Structured Commercial Cabling Systems for Computer Network Infrastructures

When it comes to choosing between CAT-5e and CAT-6 cabling systems, it is always better to select and install the best available system. At Soniva Integrated Solutions, our team of experts perform an on-site consultation to assess your computer network infrastructure requirements and recommend the ideal commercial cabling system for you.

Understanding the Differences Between CAT-5e and CAT-6 Cabling Systems

The main difference between CAT-5e and CAT-6 is the transmission performance and extension of the available bandwidth. Other distinctions include:

•CAT-5e (Cat 5 enhanced): This type of UTP copper cabling is primarily used for phone, audio/video distribution systems and home networks. It typically consists of four pairs of wires wrapped in a single jacket. The ends resemble a wider version of a phone jack. It reduces crosstalk and keeps signals on different circuits or channels from interfering with each other. It can handle 1000 Mbps speeds at 100 MHz.

•CAT-6: This is the top of the line unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, suitable for very fast business infrastructures. It is a significant improvement over CAT-5e and is suitable for up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet at 250 MHz. An internal separator isolates pairs from each other, allowing you to future-proof a commercial infrastructure as much as possible without a meaningful cost increase.

Predictions for the Future

Analysts predict that soon all new installations will use CAT-6 structured cabling systems. The good news is that CAT-6 links and channel requirements are backward compatible to CAT-5e. This fit makes it a straightforward process for customers to choose CAT-6 as a replacement for CAT-5e in their networks. In other words, applications that work over CAT-5e will also operate equally as well over CAT-6.

In addition, because of its improved delivery performance and superior protection from external noise, systems operating over CAT-6 cabling have fewer errors compared to CAT-5e for current applications. This equates to less frequent corrupted or lost data packets, which ultimately translates into higher reliability for CAT-6 networks. To learn more about our structured cabling installation services please complete our online form.