say such cables can demonstrate faster speed than the normal internet connection.  

However, in the case of commercial applications, there is a huge demand for faster internet connections. Besides, the internal connection speeds should also be more. So, for editing videos, transferring large files, photos, audio, or while doing 3D rendering, you can use cat6 cables. These cables can transfer such files at a faster speed. 

Final Words

A cat5 cable is an idea for small-scale residential applications. If your business needs a robust networking installation, then cat6 is the best option for you. Cat6 follows the 10 GBASE-T standard and is perfect for heavy industrial applications. However, whether you are buying cat5 cables or cat6 cables, you should make sure that the cables have 100 percent copper. Remember that a poor cabling system can cause around 70 percent of network downtime. So, buy the best quality cables to prevent downtime.