However, if you are looking for a replacement cable, it’s a good idea to choose one of the more recent versions to take advantage of both speeds and future-proof your setup. They can also provide better shielding, which can help protect your data while it’s in transit. On its own, a fast Ethernet cable won’t make a big difference, but a good cable can work together with other high-end network devices to ensure that your connection is as strong as possible. What does Cat mean?

Cat 8 components can be used as a substitute for Cat 7A. If there is a specification to use Cat 7A on a project, Cat 8 will work in place of the specification. Category 6 cable appeared at the start of the 21st century and remains popular with home networkers. Category 6 runs at up to 250MHz and sometimes used shielding around the bundle of data-carrying wires to reduce interference. Capable of moving up to 1Gbps over 330 feet, or 10Gbps for about half that, Cat 6A upgraded the spec to 500MHz for 330 feet of 1Gbps throughput. (See our primer on Gigabit-speed internet to learn why that 1Gbps threshold is so important.) Cat 6, Cat 6A, and Cat 7 can all support up to 10Gbps connections up to 55 meters. But where a Cat 6 Ethernet cable can only transmit up to 1Gbps over cables up to 100 meters in length, Cat 6A and Cat 7 can do 10Gbps over the full 100 meters. Unofficially, Cat 7 can do up to 40 Gbps over 50 meters, but there are newer cables that can do that officially, so it’s not particularly useful. If you want, you can just choose the latest Cat number (8 at the moment) for future-proofing and not worry about the rest. Or, you could take a look at what each Category is suitable for in our handy list below: Cat 1 through Cat 5 he will not allow me to plug anything into his router.… The distance between his router inside the office upward to the roof is about 15 feetThis 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. GG45: The GG45 connector has four additional conductors that provide support for frequencies of up to 600 MHz.

We have only covered Unshielded Twisted Pair or UTP for Cat5e & Cat6. Cat6a, Cat7/7a & Cat8 must be shielded. Please be aware that their are many other variants of shielded Cat5e & Cat6 Cable, including FTP / STP or even S/STP, etc. If you need further advice please get in touch. However, if you are one of the few who want or need a Cat7 Ethernet cable or three, then you need to be sure that what you're buying is Cat7. Don't be caught out by Cat6A masquerading as the older standard. Be sure you buy from a reputable cable trader like Cable Matters and if in doubt, get in touch with support to find out exactly what type of Ethernet cable you’re buying. Do You Need Cat7 in 2023?Maximum run length restricted to 30-36 metres. This means it is not intended for office environments. It is for connecting data centre equipment – such as a server – to switch high speed links. Summary Cat 8 also is the only cable to meet the latest IEEE standards (the aforementioned 40Gbps and 2,000MHz frequency), which is one reason it’s a great choice for future-proofing, despite the significantly higher costs. As a bonus, it also skips the connector mess of Cat 7. Which Ethernet cable is best? Like some of the Cat 7 Ethernet cable’s earlier battles with Cat 6 and Cat 6A, it ultimately doesn’t stand much of a chance against Cat 8 cables. Although Cat 7 and Cat 7A are impressive cables and connectors, the standardization of Cat 8 is too much for it to compete with. Cat 8 is a true evolution of Cat 6A and the perfect upgrade path for anyone looking to expand their network’s capabilities.

This is a unique setup where connections are made using both Ethernet cables and electrical wiring in a home. This allows people to run internet connections via power outlets in a house, a cleaner setup that requires adapters to enable. Want to learn more? Here’s everything you need to know about powerline networking. PoLRECat 7 Ethernet cables can support a higher 600Mhz bandwidth than even Cat 6A and introduced support for 10Gbps Ethernet speed a full four years before Cat 6A was ratified. However, Cat 7 cables do not use standard 8P8C connectors, but rather TERA GG45 connectors. They are compatible with 8P8C, but by virtue of not using that more recognized and supported standard, Cat 7 cables further alienate themselves as atypical, making them less desirable for network installation. This indicates solid copper wires as opposed to copper-wrapped aluminum. Solid wires are more common in larger Ethernet installations and higher-quality cables, where they run for longer distances. Solid wire Ethernet cables generally preserve signals for longer and help reduce signal loss. Armored