Concise, on point, and extremely helpful! Thanks for the info.! It's also quite refreshing to see a company that sells the cables NOT trying to push for the expensive option for everyone.
@@trueCABLE Thank you for your dedication. I would like to ask that: why many sources claimed that Cat6a is 10 Gbps maximum bandwidth while Cat6 only 1Gbps? If that is true, Cat6 speed is the same as Cat5e. Really contradicting.
@@huy3148 Hello Huy! You are welcome. So, here is the story on Category and performance over distance. If we are talking about full length channels...that being 100m (328 feet)....then Cat5e can actually reach 2.5Gb/s, Cat6 can reach 5Gb/s, and Cat6A can reach 10Gb/s. Cat5e and Cat6 reaching 2.5Gb/s and 5Gb/s respectively are realized using the NBASE-T protocol, which is being seen in more and more motherboard NICs and home networking devices as of late. At reduced lengths (up to 165 feet) Cat6 can also reach 10Gb/s but there are caveats. I hope that clears it up!
I remember one job I had where I had to punch down CAT6 onto a BIX strip. First off BIX strips are only rated for 100 Mb and the data was also 100 Mb. No problem there, but BIX strips were not designed for the larger wires and insulation used in CAT6. I don't know who the genius was, who insisted on CAT6, but that's what I was stuck with. In this business, you occasionally run into that sort of genius. 🙂
The significant amount of musicians or music studio designers are suggesting that six a will reduce chances of EMF due to the shielding. Does that sound right? I’m still not sure if that means individual shielding or just the main shared foil shield
Hello Gregory! Well, if the Ethernet cable is carrying packetized data, then the shielded cable won't add anything if the shield is not actually blocking EMI/RFI and the packets are arriving intact, to begin with. If you have a high EMI/RFI environment then shielded may be an added value and of benefit to your use case. In the case of analog signaling, the story changes, where shielded cabling used for the signaling is likely to assist no matter the environment. That all said, using a shielded cable to be safe is not a problem; just be sure not to accidentally create a ground loop for yourself, or you will have severe issues.
Don, It appears I am a bit late to the party, but one Item I didn't see you discuss is the PoE application on either wire as this is a concern for me, as I am looking to run 5K resolution over a PoE network on spans of 125-150feet for a home surveillance applications as well as my 5G in home network across all my Dell R730 and Synology NAS applications. What do you suggest, and is 6A just overkill or is there a specific reason other than cost not to use it for my installation??
Hello! You are definitely not late to the party! You also did not miss much. So here it is: Even Cat5e solid copper Ethernet can easily handle 100W PoE (802.3bt, PoE++). The difference between the Categories has more to do with the conductor gauge for PoE than anything else, and it applies to bundles or especially bundles in conduit. As for 5K, that does not tell me much. The data is packeted into 10Mb/s, 100Mb/s, or 1Gb/s packets, most likely, and again, Cat5e can handle all of those. As a good middle ground for PoE handling in bundles/conduit and speed capabilities, I suggest Cat6. Now, there is also a handy chart I put together for Ethernet cable carrying PoE found at www.truecable.com/blogs/cable-academy/power-over-ethernet-poe-installation-best-practices that will give you guidance on just how many cables you can get away with in various installation scenarios. Enjoy!
@@trueCABLE That's a really Great Guide, thank you for that, I ended up going with a 1000' roll of Cat6A it was 50 bucks difference between 6 and 6A, since its 7 runs of 100' length being the longest runs, I figured I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone and wire up the house with gigabit ethernet.
@@garystreit5383 Hello again! You are welcome. I am glad that the guide helped out. $50 is not much, and you will be happy with your installation I am sure.
Hello Guy! Well, any number of physical factors can be different. That said, what really separates Cat6 from Cat6A is bandwidth over distance and ANEXT mitigation. Speed capability, in short. There is nothing in the TIA specification which dictates cable construction apart from some outside minimum and maximums on dimensions and number of conductors, etc. There are no absolute specifics per Category on twists per inch, terminations, thickness, etc. That is left up to the manufacturer (again, within the stated boundaries of the TIA spec).
At home, the power cables in my hallway are running parallel (for about 4 metres) to the Cat6 UTP ethernet cables, with a gap of about 100mm. One of the ethernet cables will be PoE and the others are non-PoE. Where one of the non-PoE ethernet cables branches off into the adjoining rooms, they do so at a perpendicular angle over the power cables. The PoE cable will continue to run without crossing over the power cable. I haven't yet moved into the house, so haven't tested the signal or observed any issues yet. *Q:* Is the 100mm gap sufficient? Or is this going to present any issues?
Hello MAK AK! You will likely be fine assuming you are not attempting to push 10G across that Cat6--which Cat6 can do at reduced distances. If you are trying to push 10G, then you will need to increase that parallel separation to 8". For 5G or less (you are likely trying to push 1G) separation distance is not quite as critical. Ideally, you really do want a 8" separation, but 100mm equates to 4", and at residential voltages you are likely going to be OK for that short 12 feet. As for crossing electrical at right angles with Ethernet, this is not an issue as long as the cables are not actually touching at any point.
