Blog post -
Which network cable should I choose?
CBK offers high-quality network cables in the main categories 5, 6, 7, and 8. Within these categories, there are subcategories such as Cat 6a, Cat 6a Flat, Cat 6a Slim, and Cat 5e. There are thus many different network cables - and many are probably wondering when to choose what?
The simplest solution is to buy the best and most expensive cable, but the price differences can be significant. Therefore, there may be money to save by purchasing a cable that meets necessary needs.
Below is an overview of what newer types of network cables can do in terms of transmission speed, cable length, and bandwidth. You will also get a description of different areas of use:
Cat 5e
- Speed (max): 1Gbps
- Length (max): 100 m
- Bandwith: 100 MHz
This is a network cable for home use and smaller offices. Cat.5e cables are cost-effective cables for less demanding installations, where the usage area of the network will not change in the future. The cables manage 1Gbps speed and 100MHz bandwidth. Maximum total cable length end to end = 100 meters. See our Cat.5e cables here.
Cat 6
- Speed (max): 1Gbps
- Length (maks): 100 m (55m at 10Gbps)
- Bandwith: 250 MHz
Network cable for home, small and medium-sized businesses. Cat.6 cables are used in installations where the requirement for transmission speed does not exceed 1Gbps, and will not change in the future. The cable manages 1Gbps speed and 250MHz bandwidth (10Gbps over shorter distances). See our Cat.6 cables here.
Cat 6a
- Speed (max): 10Gbps
- Length (max): 100 m
- Bandwith: 500 MHz
Network cable for demanding installations of all sizes. Cat.6a cables are used in all installations where a robust infrastructure that can handle high loads and is dimensioned for the future is required. The cable complies with Cat.6a, manages 10Gbps speed and 500MHz bandwidth. It is suitable for use in data centers and distribution of multimedia. PoE and PoE+ are supported for cable bundles up to 100 cables, PoE++ Type 3 and 4 are supported for cable bundles up to 72 cables. See our Cat.6a cables here.
Cat 6a Slim
- Speed (max): 10Gbps
- Length (max): 100 m
- Bandwith: 500 MHz
Thin network cable for demanding installations, and modern construction that handles 10Gbps and PoE++. This network cable has a much thinner diameter than a standard cable, and is space-saving and easy to work with. It is ideal for data centers, patch cabinets, etc. The cable's performance exceeds the Cat.6a requirements (ANSI/TIA- 568-C.2 and ISO 11801) if the installation cable used is a certified Cat.6a 23AWG cable. Maximum link length is 96 meters, if the installation cable used is a certified Cat.6a 23AWG cable 90 meters, and the patch cables' length does not exceed 6 meters in total. PoE and PoE+ are supported for cable bundles up to 48 cables, PoE++ Type 3 and 4 are supported for cable bundles up to 24 cables. See our Cat.6a slim cables here.
Cat 6a Flat
- Speed (max): 10Gbps
- Length (max): 100 m
- Bandwith: 500 MHz
Flat network cable that is very space-saving with high performance. The cable's performance exceeds the Cat.6a requirements (ANSI/TIA- 568-C.2 and ISO 11801) over shorter lengths. Not recommended for use with PoE. See our Cat.6a flat cables here.
Cat. 8.1
- Speed (max): 40Gbps
- Length (max): 100 m
- Bandwith: 2000 MHz
Cat8.1 patch cables are high-performance Ethernet cables designed to support higher bandwidths and longer distances compared to traditional Cat5e and Cat6 cables. Cat8.1 patch cables have a bandwidth of 2000 MHz, which allows for up to 40 Gbps speed and they support the latest data center and business applications. See our Cat.8.1 cables here.
