5 Core Cat 6 Ethernet Cable 20 ft 10Gbps Network Cord - 5 Core (2024)

FAQs

Is Cat6 ethernet cable good enough? ›

Cat6 cabling is perfect for any use requiring high transfer speeds such as IoT setups in smart homes, school or enterprise networks, and large data centers. Cat6 is currently considered the global standard for ethernet and is recommended for use to “futureproof” your network.

In 10/100/1000BASE-T applications, the maximum cable distance of a Cat 6 cable is 100 metres. However, Category 6 cable segment distance drops to a maximum run length of 55 metres when used for 10GBASE-T. This cable length may be further reduced in hostile alien crosstalk environments.

As well as being able to easily support 1 Gbps network speeds, CAT6 can also support higher data rates of 10Gbps. However, 10Gbps is only supported over shorter distances of 37-55 metres. CAT6A is capable of supporting data transfer rates of up to 10Gbps at a maximum bandwidth of 500MHz.

Like CAT5e, CAT6 cables support Gigabit Ethernet segments up to 100 m, but they also allow for use in 10-Gigabit networks over a limited distance. At the beginning of this century, CAT5e typically ran to the workstations, whereas CAT6 was used as the backbone infrastructure from router to switches.

Which Ethernet cable is best? This depends on your needs, but for most home users, Cat 6 will be more than sufficient for high-speed networking, fast internet connectivity, and low-latency tasks like gaming. If you want greater performance over longer distances — over 150ft — then Cat 6a is worth considering.

Ethernet is indeed faster than Wi-Fi. The common Cat6A Ethernet cables are rated for speeds of 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) and consistently deliver that performance. On the other hand, even the fastest Wi-Fi standard, Wi-Fi 6E, can only reach speeds of a few gigabits per second.

That said, you won't see any speed changes if you use a short cable versus a long one if they're both within the specification's designated range. But all cables that extend beyond their specified range will see signal loss, which results in slower speeds.

Recommended Separation Distance for Cat6 and Electrical Wire

The recommended separation distance between Cat6 and electrical wire is typically at least 12 inches, or 30 centimeters. This separation distance helps to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI) and maintain the performance of the Cat6 cable.

10GBASE-T cables are Cat6a (Category 6 augmented), also known as Class EA cables. These support the higher frequencies required for 10Gb transmission up to 100 meters (330 feet).

The cable category with the highest bandwidth is currently Cat8 with 2 billion (2 GHz) signals per second, 20 times as many as Cat5. Data Rate and Bandwidth are related terms but they are not the same.

What are the limitations of Cat6? ›

Maximum length

When used for 10/100/1000BASE-T, the maximum allowed length of a Cat 6 cable is 100 meters (328 ft). This consists of 90 meters (295 ft) of solid horizontal cabling between the patch panel and the wall jack, plus 5 meters (16 ft) of stranded patch cable between each jack and the attached device.

If you want faster internet speeds, Cat6 is a good choice. It reduces something called “crosstalk” — signal transfers that disrupt your communication channels. If you are happy with your current internet speeds, however, Cat5 might be all you need. Besides, Cat5 cables tend to be cheaper than Cat6.

NEVER run communications cable in the same pathway as 120V or higher electrical wiring unless the pathway has a listed divider or permanent barrier to keep them separate.

It is written on the cable jacket as Cat5e or Cat6a. The 'Cat' in these terms is short for the category, which refers to the specifications it supports. For instance, if your cable jacket says “Cat6,” it means that the cable can support specifications standardized under the 6th category of Ethernet cables.

While Cat6 is more cost-effective for most networks, Cat7 provides better future-proofing for high-speed and high-interference environments.

Cat 6 supports data transfer speeds up to 10 Gbps at 250 MHz with even less (or no) crosstalk interference, due to the cable's improved insulation. However, its 10 Gbps speed is effective only up to 164 feet. Despite this limitation, Cat 6 cabling is more qualified to handle the fast pace of Gigabit Ethernet networks.

Cat5 is budget-friendly but maxes out before Gigabit speeds, while Cat6 and Cat7 offer a sweet spot for gamers with Gigabit or faster internet, providing great performance at a moderate price. Cat8 on the other hand offers even higher speeds, but is pricier and mostly an overkill for gaming needs.