@@trueCABLE Hi, thanks for responding. Turns out the 100mm separation was only for 2 metres, but it then widens to about 150-200mm for the remainder of that parallel run in the hallway. Would I still have problems pushing 10gbps?
One thing a lot of people don't know is that twisted pair Ethernet was designed to share the same cable with a telephone line, which carry 20 Hz ringing current at 90V. This goes back to StarLAN, which became 10baseT. The frequencies used for Ethernet, even at 10 Mb, are much higher than AC power and the transformers in the NICs won't pass 60 Hz.
To be honest, I think that installing cat6 in a home with a 10G internet is enough for me. I'm thinking to build my home network with ubiquiti switches and put 10G in my whole network (Maybe a few connections to 5Gbps and 2.5Gbps) I think that cat6 is fine for me. I don't going to use more than 15/25 Meters per cable
Hello Edward! I would agree that Cat6 is likely your best bet and a great choice for the price. Given that your longest drop will be 25 meters, you will achieve 10G network speeds even with larger cable bundles. To help your success rate, however, I would opt for Cat6A termination hardware such as keystone jacks. It will increase the cost of your installation a bit, but will go a long way to help ensure you get the speeds you are looking for. Cat6A termination hardware is fully backward compatible with Cat6 Ethernet cable. Hope this helps!
This sort of thing makes me wonder, why do people want so much, when it's unlikely they'll ever even come close to needing it. The first time I came across 10 Gb in my work, it was at a major bank's data centre. My ISP provides 1.5 Gb, limited to 1 Gb by my hardware and I past noticing a difference even when I had only 150 Mb.
I.m a network engineer, we use to use ubiquity, Acess points are good, so are the cameras, but the switches dont last long, I was constantly changing ports, and replacing switches...Aruba Acess Points and switches are 3x better, the Aruba AP25 is gold
Hello! Well, considering that not all components of your runs are Cat6A then you won't be achieving Cat6A performance. You will be limited to Cat6 performance. That said, Cat6 can handle 5 Gbps up to 328 feet (and even 10G up to 165 feet) so you will not ever know the difference unless you start requiring 10G performance at longer lengths. Hope this helps!
I recently upgraded too 400 mbp download speed and 30 upload speed I'm about 50 and 60 feet away from my modem and router, which cat cable will be good?
Hello and thanks for your question. Even Cat5e will easily handle this. That said, Cat6 is a great middle-ground unless you see yourself requiring 10G (10,000 Mb/s) at which point I would strongly recommend Cat6A. We hope this helps!
So... I'm a little rusty, and embarrased that I haven't been keeping up in the last few years, but... say I have a fiber ISP that has 1.5 down/ 900 up, will Cat-6 do what I need to with new(ish) equipment? Is NBASE-T something that is found on new networking/home networking hardware?
Thank you for your question. Yes, Cat6 will work fine for your situation. Cat6 U/UTP is rated to handle 5 Gb/s up to 328 feet. The NBASE-T protocols of 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T are becoming more common in home networking hardware in addition to most recent mid to high-end computer motherboards supporting it (Z590/Z690 for Intel and X570/B550 for AMD).
Here's what Wikipedia says about NBASE-T IEEE 802.3bz, NBASE-T and MGBASE-T are standards for Ethernet over twisted pair at speeds of 2.5 and 5 Gbit/s. These use the same cabling as the ubiquitous Gigabit Ethernet, yet offer higher speeds. The resulting standards are named 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T.[1][2][3] NBASE-T refers to Ethernet equipment that supports speeds of at least 2.5 Gbit/s and sometimes 5 or 10 Gbit/s, and that can automatically use training to operate at the best speed supported by the cable quality.[4] Usually it also supports additional link speeds (10, 100 or 1000 Mbit/s) in connection with autonegotiation, depending on the capabilities of the equipment at the other end of the cable. It simply means the networking gear will automagically adjust the the best speed for the cable.
Hey Joe, thanks for reaching out for more clarity. Cat6 is one of the most versatile cables. Between Cat6 and Cat6A, the most cost-effective option is going to be Cat6. Unless you need to push 10G networking past 165ft, then Cat6 is what you want to use. Cat6A is needed if you need 10G past 165ft, up to 328ft.
Hello and thanks for the question! It is a common misconception that shielding is required by ANSI/TIA for any Category of cable, including Cat6A. Not even Cat8 is required to be shielded. The TIA 568 specification does not speak much about how a particular category cable should be constructed (proving loose guidelines only). The primary focus is on the performance metrics (expressed in exhaustive equations) that a particular cable must meet in order to be stamped with a particular Category. The specification also references shielding, but only in the context of how the cable shield must perform if it is present, and how the cable shield should be bonded. Selecting a cable with shielding is a decision solely based upon your environment, and careful consideration should be applied as to whether you really need it or not as shielded cable not only costs more, but so do the accessories required for it to be installed properly so that you do not actually introduce problems into your installation as opposed to avoiding them.
