Understanding the Differences between Cat 5e and Cat 6 Ethernet Cabling

cat53-vs-ca6While there are three Ethernet cable choices in use—Cat 5, Cat 5e and Cat 6—only the latter two are still considered viable choices for telecom and industrial applications. Since August 2009, when ANSI/TIA-568-C.2 (Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunications Cabling and Components Standard) was published, category 5 has been superseded by category 5e and is no longer recognized by this standard. The use of category 5e or better cabling is recommended for all new installations. And yet even with this simplification, there is still a great deal of confusion among Ethernet cable users concerning whether to use Cat 5e or Cat 6 cable. Read More