When you’re starting a new construction project, relocating offices, or just upgrading your current cabling infrastructure, you basically have two routes to choose from; copper or fiber. Both of which are great in transferring information. But when it comes to deciding which way to go, you have to consider several things: your current network & future network needs, as well as your bandwidth, distances, environment, budget, time frame, etc. We have provided below a breakdown of the most common types of cabling.
Cat3 Cabling
This type of cabling is used in analog telephones. Although designed to reliably carry data up to 10 Mbit/s, modern data networks run at much higher speeds, and Cat5e or Cat6 is now used for all new installations – and many large institutions require any repairs or additions to existing buildings that currently use Cat3 to be upgraded to Cat5e.
Cat5 Cabling
Category 5 cable is used in 10 base-T, 100 base-T, token ring, switched token ring, ATM and T1 applications. The cable contains twisted pair wire of 22 to 24 AWG and comes UTP or STP. Each pair in a cable sheath has a different number of twists per foot. The cable is used for digital or data-transport applications with speed of up to 100 MHz at about 100 meters. It is, however, considered pretty much obsolete by now because of the other upgraded versions out there.
Cat5e Cabling
Category 5 enhanced cabling, better known as Cat5e, is a improved version of Cat5 cabling. It is faster than Cat5 cabling and reduces crosstalk, the interference one can get from signals on different circuits or channels. Cat5e can handle 1000 mbps speeds at 100 MHz or “gigabit speeds.”According to most cabling professionals you won’t hear many say go with Cat5e cabling, unless cost is your major concern. Cat5e can handle up to gigabit speeds and is lower in cost compared to Cat6. But like how all technology becomes, Cat5e is becoming closer to being obsolete. This is due to the technologies that will be running off the cabling requiring faster speeds.
Cat6 Cabling
Cat6 is the next step in cabling and is faster than Cat5e. With Cat6 cabling you are getting better insertion loss, near end crosstalk, return loss, and equal level far end crosstalk. Cat6 is referred to as the “Future-Proof Cable.” This is because Cat6 allows your building, business, etc, to handle the faster speeds that will be developing very quickly in the future. Category 6 cable uses thicker-gauge wire, increased shielding, and more pair twists per inch to reduce signal noise and interference. The tighter specifications guarantee that 100-meter runs of Category 6 are capable of 1000 Mbit/s transfer speeds. Cat6 can handle up to 10 gigabit Ethernet at 250 MHz when reducing cable lengths to less than 50 meters. (can’t decide between cat5e & cat6)?
(Augmented) Cat6e Cabling
Category 6 Enhanced is an augmented specification designed to extends the frequency range of CAT6 from 250 MHz to 500 MHz. By wrapping Category 6e in grounded foil shielding, full 10-Gigabit Ethernet speeds can be reached without sacrificing the max cable length of 100 meters.
Cat7 Cabling
It’s designed to meet or exceed the requirements of 10-Gigabit Ethernet. The standard specifies a frequency of 1–600 MHz over 100 meters of fully shielded twisted-pair cabling. The fully shielded cable virtually eliminates crosstalk between the pairs. In addition, the cables are noise resistant, making the Category 7/Class F system ideal for high EMI areas. It’s well suited for applications where fiber optic cable would typically be used— but costs less.
Fiber
Although more expensive than the cabling options mentioned above, it’s the most commonly installed cable, and is a cabling option that deserves applause for its technological advances. Fiber cable is made up of a single core made of glass or plastic that acts as the core. It is along this that light travels to deliver data signals. Fiber is the preferred option when you’re in need of high bandwidth over long distances and want to avoid any electric interferences.
if you have any further questions, feel free to check out our Structured Cabling page, or call us at 713.865.7699. We’d love to help you with your next structured cabling project.
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