Hello! Cat6 and Cat6A differ in what speed they can achieve at a given length. The construction differences typically revolve around twist rate of the conductor pairs, the thickness of conductor insulation, and the addition of ANEXT protection for unshielded Cat6A bulk cable. Each manufacturer has a creative license, within certain boundaries, to construct Ethernet cable as they see fit as long as the cable passes the stated performance requirements for the given Category found in ANSI/TIA 568-2.D. On a high level, Cat6A is able to achieve 10G on 328-foot channels without significant ANEXT. Cat6 is designed to achieve 5G on 328-foot channels without significant ANEXT. Secondarily, Cat6 can achieve 10G at short distances, depending upon the ANEXT environment, up to 165 feet but more typically 120 to 130 feet. We hope this helps and please let us know if you have further questions!
Thanks. I get it. So cat6a is a standard met by any combination of wire diameter, number of twists and shielding. I was trying to put male connectors on cat6a cable and finally realized that it was the diameter of the wire giving me problems. Connectors labeled for 6/6a were not working but connectors for 6a/7 finally worked for me. I guess I was now thinking that cat6a meant 23awg wires, but I guess some companies may make a cat6a with thinner wire (ie 24awg). Are you aware of any brand that uses 24awg for cat6a? Thanks much!
@@molecular4176 Cat6A is a performance standard that is met with different cable construction techniques, so yes that is essentially correct. As for putting male connectors onto solid copper Ethernet cable, you will be far better off with Cat6A Field Termination Plugs. They are not fitment sensitive and have a Category-specific PCB inside that provides impedance matching. RJ45 8P8C connectors are the least performant type of termination to put onto solid copper conductors. You may have difficulty reaching 10Gb/s, even though the cable works at 1Gb/s. Cat6A is highly sensitive to termination quality, due to the operating speed of 500MHz per the specification. I am not aware of any solid copper bulk cable that uses 24 AWG in Cat6A construction. Stranded copper patch cables yes, but not solid copper bulk unterminated cable. Please let us know if you have any further questions!
I figured in my lifetime I got 3 million feet installed from data centers to hospitals the difference is Twist per inch on all the conductors the tighter of twist more data transfer at a thicker conductor gauge and if they use an inner plastic core that's the difference the cat 6 ends are most important it all work was checked out by a a fluke scanner the dumb and smart end and not the cheap one either
Hello Guy! Yup, the terminations are the weakest spot in the link (literally). If they are not perfect, it does not matter what Category of cable you have installed. The construction differences between one Category of cable to another may not be apparent, as the specification does not actually tell you how to construct the cable outside of some basic minimum and maximum values for conductor gauge, conductor insulation size, max jacket diameter, and number of conductors. Technically, the standard does not even explicitly say you have to have the conductors twisted at all (but of course you do anyway!). Category classification is via performance, not cable construction. It is verified in the design process and production process. It is field Certified after installation.
CCA Ethernet cable is copper-clad aluminum. It has an aluminum core coated with copper. It is not approved by ANSI/TIA or the NEC/NFPA for installation and should not be used. Only pure copper Ethernet cable is suitable for good data transmission and safe for Power over Ethernet (PoE). The CCA vs. solid copper discussion does not have anything to do with Category (Cat6 vs Cat6A for example).
@@trueCABLE One thing to bear in mind is skin effect, which causes the signal to travel along the surface of the wire, not through the cross section. Copper over aluminum or even steel has long been used in the telecom industry. On the other hand, it may affect PoE, due to the higher resistance.
Hi Brian! We do not offer Military discounts at this time, however, we do offer quantity discounts. On top of that, we offer a 5% off coupon if you sign up for our newsletter on our website!
Hello and great question. When it comes to keystone jacks, you must shop by Category, and then use shielded keystones for shielded cable. When it comes to RJ45 8P8C plugs, Category does not matter but fitment certainly does! You also need to use shielded RJ45 8P8C plugs for shielded cable, just like keystone jacks.
Hello! Slim 32 AWG Ethernet is stranded copper patch cable. We do not currently offer patch cable, but will in the future. Solid copper Ethernet cable, per the spec, must be 22 to 24 AWG conductor size. All of our bulk, unterminated Ethernet is either 23 or 24 AWG.
Hello! Considering that "Cat6e" is not an actual Category in the standard, that is hard to say as there are no hard differences to present to you. Basically, Cat6e is a marketing scam. A manufacturer could make fanciful claims about it, and that would change by the manufacturer as the ones marketing it are not holding to a particular standard.
