Are all network/ethernet cables the same?
LAN connections! All we know is: get a wire, plug it in and you are good to go. And when the wires stop working, get another one, another regular one! Because all the networking cables or ethernet cables are the same, right? Wrong!
One of the most common misconceptions about networking cables is that they are all the same. But stop and think for a second. How many times have you blamed the Wi-Fi connection for poor connectivity or slow speed? Same story with wiring networks. Poor quality cables can lead to poor connectivity, reduced speeds, and in some cases, they might damage your system through the connected port and render it useless.
Consider the following factors while buying a new networking or ethernet cable:
Quality Matters
The networking cables are named following the industry guidelines and standards. The term used for this is “Cat” which means Category. This key piece of information provides an idea about the capability of the networking cables, most important being the frequency which then determines the speed of information that the networking cables can deliver
When you are looking to buy networking cables from a networking cables manufacturer, always make sure to buy the cables of cat-5 or above. Cat-5 cables are capable to operate at 100MHz and offer speeds of up to 100MbPS. Cat-5e also operates up to 100MHz but can offer speed up to 1GbPS.
A step above these is Cat-6 cables. Cat-6 offers up to 10GbPS of speed and operates at 250MHz but the drawback being the limited length of 55 meters. Their successor Cat-6e cables offer the same speed while operating at 500MHz and eliminate the above-mentioned length limit.
If you are buying the cable for your personal use or a house with a low number of users, then Cat-5e is sufficient for all the everyday tasks. However, if you are looking to buy a cable for a professional setting or with a large number of users which will need higher speeds, Cat-6 or Cat-6e is much more advisable.
Next thing that should be considered is the amount of coated jacket that the cable has. This determines the life and the robustness of the cable. If the cable you install is going to take a lot of wear and tear, then buying a networking cable from a reputed networking cable manufacturer that provides a better protective jacket on the cable is suitable.
Last but not the least, the performance capabilities of the networking cables. These cables have a maximum length (usually around 100 meters) up to which they can perform efficiently without the need of the repeaters.
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