The Cat 6 Ethernet cable is now widely used in life, it provides us with convenience and high speed. But do you know what it is? How to install it? What are its benefits? This article will explain the detailed information step-by-step to you.
What Is the Cat 6 Ethernet Cable?
Cat 6 Ethernet cable was officially introduced in 2001, which is an unshielded twisted-pair (UTP) design that is an improved version of UTP Cat 5e. Cat 6 consists of four twisted pairs of copper wire and 250 MHz of bandwidth.
Cat 6 Ethernet cables are standardized twisted-pair cables for Ethernet and other network physical layers that are backward compatible with Cat 5 /5e and Cat3 cable standards.
Cat 6 Ethernet cables are standardized twisted-pair cables for Ethernet and other network physical layers that are backward compatible with Cat 5/5e and Cat 3 cable standards. Cat 6 Ethernet cables incorporate more stringent crosstalk and system noise specifications, and the cable standard specifies performance up to 250 MHz.
Cat 6 Ethernet cable supports data transfer speeds of up to 10 Gbps for distances up to approximately 180 feet. But when the height is up to 328 feet, the speed drops to approximately 1 Gbps. Cat 6 cables are now the global standard for Ethernet cables.
What’s the Priority of a Cat 6 Ethernet Cable?
Cat 6 compared with other cables has lots of improved advantages, here are some benefits listed for you:
First of all, Cat 6 Ethernet cables can handle speeds up to 1000 Mbps or Gigabits per second. Cables differ in the broadband which drives the data transfer. Cat 6 Ethernet cables can operate at frequencies up to 250 MHz, allowing them to handle more data simultaneously than Cat 5 cables.
Second is the speed of Cat 6 Ethernet cables, which are more than twice as fast as Cat 5. With performance up to 250 MHz, Cat 6 Ethernet cables offer speeds up to 10GBASE-T or 10 Gigabit Ethernet.
Thirdly, Cat 6 has upgraded its response to crosstalk problems. Cat 6 is a twisted-pair cable that uses copper wires and has four pairs of twisted pairs on each cable. Previously, Cat 6 delivered performance through the use of nylon splines in the cabling, which separated each of the four twisted pairs, allowing the cable to be more robust.
But Cat 6 now offers lower near-end crosstalk (NEXT) for interference during transmission and also improves equal-level far-end crosstalk (ELFEXT), return loss (RL), and insertion loss (IL). The result is a system with less noise, fewer errors, and higher data rates.
Finally, Cat 6 offers lengths of up to 100 meters per network segment. Beyond this length, the maximum achievable speed will not be reached. This can result in slower or failed connections or even no connection. When used for 10GBASE-T, the maximum length of the Cat 6 cable is reduced to 55 meters. Beyond this distance, the rate drops to 1GBASE-T.
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How Do You Set Up Cat 6 Ethernet Cable Correctly?
To make full use of a Cat 6 Ethernet cable, setting it up correctly is important too. Here’s a step-by-step guide to teach you:
Step 1: Planning the Cat 6 Ethernet Cable Route
Before the setting up process, you need to plan the route. It’s essential to do, otherwise, your cable may be useless. Begin by identifying the source and destination of the cable and moving the cable away from power lines to prevent interference.
After that, depending on the functional requirements of Cat 6, you need to make sure that the cable length does not exceed the maximum distance allowed for Cat 6 cables (100 meters or 328 feet). Finally, to plan a proper setup path, you can consider using conduits, cable racks, or existing paths to protect and conceal the cables.
Step 2: Running the Cat 6 Ethernet Cable
In this step, you need to utilize cable trays or conduits to keep your cables organized. You also need to avoid sharp bends in the cable as sharp bends can damage the cable and reduce its performance. Finally, use cable ties or Velcro straps to secure the cables.
Step 3: Lay the Cable Inside the Wall
Laying cables inside walls use the fish tape tool to guide cables through walls and ceilings. If the fish tape does not work, use a driller to drill holes for the cable to pass through. Finally, a protective sleeve is used to protect the cable inside the wall from damage.
Step 4: Terminating Cables with RJ45 Connectors
The fourth step is to terminate the cable using the RJ45 connector, it works like an Ethernet router. First use wire strippers to strip the outer jacket of the twisted pair of wires, unraveling the aligned wires designed for your scenario, such as the T568A or T568B.
Next, build the wires to equal lengths. Insert the RJ45 connectors, taking care to insert them in color-coded order. Finally, secure the connector using the crimping tool.
Step 5: Test after installation
Using a cable tester you can verify that all connections are correct. Then check that no electrical interference is affecting the signal. Next, confirm speed and performance by running a speed test to ensure that the network is operating at expected performance levels.
Bottom Line
After reading the post, you can get a brand-new recognition of the Cat 6 Ethernet cable. Cat 6 Ethernet cable offers the perfect combination of length, speed, and reliability for a variety of network setups. By providing adequate coverage in a medium-sized space and supporting high-speed data transmission, it meets the needs of users in many different industries.