Hello, which is better for fire stick streaming cat6 or cat6A? I read a bunch of reviews about Ethernet cable for streaming. Some said cat6 is better and some also said cat6A is also better.
Hi Jayson! Thanks for your question. Amazon Fire Sticks do not use an Ethernet cable because they operate over Wi-Fi. The latest Fire Stick is compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 standard which does recommend Cat6A cabling for Wi-Fi routers and access points. This is to provide the bandwidth necessary for the many simultaneous connections that Wi-Fi 6 will accommodate. However, in a residential environment, unless you operate your own video server, your speed and bandwidth for streaming is limited by your service provider. For the short cable distances required in most homes, Cat6 cable is more than sufficient.
Yes! Cat6 is rated for 5 Gbp/s up to 328 feet. If you keep your lengths under 165 feet, you also achieve 10 Gbp/s speeds under many circumstances, but more commonly 130 feet or less when multiple cables are bundled together running at that speed.
Hello Dan! If you are getting 2 Gb/s or 5 Gb/s from your provider than I would suggest Cat6. Cat6 can handle 5GBASE-T up to 328 feet & easily handle 10G up to 110 feet. Cat5e can handle 2.5GBASE-T to 328 feet. What is more likely to cap your speeds is your switching gear. You might be getting 2G or 5G from the ISP, but what are your Ethernet switches capable of? That is more important than the Category of the cable in many cases.
@@dankelly Hello Dan. That is a 1G switch. So, regardless of your ISP speed or Ethernet cable Category you are speed limited to 1G for devices connected to that switch. The only option is to switch out the switch with something that supports 2.5GBASE-T and higher. However, that is only 1/2 of the equation. If your end point equipment (computer, TV, etc.) is 1G then you are again speed limited to 1G to those devices that are stuck on the lower speed.
Hello! The Cat6A cable used in this video is U/UTP, which is to say unshielded. I believe you are referring to a cable shield? If that is the case, there is nothing in the ANSI/TIA 568-2.D standard that requires any particular Category cable to be shielded--not even Cat8. The issue with Cat6A and above cable is ANEXT protection which can be accomplished a number of different ways. Our U/UTP Cat6A passes ANEXT testing as it uses a circumferential stand-off ribbing inside the cable jacket. It this ribbing was not present, then shielding would be necessary.
Hello! Yeah, they do look very similar. The construction is largely the same. If you take a closer look you will see the Cat6A is thicker in diameter due to thicker insulated conductors and the use of off-set ribbing on the inside surface of the jacket to further isolate the conductor/spline assembly.
Hello Dillon. The discussion around Cat6 vs Cat6A has nothing to do with shielding. The question of shielding is an environmental concern, not a Category concern. Per ANSI/TIA 568-2.D, there is no requirement that any Category of Ethernet cable be shielded in order to achieve Category requirements. The only time shielding is referenced in the standard is if it happens to be present, it must function per additional requirements, and it must be bonded to ground.
Concise, on point, and extremely helpful! Thanks for the info.! It's also quite refreshing to see a company that sells the cables NOT trying to push for the expensive option for everyone.
This is so awesome to hear. Thanks for telling us!
@@trueCABLE Thank you for your dedication. I would like to ask that: why many sources claimed that Cat6a is 10 Gbps maximum bandwidth while Cat6 only 1Gbps? If that is true, Cat6 speed is the same as Cat5e. Really contradicting.
@@huy3148 Hello Huy! You are welcome. So, here is the story on Category and performance over distance. If we are talking about full length channels...that being 100m (328 feet)....then Cat5e can actually reach 2.5Gb/s, Cat6 can reach 5Gb/s, and Cat6A can reach 10Gb/s. Cat5e and Cat6 reaching 2.5Gb/s and 5Gb/s respectively are realized using the NBASE-T protocol, which is being seen in more and more motherboard NICs and home networking devices as of late. At reduced lengths (up to 165 feet) Cat6 can also reach 10Gb/s but there are caveats. I hope that clears it up!
For those outside of the US: 328ft is 100m and 165ft is 50m :)
We always have to do things the hard way 😭
Short, sweet, and to the point with a clear and simple explanation. Thank you Don.
Thanks Michael! Glad this video was helpful!
Short and sweet to the point.. so much better than the blab for video hours
Thank you! We're really glad you enjoyed it!
Great explanation! Helped me figure out what to invest in for our network.
Thanks for the comment and feedback Anthony! We are glad this video was useful to you.
I remember one job I had where I had to punch down CAT6 onto a BIX strip. First off BIX strips are only rated for 100 Mb and the data was also 100 Mb. No problem there, but BIX strips were not designed for the larger wires and insulation used in CAT6. I don't know who the genius was, who insisted on CAT6, but that's what I was stuck with. In this business, you occasionally run into that sort of genius. 🙂
Thanks Don, thats a solid explanation of Cat6 vs cat6a
Thank you! We're glad you found it useful.
