Question 1GB router cables

[brent85]

Hi,

Looking to find out what the difference is between these 2 cables. I only need one, so trying to decide which one I should use.
It connects from the box in the picture to the router.

One is Cat5E and the other Cat6. I believe both are POE. I would assume the Cat6 is the better choice, but I notice the 5E is thicker.
Any help would be great.
New setup with 1GB fibre.

 

[jeremyj_83]

Both Cat 5E and Cat 6 are certified for 1Gbps Ethernet to distance of 100M. In fact both can be used up to 5Gbps speeds. Therefore I'd use the less expensive of cables.

 

[brent85]

Both Cat 5E and Cat 6 are certified for 1Gbps Ethernet to distance of 100M. In fact both can be used up to 5Gbps speeds. Therefore I'd use the less expensive of cables.

Thanks for the reply. I already have both cables, so wondering which is better to use.

 

[jeremyj_83]

Thanks for the reply. I already have both cables, so wondering which is better to use.

It doesn't matter both will work perfectly well. At this point if you had a choice between a 2M cable that is taught and a 3M cable with slack then use the longer cable.

 

[bill001g]

The only time it would make any difference is if you were running 10gbit. Cat6 cables can "unofficially" run 50 meters at 10gbit. If you were to buy a new cable you would always just buy cat6a which has official ratings to 10g at 100 meters.

Then again you can unofficially get cat5e to run at 10g at very short distances also.

In your case it makes no difference all both cables can run 1gbit. If they were very long cables like over 10 meters then the wire size of only 26awg might be a concern.

 

[jeremyj_83]

In your case it makes no difference all both cables can run 1gbit. If they were very long cables like over 10 meters then the wire size of only 26awg might be a concern.

Both Cat 6 and Cat 5e are certified to be able to run 1GbE at 100M length. In fact both are able to do 5GbE at 100M. Heck Cat 5e can run 10GbE at 33M distance. In the grand scheme of things Cat 6 was a useless category and it should have been Cat 6a to begin.

 

[bill001g]

Both Cat 6 and Cat 5e are certified to be able to run 1GbE at 100M length. In fact both are able to do 5GbE at 100M. Heck Cat 5e can run 10GbE at 33M distance. In the grand scheme of things Cat 6 was a useless category and it should have been Cat 6a to begin.

Since they locked up the latest specs behind paywalls I am unsure exactly what it says about 2.5 and 5g cables. I heard they didn't officially standardize the use of cat6 and cat5e for 10gbit at shorter distances.....even though everyone knows it likely works. Note cat6 was invented to run 1gbit over 2 pair rather than 4 pair but it the equipment manufactures went with the cat5e 4 pair solution.

The huge issue are all the companies selling garbage fake cables because the words "CAT" mean nothing when it comes to standards and your general users eyes glaze over if you talk about IEEE,eia/tia numbers. They just to go amazon and buy those cheap flat cables and then come here and wonder why they get random failures.

 

[jeremyj_83]

I heard they didn't officially standardize the use of cat6 and cat5e for 10gbit at shorter distances.....even though everyone knows it likely works.

A cable must be able to do the speed over 100M to be officially certified. The 50M distance for 10GbE Cat 6 is unofficial same as 33M for Cat 5e.

 

[lantis3]

Cat6a should be used at 100 meters for 10GBased-T

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_over_twisted_pair

Personally I have used cat5 ethernet cable (not even cat5e) for short distance 1Gbps. Not recommended though.

 

[brent85]

Thanks for all the info. I think I will go with the Cat5e which came with the router. The Cat6 was just a spare cable I had lying around and thought it maybe a better pick.

The Cat5e is thicker, but maybe the 2pair/4pair explains that.

 

[jeremyj_83]

Personally I have used cat5 ethernet cable (not even cat5e) for short distance 1Gbps. Not recommended though.

Cat 5 is certified for 1GbE over a 100M distance.

 

[lantis3]

Cat 5 is certified for 1GbE over a 100M distance.

OK. You are correct according to the Wiki. The reality is whether a cable can run at a specific speed depends on the cable length a lot, however. Long distance creates a lot more noise and attenuation.

Does cable for 2.5G and 5G have to be recertified? No.