[SOLVED] Ethernet cable 5e / 6 or 6e?

[thegoldendecadecontact]

So I’m looking to buy a 15m Ethernet cable. I would like to ask you which type of this 3 shall I get? I want to have the least possible increase in ping and the least possible loss of Mbps. I stream and game on the same machine. My download is 80 Mbps and a upload is 5.5mbps. Hopefully you can help me out

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

 

[kanewolf]

So I’m looking to buy a 15m Ethernet cable. I would like to ask you which type of this 3 shall I get? I want to have the least possible increase in ping and the least possible loss of Mbps. I stream and game on the same machine. My download is 80 Mbps and a upload is 5.5mbps. Hopefully you can help me out

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

None of them will make any measurable difference in your ping. Get a 100% copper non-flat 22-24 gauge cable. I prefer monoprice cables -- https://www.amazon.com/Cmple-CAT5E-ETHERNET-NETWORK-CABLE/dp/B07Q58M5J7

 

[kanewolf]

You ping is measured in milliseconds (ms), but the time for electrons to travel in copper wire is in nanoseconds. A millisecond is 1,000,000 nanoseconds. You can't measure the time in an ethernet cable.

 

[SamirD]

Quality of the connectors will be just as important if not more important than the cabling used. Make sure everything looks nicely made and professional, and buy from reputable places with genuine brands and not fake stuff.

 

[hackster]

You ping is measured in milliseconds (ms), but the time for electrons to travel in copper wire is in nanoseconds. A millisecond is 1,000,000 nanoseconds. You can't measure the time in an ethernet cable.

Ping will be increased if, due to a dodgy cable, the transmitting end has to re-transmit due to the receiving end detecting uncorrectable errors.

Even in a digital world, cables can affect real-world performance. It's possible to have something working, but not very well. Internet protocols are very good at covering up for bad cables, but if this happens it does slow things down.

 

[bill001g]

Ping will be increased if, due to a dodgy cable, the transmitting end has to re-transmit due to the receiving end detecting uncorrectable errors.

Even in a digital world, cables can affect real-world performance. It's possible to have something working, but not very well. Internet protocols are very good at covering up for bad cables, but if this happens it does slow things down.

Ping will not increase at all. It will just see packet loss. This is the key reason you use ping. Ethernet and most network transport methods have no ability to retransmit data. At most they detect it and discard it. This will never cause any delay just loss. You might see a delay in something like a file transfer since at much higher level in the communication chain data retransmission is being done. The ping protocol has no method of retransmission.

 

[hackster]

OK, you're right. But most real world use if via TCP/IP so has error detection and retries in the event of a working but dodgy connection.

My point is that a crap cable can lead to slow data, much slower than the speed of light!

 

[bill001g]

OK, you're right. But most real world use if via TCP/IP so has error detection and retries in the event of a working but dodgy connection.

My point is that a crap cable can lead to slow data, much slower than the speed of light!
[/QUOTE
I have worked my whole career in computer networking and am just overly sensitive to people being imprecise in their statements.

 

[kanewolf]

OK, you're right. But most real world use if via TCP/IP so has error detection and retries in the event of a working but dodgy connection.

My point is that a crap cable can lead to slow data, much slower than the speed of light!

But the label on a cable whether it is cat5e or cat7 doesn't tell you if it is a "crap cable". The type of wire, the size of wire, the reputation of the supplier are better indicators.

 

[SamirD]

But the label on a cable whether it is cat5e or cat7 doesn't tell you if it is a "crap cable". The type of wire, the size of wire, the reputation of the supplier are better indicators.

And the only sure fire way to know a cable is good is to have tested it before as even bnib cables can be doa.

 

[kanewolf]

And the only sure fire way to know a cable is good is to have tested it before as even bnib cables can be doa.

Sure, but a typical home user won't have equipment that can adequately test cables. That is why you buy extras.

 

[SamirD]

Sure, but a typical home user won't have equipment that can adequately test cables. That is why you buy extras.

You only need another connection like modem to router and swap out the existing cable (which is known to work). That's a 'good enough' test.