No talk about whether the cable was UTP, FTP or SFTP. I didn't see any of it here.
The significant amount of musicians or music studio designers are suggesting that six a will reduce chances of EMF due to the shielding. Does that sound right? I’m still not sure if that means individual shielding or just the main shared foil shield
Hello Gregory! Well, if the Ethernet cable is carrying packetized data, then the shielded cable won't add anything if the shield is not actually blocking EMI/RFI and the packets are arriving intact, to begin with. If you have a high EMI/RFI environment then shielded may be an added value and of benefit to your use case. In the case of analog signaling, the story changes, where shielded cabling used for the signaling is likely to assist no matter the environment. That all said, using a shielded cable to be safe is not a problem; just be sure not to accidentally create a ground loop for yourself, or you will have severe issues.
Thank you trueCABLE and Don for the helpful info. :D
No problem! We are glad you liked the content.
Don, It appears I am a bit late to the party, but one Item I didn't see you discuss is the PoE application on either wire as this is a concern for me, as I am looking to run 5K resolution over a PoE network on spans of 125-150feet for a home surveillance applications as well as my 5G in home network across all my Dell R730 and Synology NAS applications. What do you suggest, and is 6A just overkill or is there a specific reason other than cost not to use it for my installation??
Hello! You are definitely not late to the party! You also did not miss much. So here it is: Even Cat5e solid copper Ethernet can easily handle 100W PoE (802.3bt, PoE++). The difference between the Categories has more to do with the conductor gauge for PoE than anything else, and it applies to bundles or especially bundles in conduit. As for 5K, that does not tell me much. The data is packeted into 10Mb/s, 100Mb/s, or 1Gb/s packets, most likely, and again, Cat5e can handle all of those. As a good middle ground for PoE handling in bundles/conduit and speed capabilities, I suggest Cat6. Now, there is also a handy chart I put together for Ethernet cable carrying PoE found at www.truecable.com/blogs/cable-academy/power-over-ethernet-poe-installation-best-practices that will give you guidance on just how many cables you can get away with in various installation scenarios. Enjoy!
@@trueCABLE That's a really Great Guide, thank you for that, I ended up going with a 1000' roll of Cat6A it was 50 bucks difference between 6 and 6A, since its 7 runs of 100' length being the longest runs, I figured I could kill 2 birds with 1 stone and wire up the house with gigabit ethernet.
@@garystreit5383 Hello again! You are welcome. I am glad that the guide helped out. $50 is not much, and you will be happy with your installation I am sure.
Short and clear. Thanks bro.
Glad we could help!
What was the difference again Style, wire thickness, intercore, what type of end, number of twists for inch
Hello Guy! Well, any number of physical factors can be different. That said, what really separates Cat6 from Cat6A is bandwidth over distance and ANEXT mitigation. Speed capability, in short. There is nothing in the TIA specification which dictates cable construction apart from some outside minimum and maximums on dimensions and number of conductors, etc. There are no absolute specifics per Category on twists per inch, terminations, thickness, etc. That is left up to the manufacturer (again, within the stated boundaries of the TIA spec).
Perfect video short and on point. Great video
Hello Milos! Thanks for the kind words. We do our best.
At home, the power cables in my hallway are running parallel (for about 4 metres) to the Cat6 UTP ethernet cables, with a gap of about 100mm. One of the ethernet cables will be PoE and the others are non-PoE.
Where one of the non-PoE ethernet cables branches off into the adjoining rooms, they do so at a perpendicular angle over the power cables. The PoE cable will continue to run without crossing over the power cable.
I haven't yet moved into the house, so haven't tested the signal or observed any issues yet.
*Q:* Is the 100mm gap sufficient? Or is this going to present any issues?
Hello MAK AK! You will likely be fine assuming you are not attempting to push 10G across that Cat6--which Cat6 can do at reduced distances. If you are trying to push 10G, then you will need to increase that parallel separation to 8". For 5G or less (you are likely trying to push 1G) separation distance is not quite as critical. Ideally, you really do want a 8" separation, but 100mm equates to 4", and at residential voltages you are likely going to be OK for that short 12 feet. As for crossing electrical at right angles with Ethernet, this is not an issue as long as the cables are not actually touching at any point.
@@trueCABLE Hi, thanks for responding.
Turns out the 100mm separation was only for 2 metres, but it then widens to about 150-200mm for the remainder of that parallel run in the hallway.
Would I still have problems pushing 10gbps?
One thing a lot of people don't know is that twisted pair Ethernet was designed to share the same cable with a telephone line, which carry 20 Hz ringing current at 90V. This goes back to StarLAN, which became 10baseT. The frequencies used for Ethernet, even at 10 Mb, are much higher than AC power and the transformers in the NICs won't pass 60 Hz.
To be honest, I think that installing cat6 in a home with a 10G internet is enough for me. I'm thinking to build my home network with ubiquiti switches and put 10G in my whole network (Maybe a few connections to 5Gbps and 2.5Gbps) I think that cat6 is fine for me. I don't going to use more than 15/25 Meters per cable
Hello Edward! I would agree that Cat6 is likely your best bet and a great choice for the price. Given that your longest drop will be 25 meters, you will achieve 10G network speeds even with larger cable bundles. To help your success rate, however, I would opt for Cat6A termination hardware such as keystone jacks. It will increase the cost of your installation a bit, but will go a long way to help ensure you get the speeds you are looking for. Cat6A termination hardware is fully backward compatible with Cat6 Ethernet cable. Hope this helps!
This sort of thing makes me wonder, why do people want so much, when it's unlikely they'll ever even come close to needing it. The first time I came across 10 Gb in my work, it was at a major bank's data centre.
My ISP provides 1.5 Gb, limited to 1 Gb by my hardware and I past noticing a difference even when I had only 150 Mb.
I.m a network engineer, we use to use ubiquity, Acess points are good, so are the cameras, but the switches dont last long, I was constantly changing ports, and replacing switches...Aruba Acess Points and switches are 3x better, the Aruba AP25 is gold
What I'll remember is good coffee and good cat6 cable 😁
Hello and thanks for your kudos! Yeah, we make excellent Ethernet cable. I do love my coffee.
Is the outer sheath on cat 6a marked as such? Or how can one easily identify the difference between the two?
Hi! Thanks for checking out our video. Yes, the outer jacket of the cable is printed with information about the cable, including the cable category.
Thanks for the good explanation, love your coffee addiction, Greetings from New Zealand
We are glad you enjoyed the video! Love to see that our viewers are all over the world!
@@trueCABLE I subscribed you , great channel contents, very informative
I run all my internal (inwall and attic) wires with Cat6A and all the end terminations are Cat6. It's just easier to handle. Is that a good idea?
Hello! Well, considering that not all components of your runs are Cat6A then you won't be achieving Cat6A performance. You will be limited to Cat6 performance. That said, Cat6 can handle 5 Gbps up to 328 feet (and even 10G up to 165 feet) so you will not ever know the difference unless you start requiring 10G performance at longer lengths. Hope this helps!
I recently upgraded too 400 mbp download speed and 30 upload speed I'm about 50 and 60 feet away from my modem and router, which cat cable will be good?
Hello and thanks for your question. Even Cat5e will easily handle this. That said, Cat6 is a great middle-ground unless you see yourself requiring 10G (10,000 Mb/s) at which point I would strongly recommend Cat6A. We hope this helps!
@@trueCABLE thank you appreciate it
So... I'm a little rusty, and embarrased that I haven't been keeping up in the last few years, but... say I have a fiber ISP that has 1.5 down/ 900 up, will Cat-6 do what I need to with new(ish) equipment? Is NBASE-T something that is found on new networking/home networking hardware?
Thank you for your question. Yes, Cat6 will work fine for your situation. Cat6 U/UTP is rated to handle 5 Gb/s up to 328 feet. The NBASE-T protocols of 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T are becoming more common in home networking hardware in addition to most recent mid to high-end computer motherboards supporting it (Z590/Z690 for Intel and X570/B550 for AMD).
Here's what Wikipedia says about NBASE-T
IEEE 802.3bz, NBASE-T and MGBASE-T are standards for Ethernet over twisted pair at speeds of 2.5 and 5 Gbit/s. These use the same cabling as the ubiquitous Gigabit Ethernet, yet offer higher speeds. The resulting standards are named 2.5GBASE-T and 5GBASE-T.[1][2][3]
NBASE-T refers to Ethernet equipment that supports speeds of at least 2.5 Gbit/s and sometimes 5 or 10 Gbit/s, and that can automatically use training to operate at the best speed supported by the cable quality.[4] Usually it also supports additional link speeds (10, 100 or 1000 Mbit/s) in connection with autonegotiation, depending on the capabilities of the equipment at the other end of the cable.
It simply means the networking gear will automagically adjust the the best speed for the cable.
This? I may be a little slow on the take, can you be kinda more specific? This one?
Hey Joe, thanks for reaching out for more clarity. Cat6 is one of the most versatile cables. Between Cat6 and Cat6A, the most cost-effective option is going to be Cat6. Unless you need to push 10G networking past 165ft, then Cat6 is what you want to use. Cat6A is needed if you need 10G past 165ft, up to 328ft.
Great video! Thanks!
You bet!
Not comments about shielding? I thought 6a was shielded.
Hello and thanks for the question! It is a common misconception that shielding is required by ANSI/TIA for any Category of cable, including Cat6A. Not even Cat8 is required to be shielded. The TIA 568 specification does not speak much about how a particular category cable should be constructed (proving loose guidelines only). The primary focus is on the performance metrics (expressed in exhaustive equations) that a particular cable must meet in order to be stamped with a particular Category. The specification also references shielding, but only in the context of how the cable shield must perform if it is present, and how the cable shield should be bonded. Selecting a cable with shielding is a decision solely based upon your environment, and careful consideration should be applied as to whether you really need it or not as shielded cable not only costs more, but so do the accessories required for it to be installed properly so that you do not actually introduce problems into your installation as opposed to avoiding them.
There is UTP and STP. Unshielded vs shielded. You just need that if you bundling lots of cables into 1 hole.
6a has U/UTP , U/FTP , F/FTP, S/FTP
Is cat6a a different gauge wire vs cat6? I think you may have said that cat6a is thicker, but please be more specific. Thanks
Hello! Cat6 and Cat6A differ in what speed they can achieve at a given length. The construction differences typically revolve around twist rate of the conductor pairs, the thickness of conductor insulation, and the addition of ANEXT protection for unshielded Cat6A bulk cable. Each manufacturer has a creative license, within certain boundaries, to construct Ethernet cable as they see fit as long as the cable passes the stated performance requirements for the given Category found in ANSI/TIA 568-2.D. On a high level, Cat6A is able to achieve 10G on 328-foot channels without significant ANEXT. Cat6 is designed to achieve 5G on 328-foot channels without significant ANEXT. Secondarily, Cat6 can achieve 10G at short distances, depending upon the ANEXT environment, up to 165 feet but more typically 120 to 130 feet. We hope this helps and please let us know if you have further questions!
Thanks. I get it. So cat6a is a standard met by any combination of wire diameter, number of twists and shielding. I was trying to put male connectors on cat6a cable and finally realized that it was the diameter of the wire giving me problems. Connectors labeled for 6/6a were not working but connectors for 6a/7 finally worked for me. I guess I was now thinking that cat6a meant 23awg wires, but I guess some companies may make a cat6a with thinner wire (ie 24awg). Are you aware of any brand that uses 24awg for cat6a? Thanks much!
@@molecular4176 Cat6A is a performance standard that is met with different cable construction techniques, so yes that is essentially correct. As for putting male connectors onto solid copper Ethernet cable, you will be far better off with Cat6A Field Termination Plugs. They are not fitment sensitive and have a Category-specific PCB inside that provides impedance matching. RJ45 8P8C connectors are the least performant type of termination to put onto solid copper conductors. You may have difficulty reaching 10Gb/s, even though the cable works at 1Gb/s. Cat6A is highly sensitive to termination quality, due to the operating speed of 500MHz per the specification. I am not aware of any solid copper bulk cable that uses 24 AWG in Cat6A construction. Stranded copper patch cables yes, but not solid copper bulk unterminated cable. Please let us know if you have any further questions!
@@trueCABLE Thanks again! I edited my original question, as I now understand better about cat6a.
@@molecular4176so cat 6e better whic one should i buy
I figured in my lifetime I got 3 million feet installed from data centers to hospitals the difference is Twist per inch on all the conductors the tighter of twist more data transfer at a thicker conductor gauge and if they use an inner plastic core that's the difference the cat 6 ends are most important it all work was checked out by a a fluke scanner the dumb and smart end and not the cheap one either
Hello Guy! Yup, the terminations are the weakest spot in the link (literally). If they are not perfect, it does not matter what Category of cable you have installed. The construction differences between one Category of cable to another may not be apparent, as the specification does not actually tell you how to construct the cable outside of some basic minimum and maximum values for conductor gauge, conductor insulation size, max jacket diameter, and number of conductors. Technically, the standard does not even explicitly say you have to have the conductors twisted at all (but of course you do anyway!). Category classification is via performance, not cable construction. It is verified in the design process and production process. It is field Certified after installation.
CAT6A CCA vs CAT6 PURE COPPER? which is which im confused :( helppp
CCA Ethernet cable is copper-clad aluminum. It has an aluminum core coated with copper. It is not approved by ANSI/TIA or the NEC/NFPA for installation and should not be used. Only pure copper Ethernet cable is suitable for good data transmission and safe for Power over Ethernet (PoE). The CCA vs. solid copper discussion does not have anything to do with Category (Cat6 vs Cat6A for example).
@@trueCABLE One thing to bear in mind is skin effect, which causes the signal to travel along the surface of the wire, not through the cross section. Copper over aluminum or even steel has long been used in the telecom industry. On the other hand, it may affect PoE, due to the higher resistance.
Well done.. Thank you sir!
You're very welcome. Thank you for tuning in.
Very helpful, and quick. Thanks.
Our pleasure. We are glad to hear that. Thanks for tuning in.
do you guys offer Military discounts?
Hi Brian! We do not offer Military discounts at this time, however, we do offer quantity discounts. On top of that, we offer a 5% off coupon if you sign up for our newsletter on our website!
any difference in the connectors?
Hello and great question. When it comes to keystone jacks, you must shop by Category, and then use shielded keystones for shielded cable. When it comes to RJ45 8P8C plugs, Category does not matter but fitment certainly does! You also need to use shielded RJ45 8P8C plugs for shielded cable, just like keystone jacks.
sir how about the Slim version of this? im planning to buy a cat6a but slim version which is 32awg. only around 10m.
Hello! Slim 32 AWG Ethernet is stranded copper patch cable. We do not currently offer patch cable, but will in the future. Solid copper Ethernet cable, per the spec, must be 22 to 24 AWG conductor size. All of our bulk, unterminated Ethernet is either 23 or 24 AWG.
Whats the difference between cat6 and cat6e?
Hello! Considering that "Cat6e" is not an actual Category in the standard, that is hard to say as there are no hard differences to present to you. Basically, Cat6e is a marketing scam. A manufacturer could make fanciful claims about it, and that would change by the manufacturer as the ones marketing it are not holding to a particular standard.
Hello, which is better for fire stick streaming cat6 or cat6A? I read a bunch of reviews about Ethernet cable for streaming. Some said cat6 is better and some also said cat6A is also better.
Hi Jayson! Thanks for your question. Amazon Fire Sticks do not use an Ethernet cable because they operate over Wi-Fi. The latest Fire Stick is compatible with the Wi-Fi 6 standard which does recommend Cat6A cabling for Wi-Fi routers and access points. This is to provide the bandwidth necessary for the many simultaneous connections that Wi-Fi 6 will accommodate. However, in a residential environment, unless you operate your own video server, your speed and bandwidth for streaming is limited by your service provider. For the short cable distances required in most homes, Cat6 cable is more than sufficient.
@@trueCABLE I’m using an Ethernet adapter and OTG cable with moca adapter. Thanks anyway
can Cat 6 delivers 2 Gb speeds ?
Yes! Cat6 is rated for 5 Gbp/s up to 328 feet. If you keep your lengths under 165 feet, you also achieve 10 Gbp/s speeds under many circumstances, but more commonly 130 feet or less when multiple cables are bundled together running at that speed.
@@trueCABLE Thank you so much
hat if I'm getting 2 GBs or 5GBs from my Internet provider? Wouldn't 6 and 6e cap my speed at 1GB?
Hello Dan! If you are getting 2 Gb/s or 5 Gb/s from your provider than I would suggest Cat6. Cat6 can handle 5GBASE-T up to 328 feet & easily handle 10G up to 110 feet. Cat5e can handle 2.5GBASE-T to 328 feet. What is more likely to cap your speeds is your switching gear. You might be getting 2G or 5G from the ISP, but what are your Ethernet switches capable of? That is more important than the Category of the cable in many cases.
@@trueCABLE good question. I currently have this TP Link... TL-SG116.
And, i have an Asus ZenWiFi XT8... Looking to use it with an Ethernet back haul.
@@dankelly Hello Dan. That is a 1G switch. So, regardless of your ISP speed or Ethernet cable Category you are speed limited to 1G for devices connected to that switch. The only option is to switch out the switch with something that supports 2.5GBASE-T and higher. However, that is only 1/2 of the equation. If your end point equipment (computer, TV, etc.) is 1G then you are again speed limited to 1G to those devices that are stuck on the lower speed.
Thx
You are welcome!
CAT6A shoul has one more layer which is isolation layer. The cable in this video is hardly the CAT6A cable.
Hello! The Cat6A cable used in this video is U/UTP, which is to say unshielded. I believe you are referring to a cable shield? If that is the case, there is nothing in the ANSI/TIA 568-2.D standard that requires any particular Category cable to be shielded--not even Cat8.
The issue with Cat6A and above cable is ANEXT protection which can be accomplished a number of different ways. Our U/UTP Cat6A passes ANEXT testing as it uses a circumferential stand-off ribbing inside the cable jacket. It this ribbing was not present, then shielding would be necessary.
Can i use it for 10mbs wifi?
Our Cat6 or Cat6A Ethernet cable easily supports 10 Mb/s. In fact, so does Cat5e or even Cat3 for that matter.
@@trueCABLE yeah thank you😃💗
They look exactly the same
Hello! Yeah, they do look very similar. The construction is largely the same. If you take a closer look you will see the Cat6A is thicker in diameter due to thicker insulated conductors and the use of off-set ribbing on the inside surface of the jacket to further isolate the conductor/spline assembly.
have a coffe
Coffee is life!
no talk about the shielding? useless video
Hello Dillon. The discussion around Cat6 vs Cat6A has nothing to do with shielding. The question of shielding is an environmental concern, not a Category concern. Per ANSI/TIA 568-2.D, there is no requirement that any Category of Ethernet cable be shielded in order to achieve Category requirements. The only time shielding is referenced in the standard is if it happens to be present, it must function per additional requirements, and it must be bonded to ground.